“Hold Your Prem” are words that every parent of a baby born too early longs to hear!

Learn here that latest research shows that “Hold Your Prem” is in fact vital. Until recently, modern technology in Neonatal Intensive Care separated mothers and fathers from their babies, believing babies to be too fragile and unstable to touch, never mind hold.

Things are changing! The latest research shows that it is separation from mother that makes babies in incubators frightened and so unstable. When held in skin-to-skin contact, even the smallest baby will feel safe, and she will stabilize. As development is incomplete, all other modern technology is added as needed.

In this book, Jill Bergman describes in everyday language for every parent the key concepts from recent neuroscience and newborn care. Jill talks parents through their emotional turmoil, on to practical things to do, empowering them to become central to the team for their baby’s care.

Final word to Mum and Dad:
All you need to know and do to protect your baby’s brain development and give better quality of life for her future, is “Hold Your Prem” !

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Explanation on how to use book

This is a practical workbook, for parents confronted (usually suddenly!) by a premature newborn.

It gives key information needed to understand the prem and the NICU (the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit).

It describes practical steps and tasks that help parents be central in the team that is helping their prem.

This book is a tool to encourage and empower.

Each chapter starts with a front page, easily identified as a KEY PAGE, and this summarises the key information that follows. A parent with a prem can by reading these pages get a mind-map, or an idea of what to start with, in less than half an hour.

Parents anticipating a premature birth should obviously have time to read it from the beginning, but in the acute situation, parents can then read the chapter that seems most relevant to them at the moment.

In most chapters there are simple exercises, which help the parent engage.

Some information may seem new or surprising, both to parents and the staff of the NICU.  The book should in fact be used together with NICU staff, for parents to get the most benefit. All statements made have firm scientific evidence behind it, and a selection have references (Vancouver style) which are provided on a "Fine Print Page" at the end of each chapter. References have been chosen to be accessible to download from internet, or easy to obtain from a medical library.