Pregnancy, childbirth and a NICU admission take a toll on your emotional health. Additionally, the support network that may normally surround you looks very different during the COVID pandemic. May is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month and we would like to highlight ways in which you can prioritize your mental well-being during your NICU journey, transition home and through the postpartum period.

Always remember: You are not alone, you are not to blame. With help, you will be well.

• 1 in 5 women will suffer from a maternal mental health (MMH) disorder like postpartum depression.
• Mothers of preterm babies are 40% more likely to develop postpartum depression. NICU mothers in particular are up to 70% more likely to experience PPD compared with mothers of healthy term infants outside of the NICU.
• People of every age, income level, race and culture can develop Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) during pregnancy and within the first year after delivery.
  

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

Tuesday-Friday

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

Maria Raskind (617) 525-8682

mraskind@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.

Spiritual Care

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

(617) 732-7480

Child Life Graduate Student

Child life is available to help you and your family understand and cope with the hospital stay of your baby in the NICU. Child life provides therapeutic activities, preparation, intervention and education. Child life promotes positive coping for siblings of NICU babies.

Ashlee Thomas (617) 431- 3238

athomas50@bwh.harvard.edu

The Headspace app, available via iOS, Android or desktop, offers sets of guided meditations aimed at tackling problems related to anxiety, sleeplessness and relationships.

https://www.headspace.com/

Craft: String Painting

The link below will provide instructions on painting with a string. The materials you will need are yarn, paint, and a piece of paper.

http://www.thecreativecenter.org/tcc/programs/virtual-art-making-activities/String-Painting-with-photographs:en-us.pdf

Physical Activity: Bowling

Use filled water bottles or plastic cups. Place the water bottles or plastic cups in a straight line, horizontal, or even stack on top of each other. Use a ball of your choice. When ready, throw the ball to knock down the water bottles or plastic cups. How many tries does it take to knock all the bottles/cups down?

FAMILY PRESENCE 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

• Once you leave the Unit, we ask you not to return until the following day.

• A family eating area has been set up in the lobby, near the Unit Coordinator desk. Please enjoy your food in this designated area only, not by the bedside. A refrigerator and microwave can be found here as well.

GETTING INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR BABY: Parents are encouraged to call at any time for information about their baby. When calling please ask to speak to the nurse caring for your baby, giving your baby’s first and last name. The unit coordinator will transfer your call directly to your nurse. If the nurse is busy caring for your baby and is not able to answer, you may need to try back again in a bit.

DISCOUNTED PARKING: 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.

HAND HYGIENE: Practicing good hand hygiene is an important part of your baby’s care. Please wash your hands with soap and water at the sink in the waiting area or in your baby’s room at the start of your visit; use hand sanitizer each time you enter your baby’s room and again every time prior to touching your baby. Remember to use hand sanitizer again after you touch door handles, personal or NICU objects, other persons or yourself. Please wipe your cell phone off with the sanitizing wipes prior to use.

PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS:

Please reference previously published newsletters for additional information and resources.

• week of April 6th - https://www.smore.com/q15vz
• week of April 13th - https://www.smore.com/1z26w
• week of April 20th - https://www.smore.com/6fhmq
• week of April 27th- https://www.smore.com/jn157
• week of May 4th - https://www.smore.com/qz69c

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