The premature birth of your baby or babies is a medical crisis. But more than that, it is a family crisis. When your baby* is born too soon, you must face not only the medical aspects of prematurity but also the many emotional aspects of parenting your premature baby. During your baby’s hospitalization, after homecoming, and perhaps throughout childhood, there are three overarching, emotionally intense challenges you face:

• Feelings. Coping with feelings, adjusting and coming to terms with your baby’s premature birth;
  
  
• Parenting. Developing your parental identity, including feeling connected to your baby, playing an indispensable role in the NICU, gaining confidence, being protective without being overprotective, and becoming the kind of parent you want to be;
  
  
• Relationships. Managing your relationships, including communicating with your partner, becoming a collaborative member of your baby’s health care team, and acquiring a supportive network.
  
  Our book, Parenting Your Premature Baby and Child: The Emotional Journey, addresses all these challenges, and more.

This website is a companion to our book and contains many excerpts, articles adapted from the book, plus articles written especially for this site.  We also encourage you to turn to the many supportive and informative Resources that are available to parents of premature babies and children.