We have gathered together some resources that families with babies admitted to the neonatal unit have found useful. These resources can help to answer some of the more common questions parents have. The resources may also provide you with helpful tips/suggestions to help promote your child’s development.
If you are concerned regarding your baby’s development, speak to your GP, health visitor, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, speech and language therapist or neonatal doctor involved in your child’s care.
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Tiny Life
Tiny Life is Northern Ireland’s premature and special care baby charity.
Tiny Life provides a range of support and advice. The website gives useful information on all aspects of caring for a baby who was admitted to the neonatal unit: such as your first week at home with baby, feeding and getting to know your baby.
TinyLife – Northern Ireland’s Premature and Vulnerable Baby Charity
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Sleep
The Lullaby Trust provides information on safer sleep for babies including safe sleeping positions and how to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
The Lullaby Trust – Safer sleep for babies, Support for families
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Feeding / Weaning
Our maternity services have put together support information about feeding yout baby.
Feeding your baby | Belfast Health & Social Care Trust website (hscni.net)
The Public Health Agency has produced a leaflet that provides advice for weaning in general in terms of timing and hints for successful weaning.
Weaning made easy | Public Health Agency
The Infant and Toddler Forum provides a guide on development of feeding and drinking skills based on age and a 10 step guide to feeding.
Toddler and Infant Nutrition Advice – Infant & Toddler Forum (infantandtoddlerforum.org)
The charity Bliss provides information on when to wean your preterm baby and how to start weaning including which foods to use first. It also gives some tips if you are having difficulties with weaning.
Weaning your premature baby | Bliss
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Communication
The NSPCC have produced ‘Look, say, sing, play’ resources that help encourage interaction between you and your baby.
There are suggestions on how to incorporate more interaction with your baby as part of the daily routine. There are also weekly activities suggested to help with ‘brain-building’.
Look, Say, Sing, Play early years resources to use and share with parents | NSPCC Learning
This 3 minute video from Belfast Trust Speech and Language Therapists video series ‘Changing Time is Chatting Time’ shows the importance of talking regularly to your baby to encourage bonding.
Changing Time is Chatting Time | Belfast Trust – YouTube
‘Tiny happy people’ consists of articles and films describing your baby’s early communication skills and how to build them up to their first words. This also includes some tips if you are worried about your child’s speech.
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Play / Promoting Development
Pathways.org provides free resources so that every parent is fully empowered to support their child’s development, and take advantage of their child’s neuroplasticity at the earliest age.
Pathways website contains free videos and games to help understand, track and encourage your baby’s milestones. These are organised by different developmental areas and ages.
You can adjust this if your baby was preterm.
Baby Development | 0-3 Months Old | Pathways.org
The Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists have produced a resource for Awake time ideas that provides practical advice to help you support your baby’s early motor development.
The information, developed by Physiotherapists, gives advice on moving and carrying your baby, sitting positions, tummy time and playtime ideas. It also advises
equipment which should be avoided with preterm babies if this applies to you.Awake Time Ideas | Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists
EiSMART is an evidence based framework to give high risk babies the best start in life. The cover all aspects of a child’s development: Sensory, Motor, Attention and Regulation, and Relationships. Professionals and parents work Together to support premature and sick infants from birth.
They can suggest supports for infants who may have developmental difficulties.
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Your mood matters!
Being a parent can be very overwhelming. But when your baby arrives too soon, too sick or too small, parents can experience high levels of stress and anxiety.
79% of parents who have had a premature baby felt that their mental health was affected, and many parents have said that they mentally ‘hit a brick wall’ 6-8 months after their baby has been discharged from a neonatal unit.
There are two projects for perinatal mental health and support which may be helpful:
Maternal Advocacy and Support Project (the MAs) – Women’s Resource and Development Agency (wrda.net)
Positive Minds for Premature Parents | Aware NI (aware-ni.org)