If you are in crisis or need immediate support please call Postpartum Support International 1-800-944-4773 or the Colorado Crisis Prevention 1-844-493-8255
Virtual NICU Support Options
Not just in Colorado, connect with Love for Lily from anywhere.
Love for Lily’s facilitated NICU Love group meetings provide safe, welcoming, and regular opportunities for individual and small group connection, building community and easing the loneliness and fear that often accompany a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) stay. This often unexpected and unfamiliar path for parents quickly brings to the surface difficult emotions and thoughts of uncertainty, failure, shame, and guilt, mixed confusingly with happiness and joy at the arrival of their children. Many people have not been taught how to navigate these experiences, but with the guidance of trained facilitators, the parents attending our NICU support group meetings not only gain new skills, but they also learn that they are not alone in their NICU journey.
Activities
Love For Lily’s NICU Love program addresses the above-listed goals and objectives using the following strategies:
- Visiting contracted hospitals regularly to meet with families new to the NICU.
- Providing weekly in-unit group meetings for parents of NICU babies.
- Collaborating with NICU medical staff to address unmet social and emotional needs of current and future NICU parents.
- Delivering essentials bags of supplies for all families with infants in the NICU of the hospitals where we serve.
- Maintaining regular communication with medical staff and administrators of NICUs.
Objectives
The objectives of the NICU Love program are:
- Building community
- Teaching breathing techniques and other coping skills
- Teaching relationship skills and problem-solving strategies
- Processing trauma
- Alleviating isolation and fear
- Assisting families to navigate the medical system
- Providing referrals for families to other specialized services and professionals
Core Skills
NICU Love support groups offer facilitated conversation, sharing of stories, and collaborative skills building. Three core skills are emphasized: emotional literacy, stress management, and understanding and navigating key relationships with medical staff, family members, and other allies.
In-Unit NICU Support
Our facilitators are in-unit every week at the following NICUs. If you are not able to be there during the time we are at your unit, reach out and we will find space to connect.
UC Health – Highlands Ranch | Tuesdays: bedside coaching 10-11am
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UC Health – Anschutz | Tuesdays: bedside coaching 10:30-11:30pm, NICU group 11:30-12:30pm in Sunnyvale conference room
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Rocky Mountain Hospital | Tuesdays: bedside coaching 12:00-1:00pm, NICU group 1:00-2:00pm in the 4d Nutrition Room
St. Joseph’s SCL Health | Wednesdays: bedside coaching 11:30-12:30 pm, NICU group 12:30-1:30pm in the NICU Conference Room
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Poudre Valley Hospital | Thursdays: bedside coaching 11:30-1pm, NICU group 1-2pm in the family nutrition room
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Boulder Community Health | Thursdays: bedside coaching 10-11am
Other Offerings
Mama the App
Mama, the app, powered by Boppy, offers a moment of respite for anyone navigating this messy world, especially mamas. Everyday you will receive little wisdoms right on your smartphone. We want to create spaces and reminders for mamas to care for themselves, to breathe and to know they are not alone. Download Mama and make sure you leave a review if you love it.
Grants
Love for Lily provides grants to qualifying NICU families on a monthly basis. The purpose of our grant program is to ease the burden of ongoing care for underinsured families. The mission of our grant program is to provide a helping hand to fill the gap. The grant programs will reopen for applications July 1st. Read what Ryder’s Love grant recipients have to say about the impact this made on their lives.
NICU Essentials Bags
Essentials Bags are given to every family expecting a two week or longer stay in the NICU at hospitals where Love for Lily serves. These bags include basics like a toothbrush and face wash, things that can make a world of difference after a long night or many long nights. The bags also contain a journal for parents to record memories and thoughts or for nursing staff to capture precious moments that happen while mom and dad are away. We include other donated items that bring comfort, supporting the well-being of parent and child.
