Bellevue Woman's Center Launches NICU Parent Support Group
Bellevue Woman’s Center Launches NICU Parent Support Group
ALBANY, N.Y. (WNYT) – Bellevue Woman’s Center is offering a new virtual support group for families with babies in the neonatal intensive care unit.
As Ally Hoy reports, the group is for parents whose baby is still in the NICU or has already gone home. Organizers say it is not therapy or mental health treatment, but a place for families to connect, share experiences and remind each other they are not alone.
Bellevue calls it the NICU Family Support Group and Beyond. The live online sessions are offered at no cost.
Danielle Litz, a parent support partner with the New York State NICU Equity Project, helped bring the group to the hospital this year.
“After the first NICU experience, it was hard because our family, we didn’t have any NICU experience at all,” Litz says. “So while we could talk to our parents, our friends, our family about what we’re going through, it was hard for some of them to really understand and comprehend where we were at that moment.”
Litz says her daughter was born premature and spent 44 days in the NICU. Her son was also born premature and spent another 22 days there.
Bellevue says the support group remains open to families even after they leave the NICU, as they manage specialists, developmental checkups and other challenges. The hospital is also planning a graduation wall to celebrate babies who leave the NICU and go home.
“Both of my children, they’re doing great. They’re thriving,” Litz says. “It’s hard to want to accept that in the moment when you’re going through it. But truly, it does get better after.”
Danielle also told NewsChannel 13 she created a Facebook group called 518 NICU to give parents another way to connect, especially for those who may not feel comfortable participating in person or over the phone. She says requests to join the group continue to grow.
Anyone in the community can sign up for Bellevue classes and support. Go to BellevueDelivers.com and click on “classes and support” to sign up