“I had no idea.” This is a common phrase our parent mentors hear when they meet NICU families for the first time. Unless they had a previous baby in the NICU, families have often never heard of the medical terms and procedures that are part of the NICU experience. We know our families want and need information fast. We also know that currently, one of the most common ways for people to obtain information is through videos. Videos humanize information and are helpful for people who prefer to learn through watching or listening or who find it difficult to read. ICU baby created the NEST video library as one of the pillars of information in the NICU Empowerment Support Tools program (NEST) to answer the needs of parents.
The NEST video library has 12 videos that guide parents and families through the NICU experience; from NICU orientation through feeding, kangaroo care and self-care for NICU parents, all the way to the long awaited transition home. Each of the videos features NICU parent stories woven into the information that parents need, from a parent’s perspective. And all videos are available in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole.
The completion of the NEST video library elevates the comprehensive support that ICU baby provides to each family. The NEST Video Series together with the My NICU Baby Book and NEST website gives them access to the trusted, reliable and vetted information they can use to talk with their baby’s healthcare team and participate in their baby’s care more confidently and comfortably.
Every NICU family can access the NEST Video Library through their My NICU Baby Book. Our NICU parent mentors can also send videos directly to their families to assist in the conversations and support they offer. These tools are helping to revolutionize the NICU family experience.
We are thrilled to have all 36 videos live and in the hands of every NICU family we support.