Supporting Siblings and Their Families During Intensive Baby Care

An infant's NICU stay is a high-stress time for both parents and siblings€”and now there's a book that shows professionals how to make the entire family's NICU experience easier by addressing the needs of big brothers and sisters of all ages. The first and only guide to supporting siblings of infants in the NICU, this landmark resource helps clinicians, child life specialists, social workers, and other professionals guide parents as they

• provide their older children with accurate information during a high-risk pregnancy
• discuss the new baby's NICU stay with siblings in sensitive, age-appropriate ways
• encourage siblings to celebrate the baby's birth with activities like photo books and journals
• make sibling and family visits with the baby a success
• locate and choose a good sibling support group
• understand and address the particular needs of siblings of multiple newbornsinclude siblings in the discharge planning process
• ease the transition period when an infant comes home
• include siblings in the baby's care
• explain a baby's death to an older brother or sister

A must-have for all practitioners who work with families, this easy-to-read book is also a lifeline for parents of at-risk newborns, who will use the real-world advice and strategies to address the needs and concerns of their older children.

Enhanced with photos and true stories from the author's experience as a neonatal child life specialist, this invaluable book will ensure better support for new siblings and help make a stressful, emotional time much easier for everyone involved.