"My NICU Baby" App Supports Parents Of Babies Born Sick Or Too Soon

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May 15, 2018, 06:00 ET

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., May 15, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the families of critically ill and premature babies, the hospital newborn intensive care unit (NICU) can be a confusing blur of equipment, sounds, and terminology. Now March of Dimes is helping to change that by providing a one-stop shop of information and support for families with its new My NICU Baby app. The app is free and available for both iOS and Android devices.

"My NICU Baby empowers moms and dads with the knowledge and tools they need at an overwhelming and scary time in their lives," says Stacey D. Stewart, president of March of Dimes.

Using the My NICU Baby app, families will have the resources they need in their hand to help them cope with the NICU experience as well as the transition to home. Unique features will allow families to:

Watch educational videos on various parenting topics;
Learn the vocabulary of the baby's care;
Use a checklist and questionnaire to help keep track of questions for health care providers, make to-do lists, or take notes;
Track feedings and breast milk pumping for their baby;
Track weight gain/loss for their baby;
Use a fun "Photo booth" feature to put photo filters on new or existing photos;
Participate in Share Your Story, the March of Dimes online community of parents;
Give feedback to March of Dimes and receive notifications.

"No other app has all these features in one place for parents," says Denise Zahui Gboignon, whose son Orion, born prematurely at 24 weeks in February 2018, is still in a Massachusetts hospital NICU. Denise began using My NICU Baby a week after Orion's birth. "It was so helpful to find all the education videos right there. I learned the medical terms used in the NICU, and what questions to ask the doctors. My sister-in-law also downloaded the app and it helped her understand the baby's care, too. She came with me to meet with the doctors and was able to support me more because of that."

"Right now I'm using the app to track my son's weight; it gives me peace of mind to know that he's on the right track in his development," Denise says. "I'm also taking pictures to share with family and friends, and learning about kangaroo care. The app also gives me confidence about our transition to home," she says.

Denise finds the ability to connect with other parents of preemies in the Share Your Story community uniquely valuable. "Other parents understand what you're going through, and it's so nice to share experiences with them and know you're not alone," she says.

My NICU Baby is part of March of Dimes' investment in the health of all moms and babies. Content in the app is written in plain language and reviewed by medical experts and NICU families. Printed versions of the information are available to families through the March of Dimes NICU Family Support® program, a partnership between March of Dimes and hospitals across the country that offers information and comfort to families experiencing the NICU hospitalization of their baby and provides training for NICU staff.

March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. We support research, lead programs and provide education and advocacy so that every family can have the best possible start. Building on a successful 80-year legacy of impact and innovation, we stand up for every mom and every baby. Visit marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org for more information. Visit shareyourstory.org for comfort and support. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

SOURCE March of Dimes