The COVID-19 pandemic has begun to stabilize throughout the United States, reaching it's peak in the coming days. We encourage you to continue to practice safe social distancing and thank you for your cooperation with our temporary visitor restrictions while on the unit.

We recognize the critical role you play as part of your baby’s care team and applaud you for navigating this uncharted territory. Please be sure to share questions and concerns along the way. We will get through this together.

VISITATION POLICY:

• Please enter the hospital through the Main Entrance at 75 Francis Street to complete a health screening

• One BANDED family member is allowed in a 24-hour period

• All visitors are to wear a mask over their nose and mouth at all times while in the unit

• Green visitor sticker and parent band should be worn at all times

• Visitor should remain in the baby’s room throughout the visit

• Enough Food and beverage for the single visit is permitted by the bedside, not to be stored for later

PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS:

Please reference previously published newsletters for additional information and resources.

• week of April 6th - https://www.smore.com/q15vz

In light of new data about how COVID-19 spreads, along with evidence of widespread COVID-19 illness in communities across the country, CDC recommends that people wear a cloth face covering to cover their nose and mouth in the community setting.

Please note, effective Monday April 6, all patients and visitors in any clinical setting at Brigham and Women’s Hospital will be supplied with a procedural or surgical mask which must be worn as part of our continued efforts to protect our health care workers and patients.

For more information about face masks, see: DIY Cloth Face Covering

Have you enrolled in the My Brigham Baby app? This app allows NICU parents the ability to be better engaged in their infant’s care, gain easy access to helpful online resources, keep track of the parental care activities you do with your baby, as well as follow your child’s daily growth progress even when you cannot be present in the NICU that day.

• ask a NICU Unit Coordinator for an informational packet and consent form
• complete the form and have your babies' nurse sign the bottom
• bring completed form back to the Unit Coordinators
• Questions? email: mybrighambaby@bwh.harvard.edu

Fragile Beginnings Support Group

This Zoom support group for parents whose babies have spent time in the NICU provides an opportunity to connect with other parents who have shared similar experiences and concerns:

• Share your story
• Support others and be supported
• Exchange information, ideas, and strategies
• Nurture yourself as you make meaning of this unexpected journey, especially during this difficult time in the world

Free Groups for Parents with Newborns

Offered by the Center for Early Relationship Support®, our new parents groups (formerly known as "new moms groups") provide safe and nurturing spaces for mothers and/or fathers with their babies to give and receive support, ask questions, and begin building a parent community.

Hand to Hold Support Group

Hand to Hold understands that a high-risk pregnancy, a complicated birth, a NICU stay or the loss of a baby are very traumatic and isolating experiences. Our virtual and in-person support groups are here to support parents at any stage of their journey.

Hand on Heart is a practice that can help you respond skillfully to distressing events. You can do it quickly, many times a day if need be, to bring calm and awareness to your experiences.

1. Place your hand over your heart so that you feel the warm touch of your hand on your chest.
   
2. Begin to breathe more slowly, more gently, more deeply, into your heart center.
   
3. Recall a moment when you felt safe, loved, and cherished by another human being. Not the entire relationship, just one moment. This could be a moment with a spouse, parent, child, friend, therapist, or teacher—even a beloved pet.
   
4. Let the warmth of this moment wash through your body as you remember; savor this feeling for 30 seconds.
   
5. When you are ready, reflect on any shift you felt in your body from this practice.

shared by: https://www.mindful.org/

Snuggle up for story time with siblings at home.

Talking to Kids when COVID's in Question

Virtual Playdates with William James College in Newton:

Ages 0-4, Thursdays April 16-May 14 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM

Playtime at the Freedman Center continues, virtually! Join us to share developmental tips, idea for play, and continue community building . Groups will have a new theme each week. This group is for parents of children 0 to age 4.

Please RSVP at andra_angieli@williamjames.edu

Thursdays April 16-May 14 from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM

Zoom link: https://williamjames.zoom.us/j/210271818

Ages 4-7, Wednesdays April 15, 22, and 29 from 12:00 to 12:20 PM

Parenting from home is difficult. Doing so without the ability to go to parks, libraries, schools and playdates can feel almost impossible. The Brenner Center and CAFES at William James College is organizing a weekly “virtual playdate” for ages 4-7. We will get together to read books, play games, listen to music, and move around together. This group is free and open to all in a drop-in format. Just follow the zoom link below and let us help you entertain the kids for a few minutes.

Join via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/3356296606?pwd=UzNvUkNOVXFYMkZWOEhxYnBZSi92Zz09

Meeting ID: 335 629 6606

Password: 7FBP7d

Explore other public events: https://www.williamjames.edu/community/resource-hub/public-events-calendar.cfm

Trusted Information

• MASS.GOV

• World Health Organization (WHO)

• Centers For Disease Control (CDC)

• National Perinatal Association

• Multilingual Fact Sheets and Visuals

Many families are currently experiencing or are anticipating financial concerns due to the outbreak, compounded by their baby's NICU admission. Please reach out to your NICU social worker for ways in which we can help guide you through this journey.

Mass. 2-1-1 has information on financial resources for residents of Massachusetts.

Search on-line at: https://mass211.org OR call: 211

Information is available in different languages.

Discounted parking is available for NICU parents (cost $5.00) in the garage at 80 OR 45 Francis Street. Please stop at the front desk and speak to the unit coordinators for the pink validation card.

Our Social Service team is currently staffed remotely. We remain available by phone and email during business hours to provide emotional support, information and resources to help you care for your baby during your NICU admission and help plan for when baby comes home.

Social Work

In addition to providing support and counseling, our social workers can assist families with tasks such as health insurance registration, finding a pediatrician, or locating community resources.

Alicia Katz (617) 525-8320

akatz22@partners.org

Susan Berliner, LICSW (617) 732-8403

sberliner@bwh.harvard.edu

Marysabel Gomez, LPC (617) 732-5419

mgomez15@bwh.harvard.edu

Family Support

Our Family Support Program is staffed by former NICU mothers. Working closely with the medical team, they help parents navigate the many emotional twists and turns that accompany the NICU journey.

Maria Conley (617) 525-8682

msconley@bwh.harvard.edu

Care Coordination

Care coordinators are nurses who complete intake assessments upon admission and can assist families in preparing for the transition home or to a specialty care nursery closer to home.

Anna Kiriakidis (617) 732-4866

akiriakidis@bwh.harvard.edu

Spiritual Care

The Spiritual Care Services Department provides compassionate emotional, spiritual, and religious support as resources for healing.

Mikhala Heil (617) 732-7480

mheil1@bwh.harvard.edu

Follow Brigham’s Spiritual Care Services on Instagram for uplifting quotes and images

Website: https://www.brighamandwomens.org/
Location: 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, USA
Phone: (617)732-5420
Facebook: facebook.com/BrighamandWomensHospital
Twitter: @BrighamWomens