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Do you turn to books when in need of guidance and support? Here are some of the most recommended books for NICU parents from Hand to Hold staff and friends.
Medical/Health
Preemies – Second Edition: The Essential Guide for Parents of Premature Babies by Dana Wechsler Linden, Emma Trenti Paroli, and Mia Wechsler Doron. Authors Dana Wechsler Linden and Emma Trenti Paroli are parents who have “been there.” Together with neonatologist Mia Wechsler Doron, they answer the dozens of questions that parents will have at every stage—from high-risk pregnancy through preemie hospitalization, to homecoming and the preschool years—imparting a vast, detailed store of knowledge in clear language that all readers can understand.
The Preemie Primer: A Complete Guide for Parents of Premature Babies–from Birth through the Toddler Years and Beyond by Jennifer Gunter, MD. As an ob/gyn, Dr. Jennifer Gunter has delivered hundreds of premature babies, but as a mother of preemie triplets, she also understands the heartbreak and challenges of prematurity. The Preemie Primer is a comprehensive resource, covering topics from delivery, hospitalization, and preemie development to parenting multiples, handling health issues, and finding special-needs programs.
Preemie Care: A Guide to Navigating the First Year with Your Premature Baby by Karen Lasby, RN, MN, Tammy Sherrow, RN, MN. Written for parents, but full of practical advice for health care professionals alike, Preemie Care helps ease the unique preemie journey to health, with a comprehensive guide to the first year of life. Leading neonatal nurse specialists Karen Lasby and Tammy Sherrow draw on their decades of experience, empowering you with the knowledge and resources to give your little one the best possible start in life—in the NICU and beyond.
Memoir
Preemie: Lessons in Love, Life and Motherhood by Kasey Matthews. A mother’s moving and honest memoir about the premature birth of her daughter—and the strength and grace that can be found in the midst of life’s greatest challenges.
Girl in Glass: Dispatches from the Edge of Life by Deanna Fei. Over months in the hospital, as she held the hand of a tiny baby fighting for her life inside a glass box, Fei came to grips with parenthood at its most elemental. Then, a year after she brought her daughter home, the CEO of her husband’s company publicly blamed the medical bills of the beautiful, now-thriving little girl for a cut in employee benefits and attached a price tag to her life, setting off a national firestorm.
From Hope to Joy: A Memoir of a Mother’s Determination and Her Micro Preemie’s Struggle to Beat the Odds by Jennifer Degl. In this gripping memoir, Jennifer Degl brings her readers on an emotional roller coaster: from the decision to get pregnant —to the birth of her daughter, Joy, seventeen weeks early, and this tiny baby’s fight to survive.
Early: An Intimate History of Premature Birth and What It Teaches Us About Being Human by Sarah DiGregorio. Inspired by the author’s harrowing experience giving birth to her premature daughter, a compelling and empathetic work that combines memoir with rigorous reporting to tell the story of neonatology—and to meditate on the questions raised by premature birth.
Enter the NICU: When Men Enter the NICU and Play the Quarterback Game of Their Lives by Rad White. Enter The NICU has been written by past NICU Dads for current and future NICU Dads and is based on real experiences and practical solutions to negotiate the NICU environment.
Half Baked: The Story of My Nerves, My Newborn, and How We Both Learned to Breathe by Alexa Stevenson. From the indignities of infertility treatments to managing bedrest and parenting a preemie (how does one wrangle an oxygen tank while changing a diaper?), Alexa recounts her rocky road to motherhood with a uniquely sharp, funny, yet poignant voice.
What We Didn’t Expect: Personal Stories about Premature Birth by Melody Schrieber. In What We Didn’t Expect, journalist Melody Schreiber brings together a chorus of acclaimed writers and thinkers to share their diverse stories of having or being premature babies. The stories here cover everything from life-changing tests of faith to navigating the red tape of healthcare bureaucracy; from overcoming unimaginable grief to surviving and thriving against all odds.
Spinning: Choreography for Coming Home by Janine Kovak. When Janine Kovac gives birth to micro preemie twins nearly four months before they are due, she channels the grace and strength that carried her through a successful ballet career. The human body has amazing healing powers if you just know how to listen to it.
Juniper: The Girl Who was Born Too Soon by Kelly and Thomas French. Juniper French was born four months early, at 23 weeks’ gestation. She weighed 1 pound, 4 ounces, and her twiggy body was the length of a Barbie doll. Her head was smaller than a tennis ball, her skin was nearly translucent, and through her chest you could see her flickering heart. Babies like Juniper, born at the edge of viability, trigger the question: Which is the greater act of love — to save her, or to let her go?
NICU journal
Our NICU Journey NICU journal from Every Tiny Thing. This high-quality journal gives you the power to track everything going on in your baby’s daily life, with prompts to be sure you’re documenting everything you’ll cherish, all in a sweet, comforting style that newborn families love. Available in 4 weeks and 8 weeks. A portion of every purchase allows Every Tiny Thing to give back to Hand to Hold!
Download the app designed specifically for NICU parents. Get support, find community, and learn from educational resources, all in the Hand to Hold app. Available in the