Hand to Hold's official blog
Most people view eating as a simple task that occurs automatically. Unfortunately, for many premature babies, the trauma of their birth and medical procedures during infancy can lead to severe feeding problems as they get older. A basic parenting task is nourishing one’s child, so if he/she can’t or won’t eat, mealtime can become an [...]
I like to start any discussion of childcare by pointing out that I firmly believe that child care encompasses far more than routine care. Far beyond dressing, diaper changing, and feeding, the childcare you choose not only stands to significantly shape your child’s earliest learning experiences, but will also be important for her overall health [...]
Neonatologist and Author Sue Hall, MD shares how gathering information about your baby will help you cope during a baby’s hospitalization in the NICU. She encourages parents who want to pay it forward to participate in Hand to Hold’s For the Love of Babies Campaign which is raising awareness and funding to provide more education to NICUs and to parents after a NICU stay. [Read more]
If your baby is in the NICU, you probably feel stressed, overwhelmed, and worried about your baby’s health – among many other issues. Most parents are so focused on their babies—understandably so—they forget about themselves and their own emotional well-being. I’m sure you’ve heard that you must first take care of yourself before you can [...]
I have been caring for newborns and their families in neonatal intensive care units for 24 years. I have seen incredible advancements, which have had historic impacts on the care and outcomes of these fragile babies. I can say without hesitation, the change, which has had the most profound impact on my practice, is the [...]
Oddly enough, I knew about Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) before having a baby of my own. Friends of mine had had a daughter born full-term and she contracted RSV her first year. She was so sick she was hospitalized and even now, nine years later, she has long-term health and developmental consequences that relate to that illness. And another [...]
Matthew Chambers and his wife Victoria welcomed their son James into the world on March 19, 2010. The next few months were filled not only with multiple surgeries and medical interventions – but also with moments of unspeakable joy and intense love. Matthew talks about his son and how what they went through together has [...]
Lisa Davenport, RN shares how parents can make the most of the nurse-patient relationship during a NICU stay. She brings her invaluable perspective as a NICU nurse, a NICU mom and as an instructor/retention counselor for an Austin nursing program. [Read more]
Happy (soon-to-be) National Neonatal Nurse’s Day! Have I told you all lately how proud I am to be part of such an amazing group of talented people? Too often, my recent e-mails have been “please do this,” “please don’t forget that” and not filled with enough: thank you for choosing this amazing profession, for doing [...]
There are more than 6,000 rare diseases in the world, and approximately 1 in 2,000 people have been diagnosed with one. Every person and/or family affected by rare disease is different in their own way, but we all share the same problem: we are “rare” and often even the medical community doesn’t know what to make of our diagnosis. My 11-year old, Mighty Z, is affected with a rare disease that affects only 800 children worldwide. Her disease does not discriminate on the basis of race, or gender, and it is known by two different names: Ondine’s Curse (its first and oldest name) and Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome or“CCHS” (its modern name). CCHS is a central nervous system disorder in which the autonomic (involuntary) control of breathing is low. For Mighty Z and other CCHS patients, this means that the respiratory response to oxygen and carbon dioxide is sluggish at best during the day; and, it is absent at night, when sick and/or when stressed. [Read more]
Hand to Hold is a nonprofit 501(c)3 parent support organization and information and resources provided here do not intend to take the place of the relationship between a patient and personal physician.