Info
RxNICU / Premature Babies
Premature babies are born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, before they are fully developed. Preemies are often cared for by a specialized team in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Below is a list of resources that can be helpful for parents with a premature baby or for families with a child in the NICU.
Web Content
Government Information
Alberta
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My Health Alberta
This Alberta Health Services and Government of Alberta website provides reliable health information for Albertans. This resource has information about getting to know the NICU, taking care of yourself, Kangaroo Care, and taking your baby home. It has videos and articles to help you navigate having a premature infant in the NICU.
Information for parents of premature babies can be found by searching the website with the following keywords/phrases:
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Oral Feeding Your Preterm Newborn or Infant with Challenges
This video will help you recognize your baby’s feeding strengths and stress cues. It will also give you information and tips to help you help your baby develop oral feeding skills. Together with the health care providers looking after your baby, an individualized feeding plan can be made to help your baby succeed at feeding.
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Healthy Parents, Healthy Children
Part of the MyHealth.Alberta network, this website offers families information about pregnancy and the first five years of a child’s life. This made-in-Alberta information will give you suggestions for everyday care and activities. It will take you from the early stages of looking after your new baby, through to the thrill of first steps and words, all the way to the first days of school.
Important information for parents of premature babies can be found by searching the website with the following keywords/phrases:- When your Baby Needs Special Care
- Is My Baby Getting Enough
- Somethings to Know About Newborns
- Guide to the Early Days (PDF)
You can also access the free e-books:
Canada
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Canadian Premature Babies Foundation
The Canadian Premature Babies Foundation aims to support and educate Canadian families with premature babies before, during and after their NICU stays. The information for families covers Peer Support, What You Can Do in the NICU, Fathers of Premature babies, and Neonatal Follow Up. It also has podcasts that cover a wide range of topics.
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About Kids Health
Canadian medical information resource by the SickKids Hospital in Toronto, Ontario. Their website has an information section all about premature babies. It covers basic information about premature babies, understanding different premature diagnoses, treatment overview, preemies at home, and looking ahead. It has information in different languages including French, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Portuguese, Spanish, Urdu, Tamil, Arabic, and Punjabi.
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Caring for Kids
The resources has information for parents from Canada’s pediatricians. This website doesn’t have specific information on premature babies, but it does cover a wide range of child health information and child health concerns. It has information on children from newborn to teenagers.
Other Helpful Websites
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CDC’s Developmental Milestones
Explains stages of a child’s development. While this can vary from child to child the website lists what skills an average child can do at different age ranges. Skills such as taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and waving “bye bye” are all developmental milestones. These milestones can involve physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and communication skills. This US resource lists the typical developmental milestones for children aged 2 months to 5 years.
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Hand to Hold
A US organization that has information for families with premature babies. The website has a blog, podcasts, online communities, online peer mentoring and sibling support. The resources cover topics like NICU Now for parents with babies in the NICU, NICU Dads, NICU Love & Loss for those grieving a loss, and Beyond the NICU for once you’re home with your baby.
Because this is a US resource not all information will be relevant for Alberta families. -
Baby Steps to Home
A US guide to prepare NICU parents for home. It covers a wide range of topics such as breastfeeding overview, safe sleep, parenting in the NICU, developmental care, and preparing to take your baby home. You can either access the information from the website or you can download the NICU discharge module. Because this is a US resource not all information will be relevant for Alberta families.
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March of Dimes
Provides families with general information about the NICU. It includes Dad’s role, common tests, coping with stress, learning your baby’s cues, and touching and holding your baby. Because this is a US resource not all information will be relevant for Alberta families.
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Kid’s Health
A US resource with trusted medical information. It covers information for parents on When Your Baby's Born Premature, When Your Baby's in the NICU, and Bringing Your Premature Baby Home. This information is available in audio and Spanish language.
Because this is a US resource not all information will be relevant for Alberta families.
Book/DVD List
These resources are available to borrow in the Family Library. You can also check with your local library to see if they are available.
You can download, print, and share this PDF or our Destiny Collection list.
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Preemies : The Essential Guide for Parents of Premature Babies
Answering questions that parents will have related to premature birth and premature babies. This book covers topics such as high-risk pregnancy, preemie hospitalization, and taking your baby home.
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Preemie Care : A Guide to Navigating the First Year With Your Premature Baby
Preemie Care was written to help explain the unique health journey premature babies go through. Along with a comprehensive guide to the first year of life; it provides knowledge and resources to give your little one the best possible start - in the NICU and beyond.
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Understanding the NICU : What Parents of Preemies and Other Hospitalized Newborns Need to Know
This book will explain what happens in the NICU and help parents gain confidence and feel more reassured about their baby's care in the NICU and at home.
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A comprehensive resource that covers topics such as premature delivery, preemie hospitalization, preemie development, and parenting multiples.
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Intensive Parenting : Surviving the Emotional Journey Through the NICU
This book explores the wide range of experiences and emotions that parents can go through while parenting in the neonatal intensive care unit.
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Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is the practice of skin-to-skin contact between babies and their parents. It is a method of newborn care that is used with premature infants.
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Mayo Clinic Guide to Your Baby's First Year
Practical information and support for parents of children from newborn to three years old. You'll find advice on nutrition, sleep habits, growth and development, and how you can establish a secure bond with your child.
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A very young boy tells his teddy bear about his mixed feelings over the premature birth of his new sibling, and his guilty resentment at the adult's preoccupation with the tiny baby. Touches on the added challenges of preemie health concerns and parents' frequent absences.
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Waiting for Baby : A Sibling Visits the NICU
Visiting a neonatal intensive care unit can be an overwhelming experience, especially for a young child during sibling visitation. This book will help to prepare children for the NICU environment so they are not as fearful and can focus on bonding with their new sibling.
Contributors
Thank you to our friends from Neonatal Follow Up Clinic, Alberta Children’s Hospital NICU Team, Alberta Children’s Hospital Lactation Consultants, Karen Lasby, The Calgary Zone NICUs Parent Education Pathway Committee, and Calgary Public Library for their contributions.
Current as of: March 20, 2024