For NICU babies, breast milk can be a life-saving medicine. As Breastfeeding Awareness Month continues, we're sharing information about how breast milk helps with baby's development in the NICU. We're also sharing the support breastfeeding (or pumping) NICU moms need, plus you'll get to meet one of the latest additions to the Hand to Hold team!
Milk is Medicine: Fetal Development Interrupted and How Nutrition Has an Impact
The last trimester is a very important time in the baby’s development, and it’s often the last third of pregnancy that is missed if a baby is born very early. While the baby has all of their organs present, most still have a tremendous amount of maturation or development to do. And breast milk plays an important role in the development of these organs in the NICU.
Meet Tammy Moore: Online Store & NICU Outreach Coordinator
Tammy Moore joined us this year as the Online Store & NICU Outreach Coordinator. She runs our online store which serves both NICU families and hospital professionals. She also coordinates our NICU outreach to hospitals across the country to identify needs and share our NICU programs and resources. Visit our online store to learn more!
What kinds of breastfeeding support do NICU moms need? We went straight to the source and asked NICU moms themselves what they found helpful - and what support they wished they'd had.
Virtual support groups allow families to access support at all stages of the NICU journey, from the safety and comfort of their own home. Support groups occur Monday - Friday, with groups available for current NICU families, NICU graduate families, and Spanish-speaking families.