Why the NICU Should Be a Part of Your Birth Plan

No. One. Talks. About. It.

As pregnant people, we are constantly encouraged to take birth prep classes, create a birth plan and build a picture perfect baby registry. 

But none of this includes a moment to pause and plan for the “what ifs”. 

What if my baby has a hard time breathing at birth?

What if my baby is born early?

What if my baby needs to go to a different facility than I gave birth at? 

Although I believe that consuming too much of the potentially negative aspects of birth can create anxiety, the reality is that one in ten babies born in the US this year will experience a NICU stay.

When it does happen, the majority of the time families are caught completely off guard and have no idea what to expect or ways that they can still advocate and support their baby while in the NICU. 

Instead it’s learning in a trial-by-fire mode where families are scrambling to learn everything about this completely foreign world while still managing their own postpartum recovery. This burden causes extreme overwhelm and leads to the incredibly high rates of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders for NICU families. 

I fully believe that if families were given more information about the NICU prenatally they could better prepare for the possibility and feel more empowered and confident in their care from day one.

Here are three reasons why you should include the NICU in your birth plan: 

#1 It’s more common than you think

One in every ten babies born in the United States this year will require a NICU stay. That’s over 450,000 babies just this year. Some infants will just pass through the NICU for a few hours while others can require stays for days, weeks or even months. 

#2 The NICU is not just for full term babies. 

Most of the time when people hear about the NICU they immediately imagine a tiny preemie baby hooked up to a monitor. While prematurity is the most common reason for a NICU admission, over half of NICU babies are full term. The transition from being a little fish in mom’s belly to being born and having to eat, breathe and stay warm all on their own can be a little tricky for some babies. A need for the NICU after delivery can be hard to predict – sometimes babies just need a little extra care and monitoring to help transition to the “real world”. 

#3 Knowledge is power

Even a short NICU stay can have a big impact on the birth and postpartum experience. Although nothing can fully prepare someone for a NICU stay, taking the time to think about the possibility and outline goals for care that are aligned with their unique needs can help families feel empowered and confident as parents from day one. 

By not including information about the NICU or high risk birth in prenatal care or childbirth education, families are missing the opportunity to have space to have a thoughtful conversation about their own unique goals and preferences and be able to better advocate for their needs. 

I know having these conversations can be tricky, that’s why I created the FREE downloadable “Birth Plan Plus: Preparing for NICU and High-Risk Situations” — a totally customizable template to add to your birth plan and prenatal discussions. 

I designed it with the hope that it will help facilitate thoughtful discussions about the “what ifs" of pregnancy and delivery during the prenatal period so families can make informed decisions that are directly tied to their unique hopes and goals. This way families will be able to navigate the unexpected feeling more confident and empowered in their choices. 

And if you are a doula or other support professional who wants to better understand NICU babies and their families so you can create an environment in which they can heal and thrive — I’ve got you!

Check out my new live training, “Navigating the NICU for Doulas: Supporting Families Before, During and After a NICU Stay”. Containing 4-hour of live education on topics such as emotional support for NICU families, preemies 101 and establishing breastfeeding in the NICU PLUS included bonus downloads like a NICU 101 Cheat Sheet — this course has what you need to feel confident in your support skills for the NICU community.

Learn more and registration for an upcoming live training here.