NICU Archives – Emma Reed

Why I am Digging Out My Running Shoes to Raise Money For Bliss

Posted on August 15, 2019January 6, 2023 by Emma Reed

Exercise has always been a big part of my life. I enjoyed it throughout school and have always had active, physical jobs. I have loved classes such as Pilates, step aerobics, Zumba and Hiit as well as running. I even lifted kettlebells and Bulgarian bags during my second pregnancy! Safely, of course, under the watch of an experienced fitness instructor. I wanted to be strong, fit and healthy in order to get the natural birth I so eagerly wanted after experiencing a traumatic emergency c-section with my first baby. And I was doing really well. My fitness levels were probably the best they had ever been, I was strong, I loved working out and it gave me focus.

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The Bittersweet Side of Becoming a Preemie Parent

Posted on September 10, 2018January 6, 2023 by Emma Reed

I have held off writing this for a quite a while for a couple of reasons really. 1 I felt that I had covered quite a bit on prematurity and sometimes it really can sound like you are always being quite negative (without meaning to but until you’ve been in these shoes it can be difficult to understand where it is all coming from) and 2 because it is still painful to think about certain aspects and to reflect on how those moments made me feel.

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How to Help Your Child Cope with Having a Sibling in NICU

Posted on August 23, 2018January 6, 2023 by Emma Reed

I was recently contacted by a Mother asking me if I had written a post on how to help your child cope with having a sibling in NICU. I hadn’t even thought about this as a blog topic but also couldn’t believe I had overlooked it! Through the emotions, the tiredness, the back and forth to the hospital, I had constantly thought about our baby and writing about his journey yet the other superstar hasn’t had a mention, and he definitely deserves one.

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55 Things a Preemie Parent Doesn’t Want to Hear (and tips on what to say and do)

Posted on March 3, 2018February 28, 2023 by Emma Reed

When you become a preemie parent your entire newborn journey alters. You are thrown into a world that is scary, upsetting, unnerving and completely unpredictable. You lose all those firsts that should experience and you return home without your baby.

Even after your baby does come home, times can be tough and not all stories are straightforward. Whatever the situation is, those parents require support both emotional and physical. They need people to understand what they are going through and, most importantly, they need these people to be saying and asking the right things. Unfortunately, there are a lot of (ahem)

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How Can You Support A Family With A Baby In NICU?

Posted on January 3, 2018January 6, 2023 by Emma Reed

It can be difficult for people to know what the right things to say or do when a family welcome a baby prematurely. I must admit that before we had William I was pretty clueless about the ins and outs of NICU life and even though I have known of couples who have had a baby pre-term it felt as though if I asked lots of questions I may have seemed as though I was prying and I didn’t want to offend by asking the wrong thing. Now I have been in those shoes I know what a scary, lonely time it can be and for me, I found talking helped. I think we can all be a little too polite at times and perhaps if we spoke about situations a little more we could all offer and receive more help and support.

So, what does a family with a baby in NICU need and how can you provide that support?

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Our NICU Journey- Week Three (part two)

Posted on December 18, 2017January 28, 2022 by Emma Reed

Our NICU journey continues:

That night in NICU…

I was told about prem baby’s and their little noises but wow, I wasn’t prepared for quite so many groans, grunts, snuffles and squeaks! I wasn’t sure if I was going to get any sleep but you settle after a 2am feed and you go through until 4:30am then wake again at 6:30am. You show me that you can breastfeed on demand and wake for it ok. Your temperature seemed ok throughout the night– I checked the back of your neck, your chest and your back just to be on the safe side… I may have also checked your breathing a little too much!! I can see how I am going to be once you are home.

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Our NICU Journey- Week Three (part one)

Posted on December 13, 2017January 28, 2022 by Emma Reed

Another week, more hospital NICU visits to come and I begin to notice the toll it’s having on all of us. The tiredness, the worry, the stress, the juggling of normal life with hospital life. You can only fully understand all of this if you have been in the same position, it’s a whole other world. Having Jake around is a lovely distraction from the seriousness of it all but trying to balance his needs with yours is a skill I am only just about managing.

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