Here at Blooming Littles, it’s my personal mission to help you take steps to feeling empowered and leave behind feeling lost and helpless
when it comes to caring for your baby in the NICU.
And soooo... I can't wait to introduce you to Born to Bloom: The Parent-Friendly NICU Baby Care Program!
Does that sound like what you’ve been Googling for?
Looking to gift this course to a friend, family member, or acquaintance on their NICU journey? Scroll and find out how!
"This information gave me what I needed to push and advocate for my baby, and I'm so proud of myself for that."
When your baby is admitted to the NICU, there’s sometimes this
idea that the “mom” or “parent” role shifts to the nurse
because of the immediate medical care your baby needs.
This is simply called the “role shift.” As a Mom or Dad, that
can leave you feeling stuck, searching for your purpose in
this season.
Every NICU seeks to prioritize care that is centered on the family. But it's often difficult to get all the information you need at your baby's bedside. The NICU can be busy, complicated & honestly...sometimes you need a demonstration (or 2!) or to hear something more than once in order for it to sink in.
We know all you want to do is be there for your baby and help them develop in the
best way they can. Born to Bloom helps bridge the gap between everything you're learning at your baby's bedside & the fact that you likely need a more comprehensive approach to understanding your baby.
At Blooming Littles, we believe you can and absolutely should be “Mom” or “Dad,” right now.
Through the methods we share in Born to Bloom, we’re able to facilitate that shift back toward
“Mom.” Toward “Dad.” Toward YOU. This helps you build the confidence and peace you need to
care for and understand the unique needs of your baby starting today.
Most importantly? It empowers you with purpose! You’ll feel
encouraged and know you have what you need to bond and care for your baby by adding some new
and impactful tools to your parenting toolbox.
“I’ve been reviewing the hand hug and can’t wait to love on my
little guy and comfort him. Really, thank you so much for giving
me tools to have a better and healthier NICU experience.”
When your baby is taken to the NICU unexpectedly after birth, it can feel jarring. You may have prepared as much as humanly possible, but you likely had zero time to think about the idea that your baby was heading to the NICU. You need immediate answers to questions you don’t even know to ask and strategies you can use immediately, and that’s exactly what we’re here for.
Maybe something came up on the 20-week anatomy scan that led to your baby needing medical intervention after delivery. Maybe you’re on bedrest, supporting your baby until they make their arrival. Maybe you’re at risk for premature delivery. It can all feel out of your control — and so much of it is — but you can prepare. We created Born to Bloom, to give you the peace of mind that comes with preparation.
When you join Born to Bloom, you get 12, easy-to-consume & quick-to-apply
lessons that make a big impact as you support your baby. Through
research-backed, practical strategies you can do consistently, you’ll learn all about
parenting a baby in the NICU.
You’ll learn exactly how to help your baby bloom with 12 units, delivered via
video and audio for easy consumption.
Module 1: Welcome!
Module 2: Program Disclaimer
Module 1: Let's Get Oriented to the NICU
Module 2: Medical or Developmental Goals? Which one matters?
Module 3: How to Provide Your Baby with Brain-Protecting Care
Download: NICU Orientation Checklist
Download: NICU Bag Packing Checklist
Module 1: Growing Comfortable with Medical Equipment
Module 2: Alarm Anxiety? The Monitor, Dings & Alarms Explained!
Module 3: Strategy Time: 5 Tips to Get Comfortable Around Medical Equipment
Download: High Risk & Low Risk Medical Lines Checklist
Download: Common Medical Lines Cheatsheet
Download: NICU Monitor Alarm Values Cheatsheet
Module 1: How to Support a Safe Interaction with Your Baby
Module 2: The NICU Care Time: What to Expect
Module 3: 6 Steps to a Calmer & More Positive NICU Assessment
Demo Video: How to Do 4-Handed Care
Demo Video: Techniques to Decrease Stress During NICU Cares
Download: Creating a Calmer Care Time Cheat sheet
Module 1: The Power of Space in Healing
Module 2: 7 Tips to Nourish a Healing NICU Space
Module 3: Creating a Healing Space for YOU (the caregiver!)
Download: How Much Light Should My Baby Be Getting?
Demo Video: How to Protect Your Baby’s Eyes from Light
Module 1: An Intro to NICU Baby Communication
Module 2: "I'm Ready to Interact With You" Cues
Module 3: "I'm Stressed and Overstimulated" Cues
Module 4: "I'm Feeling Hungry" Cues
Module 5: Let's Practice! Decode Cues Like a Pro
Download: NICU Baby Cues Cheat sheet
Module 1: The Ins & Outs of Comforting Your NICU Baby
Module 2: Fill Your Toolbox: 8 Strategies to Decrease Pain & Stress
Module 3: Let's Practice! Pick Comfort Techniques for a Heel Stick
Demo Video: How to Swaddle Your Baby 2 Ways
Demo Video: How to Give Your Baby a Hand Hug
Download: NICU Comforting Strategies Cheatsheet
Module 1: Skin-to-Skin & Holding FAQs
Module 2: How to Prep for Holding Your Baby
Module 3: Getting Your Baby Out: How to Do Transfers 2 Ways
Module 4: Must-Have Skin-to-Skin Holding Tips
Download: Must-Have Kangaroo Care Tips Cheat Sheet
Module 1: An Intro to Positioning Your NICU Baby
Module 2: Positioning Checkpoints: What You Should Look For
Download: “Is My Baby in a Good Position?” Checklist
Module 1: The Down & Dirty of Diapering Your Baby in the NICU
Demo Video: How to Change a Diaper in the NICU
Demo Video: Techniques to Decrease Infant Stress During Diaper Changes
Module 1: An Intro to Bathing Your Baby in the NICU
Module 2: FAQs about Bathing in the NICU
Demo Video: How to do a Swaddled, Sponge Bath
Demo Video: How to do a Swaddled, Immersion Bath
Download: Swaddled Bathing 101 Cheat sheet
Module 1: Let's Talk Dressing Your Baby
Module 2: NICU-Friendly Clothing Options
Demo Video: How to Dress Your Baby with Lines & Tubes
This bonus lesson walks you through 2 strategies you can use to help calm your nervous system, minimize the physical and emotional toll of anxiety and bring some safety back to your own body systems as you care for your baby in the NICU.
"Thank you so much! It's so great to know what questions to ask in the NICU."
“I feel so much more prepared and ready to be a part of my
baby’s experience instead of feeling helpless and watching at a
distance. I feel like it was divine intervention that I found you!”
I’m Katie - creator of Blooming Littles. And while I’m not glad you’re
experiencing this (if I could wish you out of this I would), I am so glad
you found us - because I know I can help.
I know nothing about this feels okay.
It's not okay that your baby is in the NICU.
It's not okay that welcoming your baby isn't what you expected.
It's not okay that you can't figure things out in the comfort of your home.
Wanna know something? It’s TOTALLY okay if this question
has run through your head. I’ll tell you why! But first...
I’m an OTD, OTR/L, NTMTC, CNT. That means I’m a certified neonatal occupational therapist
with a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Washington University School of Medicine.
I have experience as a neonatal therapist in a large, 100-bed, level IV neonatal intensive care
unit, and I hold additional certifications in neonatal touch and massage, as well as lactation.
I’ve presented at the state, national, and international levels, and have published research
related to developmental therapies in the NICU.
All of that is a fancy way of saying: I’ve got a lot of hands-on experience working with babies in various circumstances, have done extensive research about the development of NICU babies, and I’m insanely passionate about surrounding them with the most favorable environment possible as they fight to bloom.
As a certified neonatal occupational therapist and a mama with a heart for NICU babies and parents, I began Blooming Littles with the hope of increasing accessibility to supportive, NICU education (that fosters hope & peace of mind!) for families navigating the NICU experience.
You CAN handle this. You CAN learn about your baby, even in this
medical setting.
You CAN have an effect on their experience both medically and
developmentally with a few intentional strategies.
frequently asked questions
Yes! I wanted to make sure that this program was as easy-to-consume as possible. I know you may be traveling to and from the NICU, or you may be spending hours out of your home with only access to headphones and your phone. With that in mind, our video lessons are all really easy to listen to on a mobile device. Most of our parents listen while driving, while sitting in the NICU waiting
One of the things I love so much about sharing this information with parents navigating the NICU is that it is so immediately empowering. You’ll walk away from each unit with something (multiple things, honestly) that you can easily apply for amazing impact. You can even print out the cheatsheets to take with you as you care for your baby!
When someone we know and love is going through one of the hardest times
in their lives, it’s really difficult to know how to support them. And while gift
cards and food deliveries are always a good idea, I can’t think of a better gift to
give to a NICU parent than answers and empowerment. For that reason, we love to support you in gifting Born to Bloom if that’s on your heart!
All you
need to do is enter the email of the recipient during checkout instead of your own and they will be sent all the course details! You'll just need to share with them the log-in information you created at checkout.
Short answer: no! Long answer: most NICUs function similarly, in that they see a variety of babies with varying circumstances. Since I’ve worked in a level IV neonatal intensive care unit, I’ve seen a wide variety of babies and have used ALL of these techniques on each of them. Plus, our course follows evidence-based guidelines and standards that should be in place in NICUs around the world. Every baby needs comfort in the NICU, and I’m a firm believer that intentional, parental care makes a big difference in every baby’s experience.
I’m a NICU OT, but I’m not your baby’s NICU OT. That means I am not able to answer medical questions that are specific to your baby’s situation. It's important to talk with your baby's medical team about any concerns you are having. The cool thing is that Born to Bloom will equip you with helpful questions you can be asking your baby’s providers, which will be more specific help than I could ever hope to give from afar!
Unfortunately, no. Due to the nature of the course's instantaneous access, we're unable to provide a refund once purchased. We will definitely be celebrating with you that your sweet little one didn't require a NICU stay, and please know that many of the care principles taught in Born to Bloom will be applicable in helping you understand and care for your baby at home.
Absolutely! Think of Born to Bloom as the developmental, neuroprotective care class you never had. Though directed towards families, providers have shared raving reviews about how the program gave them new language to use when speaking with families, techniques to use during direct care times, and demonstrations of care tasks that they desperately needed (like swaddled bathing or standing transfers for skin-to-skin holding). I promise, you'll come away with several nuggets of information to take to your practice the next day!
Every NICU seeks to prioritize care that is centered on the family. But it's often difficult to get all the information you need at your baby's bedside. The NICU can be busy, complicated & honestly...sometimes you need a demonstration or to hear something more than once for it to sink in.
Here are some examples of what our parents have experienced after they learn and apply the Born to Bloom methods:
If any of those sound like what you’ve been really longing
for, then I can’t wait to welcome you into our community.
Come exactly as you are, and we’ll be here to meet your
questions with answers and your uncertainty with action
you can take now.
In their own way. In their own time.
And I know for a fact (based on research) that your role as “parent” in the NICU can support
and encourage that process along more than you know.
My hope, my heart, my prayer is that I can give you the tools to bring that to life for your little one. If you can trust me to do that for you, I can show you just how simple it can be!