Blog
Strength Over Time: Enduring a Long NICU Stay
by Jordan Washington Patience in life ebbs and flows. It’s never completely consistent. Some days you have plenty, sometimes you may have just enough or none at all. A long NICU stay takes a toll on you where you start to feel like patience is nonexistent. You want...
Books About Grief and Loss for Kids and Parents
This page contains affiliate links, meaning Hand to Hold earns a small commission for qualifying items, at no additional cost to you. Often when we go through a difficult time, such as the loss of a child, we turn to books to help us navigate the journey and begin...
BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month Resources
July is nationally recognized as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month (also referred to as BIPOC Mental Health Month) and was created to bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face in regard to mental...
How to Support a Bereaved Parent
I have always loved summertime, and still do. But the early summer months are bittersweet, as they are now forever a reminder of the short time we had with my daughter. A reminder of waking up early before the mugginess of the day was in full swing, then entering...
Epigastric Pain in Preeclampsia
by Jenna Maxfield High blood pressure, protein in the urine, swelling and headaches and some of the most commonly-reported symptoms of preeclampsia. But there's one lesser-known symptom that can often get overlooked: epigastric pain - pain in the upper right...
Preeclampsia 101
May is Preeclampsia Awareness Month. Preeclampsia can strike any time. Keep yourself and your loved ones aware of these most frequently asked questions about this often life-threatening pregnancy disorder. What is preeclampsia? Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific...
Hand to Hold® launches national NICU Graduate Then & Now Photo Contest to kick off graduation season
With the launch of this annual NICU Grad Then & Now Photo Contest, Hand to Hold® and presenting sponsor Huggies® have created a new tradition to celebrate this special NICU milestone. AUSTIN – Hand to Hold, a national nonprofit that provides early intervention...
The Basics of Play for your NICU Baby
Playing with your baby is therapeutic in nature and helps provide an opportunity for parents, caregivers, and family members to bond with their baby. by Eliana Cutler, Occupational Therapy student and doctoral candidate at Midwestern University’s College of Health...
Let’s Talk About Human Milk Fortifiers: What Is It and Why Does My Baby Need It?
When a baby is in the NICU, there is a good chance that the baby will need extra attention paid to his or her nutrition. So much attention is given to human milk and breastfeeding that by now most people are very well aware that human milk is the ideal feeding for most infants. But it’s not always the very best for babies in the NICU! Parents of babies in the NICU are often surprised to learn that sometimes a mother’s breast milk isn’t enough.
Know Your NICU Nutrition: The Importance of Appropriate Nutrition in the NICU
It's good to become familiar with the types of nutrition your baby will receive while in the NICU. by Melinda J. Elliott, MD, FAAP Chief Medical Officer, Prolacta Bioscience Pregnancy is a special journey in life. Every parent wants an idyllic pregnancy without...
Meet Ivette Hawthorne, NICU Family Support Specialist
Meet Ivette! Ivette is a NICU Family Support Specialist at Hand to Hold helping to reduce the negative impact of a NICU stay and ensuring the best outcome for the entire family. She supports NICU parents at St. David’s Women’s Center of Texas, North Austin Medical...