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<rss version="2.0"><channel><title>99nicu News</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/blog/302-news/</link><description><p>Space for Community related News! Posts are written by members of the <a rel="" href="https://99nicu.org/staff/">99nicu Team</a>.</p></description><language>en</language><item><title>Do They Remember? What Neuroscience Says About Infant Memory and the Voices in the NICU</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/467-do-they-remember-what-neuroscience-says-about-infant-memory-and-the-voices-in-the-nicu/</link><description><![CDATA[<p>	One of the best parts of working in the NICU is the visits we receive from families who have graduated and come back with their growing, glowing babies. During these visits, I was always puzzled by the fact that some of them — especially the ones I worked more closely with — seemed to recognize my voice and would even award me with a smile. I do have the habit of chatting with my patients, and since I used to work every weekday in the mornings, those babies heard my voice a lot. But still: would it really be possible that they remembered it? This week I came across a study that made me think about this more seriously: <a rel="external nofollow" href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt7570"><u>https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt7570</u></a></p><p>	Published in <em>Science</em> in March 2025, Yates and colleagues scanned the brains of awake infants between 4 and 25 months of age while showing them photographs they had never seen before. Using functional MRI, they found that babies whose hippocampus — the brain region responsible for forming memories — was more active during that first exposure were more likely to recognize the image later. This pattern emerged reliably around 12 months of age. The surprising conclusion: <strong>infants do form individual memories</strong>. The reason we cannot recall our earliest years is not that memories were never made — it is that, as the brain matures, the mechanism for retrieving them stops working. Infantile amnesia, in this new framing, is a retrieval problem, not an encoding problem. The memories were there. We just lose access to them. This reframes something fundamental. The infant brain is not a passive, unrecording system. It is actively taking things in — and the hippocampus is already doing its job much earlier than we used to think.</p><p>	And what about preterm babies (and their preterm brains)? Here is where it gets both more complex and more relevant to neonatology. Research in animal models shows that the basic cellular machinery for forming memories — including the synaptic plasticity mechanisms that underlie learning — is already functional in the hippocampus at the equivalent of the extreme preterm period in humans. The hardware is there, remarkably early. But it is also remarkably fragile. Even brief episodes of low oxygen, which are common in very preterm infants, can disrupt hippocampal maturation without causing the kind of visible brain injury we look for on imaging. The damage is functional and silent: changes in how neurons connect, how they communicate, and how efficiently they encode new information. Studies consistently show that very preterm infants have smaller hippocampal volumes by the time they reach term-equivalent age, and that these differences are associated with memory and learning difficulties that persist into school age.</p><p>	So the preterm infant carries a double challenge: the universal retrieval barrier that affects all of us (infantile amnesia), plus a more specific vulnerability in the very encoding mechanisms that Yates showed are necessary for memories to form in the first place. But what about voice recognition? Here is the part that I find most compelling — and that may speak directly to what I have been observing in those follow-up visits. Not all memory depends on the hippocampus. Voice recognition and auditory familiarity are processed through circuits that develop earlier and are more resilient than the ones involved in episodic memory. The auditory cortex and surrounding regions mature substantially during the third trimester — precisely the period that preterm infants spend in the NICU. Recognizing something as familiar, without being able to explicitly recall when or where you encountered it, is a different and older form of memory, mediated by different brain structures. A baby who spent weeks hearing the same voice every morning is not retrieving an episode. They may simply be responding to something that feels, at some neural level, known. Safe. Familiar. That kind of recognition does not require an intact retrieval system. It may not even require conscious processing.</p><p>	I am not suggesting that NICU babies consciously remember us. But the neuroscience does suggest that the voices in the room during those early weeks are part of an environment that a developing brain is actively processing — and that repeated, warm, familiar auditory input during a period of extraordinary neural plasticity is not inconsequential. The baby who smiles when they hear my voice at follow-up may not remember me in any way they could ever describe. But something in their brain might recognize that this particular voice was there — consistently, every morning — during one of the most intense experiences of their early life. That possibility alone feels like a good reason to keep talking to our patients.</p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">467</guid><pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2026 11:23:28 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>CEPAS 2026 programme is now online- which got us thinking: how do YOU do conferences?</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/459-cepas-2026-programme-is-now-online-which-got-us-thinking-how-do-you-do-conferences/</link><description><![CDATA[<p><strong>The interactive scientific programme for CEPAS 2026 is now online, and if you haven't explored it yet — check out </strong><a rel="external nofollow" href="https://www.cepas.org/scientific-programme"><strong>https://www.cepas.org/scientific-programme</strong></a><strong>. </strong>Built on more than 15 years of collaboration between the European Academy of Paediatrics, the European Society for Paediatric Research, and GFCNI, the CEPAS programme brings together science, clinical practice, advocacy and paediatric training in one place. Sessions, topics, networking opportunities — it's all there, and it's a lot.</p><p>Which brings us to a question we've been thinking about. With a programme this rich, how do you actually navigate a conference? Do you plan every session in advance or follow your instincts on the day? Do you wander beyond neonatology or stick to what you know? Paper programme or app — or both, just in case?</p><p>We're genuinely curious how the 99nicu community does it. We've put together a quick poll — it takes two minutes, the results are live, and we'll be sharing them at our session at CEPAS in October.</p><p>Because let's be honest - everyone has their own system. Or complete lack of one...</p><p>Share your approach in the comments too — we want to know if the 99nicu community is a meticulous-colour-coded-schedule crowd or a go-where-the-wind-takes-you crowd. Probably both. Probably at the same time.</p><p>Hope to see you in Lyon!</p><p><em>- Kat from 99nicu.org</em></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">459</guid><pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2026 10:10:25 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>A New Society Dedicated to Fighting Newborn Sepsis</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/455-a-new-society-dedicated-to-fighting-newborn-sepsis/</link><description><![CDATA[<p>Neonatal sepsis remains one of the leading causes of death and harm in newborns worldwide, and it disproportionately affects babies in low- and middle-income settings.</p><p>This week at the PAS 2026 conference, a new global initiative took its first formal step: the <strong>Newborn Sepsis Society</strong> held its founding meeting.</p><p>The Society brings together clinicians, researchers, and partner organizations across disciplines and borders, with a shared mission: <em>to improve outcomes for newborns worldwide by advancing the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of neonatal sepsis.</em> They explicitly prioritize representation from diverse regions, especially where the burden of neonatal sepsis is greatest.</p><p><span class="ipsEmoji" title="">👉</span> Learn more and join at <a rel="external nofollow" href="https://newbornsepsissociety.org/">https://newbornsepsissociety.org/</a></p><p>And as 99nicu, we are excited to see this initiative take off, and keeping our fingers crossed for the growth and good ideas to come. And being the grassroot community we are, we are always open for sepsis discussions- so bring them on!</p><p><em>Kat from 99nicu</em></p><p><img class="ipsImage ipsRichText__align--block" data-fileid="2336" src="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2026_04/image.png.2b3453249e853cc0808c88370529fe8a.png" alt="image.png" title="" width="419" height="85" loading="lazy"></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">455</guid><pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:34:29 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Building Bridges: 99nicu.org Welcomes NeoIPC</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/454-building-bridges-99nicuorg-welcomes-neoipc/</link><description><![CDATA[<p><strong><span data-ips-font-size="125">We are excited to share news that </span></strong><a rel="external nofollow" href="https://99nicu.org"><strong><span data-ips-font-size="125">99nicu.org</span></strong></a><strong><span data-ips-font-size="125"> has begun collaborating with NeoIPC, a European Union-funded initiative addressing hospital-acquired infections and antimicrobial resistance in neonatal units.</span></strong></p><h4><strong>What is NeoIPC?</strong></h4><p>Nearly 1 in 10 European newborns requires NICU admission in their first days of life, which can expose them to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.</p><p><a rel="external nofollow" href="https://neoipc.org/">NeoIPC</a> is a European Union-funded research initiative focused on improving infection prevention and control (IPC) in NICUs. The project brings together an international network of clinicians and researchers to develop innovative, evidence-based strategies to reduce the transmission of resistant bacteria in premature newborns. It integrates clinical research, implementation science and surveillance to better understand infection patterns and improve IPC practices across neonatal care settings.</p><p>Moreover, through an innovative study named <a rel="external nofollow" href="https://neoipc.org/neodeco/">NeoDeco</a>, NeoIPC is also evaluating if the implementation of optimised kangaroo care can reduce severe neonatal infection, sepsis and resistant bacterial colonisation in high-risk newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit.</p><p>NeoIPC has also developed standardised surveillance methods focused on healthcare-associated infections, multidrug-resistant organisms and antibiotic use in neonatal care. Participation in the NeoIPC Surveillance is completely free and open to neonatal care sites worldwide. The NeoIPC Surveillance Network already includes 25 partner sites across Europe and Africa, working together to improve infection prevention and surveillance in neonatal care. <a rel="external nofollow" href="https://neoipc.org/surveillance/">More about the NeoIPC surveillance</a></p><p>Finally, NeoIPC places strong emphasis on the perspectives of families. "NICU Journeys" is a video series that captures and amplifies the voices of parents, sharing their experiences, concerns and hopes, and highlighting their essential role in the care of their premature babies. <a rel="external nofollow" href="https://neoipc.org/updates/stories/">More about NICU Journeys</a></p><h4><strong>Why This Matters to Our Community</strong></h4><p>NeoIPC aims to connect units together in a global <a rel="external nofollow" href="https://neoipc.org/clinical-practice-network/">Clinical Practice Network</a>, encouraging greater involvement of units in infection prevention planning and delivery. This aligns well with what we do at <a rel="external nofollow" href="https://99nicu.org">99nicu.org</a>—connecting professionals across borders to share practices, learn from each other, and improve neonatal care.</p><h4><strong>Meet the NeoIPC Leadership</strong></h4><p>The project is led by :</p><p><strong>Julia Bielicki, </strong>NeoIPC Scientific Coordinator, University Children’s Hospital Basel (UKBB), Switzerland; City St George’s, University of London, UK</p><p><a rel="" href="https://99nicu.org/profile/11514-tuuli-metsvaht/"><strong>Tuuli Metsvaht</strong></a><strong>, </strong>Chair of the NeoIPC Clinical Practice Network, Professor of pediatric and neonatal intensive care, Head of the Clinic of Paediatrics Tartu University Childern’s Hospital (Estonia)</p><p><a rel="" href="https://99nicu.org/profile/11363-annika/"><strong>Annika Tiit-Vesingi</strong></a><strong>, </strong>Deputy Chair of the NeoIPC Clinical Practice Network, Head of the Neonatology department Tartu University Children’s Hospital (Estonia)</p><p><a rel="" href="https://99nicu.org/profile/10486-brar/"><strong>Brar Piening</strong></a><strong>, </strong>NeoIPC Surveillance lead, Member of the NeoIPC Clinical Practice Network Steering Board, Deputy director of the Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Germany) </p><p><a rel="" href="https://99nicu.org/profile/11517-chiara-minotti/"><strong>Chiara Minotti</strong></a><strong>, </strong>Member of NeoIPC, MD, Paediatrician, PhD candidate in Clinical Research (University Children's Hospital Basel, Switzerland)</p><p></p><p><strong><span data-ips-font-size="125">You can learn more about NeoIPC in the club space they are hosting in the 99nicu </span></strong><a rel="" href="https://99nicu.org/clubs/7-neoipc/"><strong><span data-ips-font-size="125">NeoIPC Club</span></strong></a><strong><span data-ips-font-size="125">. You can freely join the club to stay in touch and get notified when new content is being shared.</span></strong></p><p><strong><span data-ips-font-size="125">Join us in warmly welcoming NeoIPC to 99nicu!</span></strong></p><p><em><span data-ips-font-size="125">Kat from 99nicu</span></em></p><p></p><div class="ipsRichTextBox ipsRichTextBox--alwaysopen" data-i-background-color="blue"><div class="ipsRichTextBox__title"><p><strong>Julia Bielicki</strong></p></div><p>Professor Julia Anna Bielicki is a Professor of Paediatric Infectious Diseases at City St George’s, University of London, Professor of Paediatric Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Basel. Julia trained in Social and Political Sciences and Medicine at the University of Cambridge, where she graduated top of her year, and holds a Medical Doctorate from the University of Zurich, as well as an MPH and PhD from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Her research focuses on optimising antibiotic use in neonates and children and developing innovative infection prevention and control strategies across high-income and low- and middle-income country settings. She has led and co-led multiple randomised controlled trials, including cluster and platform trials, funded by organisations such as NIHR, Horizon 2020, EDCTP, IMI and the Wellcome Trust, with the aim of generating robust evidence to inform clinical practice and health policy in the context of rising antimicrobial resistance.</p></div><p></p><div class="ipsRichTextBox ipsRichTextBox--alwaysopen" data-i-background-color="blue"><div class="ipsRichTextBox__title"><p><strong>Tuuli Metsvaht</strong></p></div><p>Tuuli Metsvaht is a paediatric and neonatal intensive care doctor in Tartu University Hospital, Estonia, with over 25 years of experience in the field. She is also Professor of paediatric and neonatal intensive care and pharmacotherapy in the University of Tartu, Estonia. Her interest has been in developemntal pharmacology with specific focus on PK and efficacy studies of antimicrobial therapy in neonates. She has worked in several EU-funded International projects like NeoMero, NeoVanc, ALBINO. Other fields of interest include early cardiovascular support in postnatal adaptation,  excipients use in neonatal drug formulations (Era-Net funded International Project ESNEE). Currently she is involved in postnatal colonisation studies in NICU with specific focus on family centred care and development and implementation of novel infection prevention and control measures in NICU in the NeoIPC Project.</p></div><p></p><div class="ipsRichTextBox ipsRichTextBox--alwaysopen" data-i-background-color="blue"><div class="ipsRichTextBox__title"><p><strong>Annika Tiit-Vesingi</strong></p></div><p>Annika Tiit-Vesingi is a paediatrician at Tartu University Hospital in Estonia with over 20 years of experience in the field of neonatology. She currently serves as the Head of the Neonatology Department at the University of Tartu, where she plays a key role in both clinical care and academic development. Her main areas of interest include neonatal feeding, family-integrated care, and advancing the concept of the “golden first hour” for all newborns to improve outcomes. In addition to her clinical and leadership work, she is actively involved in research on postnatal colonisation in neonatal intensive care units, with a special focus on promoting family-centred care practices.</p></div><p></p><div class="ipsRichTextBox ipsRichTextBox--alwaysopen" data-i-background-color="blue"><div class="ipsRichTextBox__title"><p><strong>Brar Piening</strong></p></div><p>Brar Piening is a senior physician and deputy director of Charité's Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, board-certified in hygiene and environmental medicine. He is responsible for infection prevention and control at Charité's Campus Virchow-Klinikum and has worked in HAI surveillance, antimicrobial resistance, and antibiotic use for more than 20 years. He is the scientific coordinator of NEO-KISS, Germany's national surveillance system for nosocomial infections in very low birth weight infants and leads the MEASURE work package of the EU-funded NeoIPC project, where he coordinates the development and operation of a multinational HAI surveillance system for high-risk neonates. His research spans the epidemiology of healthcare-associated infections in vulnerable patient populations, with a focus on neonatal infection outcomes, antibiotic use, and the design and evaluation of surveillance systems.</p></div><p> </p><p></p><div class="ipsRichTextBox ipsRichTextBox--alwaysopen" data-i-background-color="blue"><div class="ipsRichTextBox__title"><p><strong>Chiara Minotti</strong></p></div><p>Chiara Minotti is an MD and a NICU‑trained, board‑certified paediatrician (University of Bologna and Padova University Hospital, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Italy). She previously worked as a neonatologist and clinical researcher at the Department of Neonatology, Modena University Hospital, Italy, and was involved in large, EU‑funded international projects (PedMERMAIDS, GBS‑PREPARE). She is currently a PhD candidate in Clinical Research at the University Children’s Hospital Basel, Switzerland. Her research focuses on innovative strategies for the prevention and management of infections in neonatal intensive care units, within the NeoIPC and NeoSep ADAPT projects.</p></div><p> </p><p></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">454</guid><pubDate>Sat, 18 Apr 2026 15:23:49 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Our Global Village Is Calling &#x2014; Will You Show Up?</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/453-our-global-village-is-calling-will-you-show-up/</link><description><![CDATA[<p><strong>How long have you been a member of 99nicu? A year? Five years? Longer than some of your colleagues have been qualified? You might be surprised how far back this community goes.</strong></p><p>Our 99nicu community has more than 7,000 members from 76 countries. We have been around longer than Facebook has been in Europe, and almost as long as Twitter has existed at all — and despite being "old school", we have persevered. Many predicted that forums would disappear once social media took over. But looking at where the world is going, it feels more and more like we need spaces we can rely on — grassroots, independent, and not subject to the whims of algorithms or platform owners.</p><p>And honestly? Sometimes we all just need a place that isn't endless doom scrolling. Yes, you can justify it with "but there's educational content there too" — but what is your actual retention of something you had less than three seconds to grasp before the next thing came along?</p><p>We love meeting you in person — whether at 99nicu meetups or other conferences. It matters, putting faces to usernames. Over the years we have had the chance to meet many of you, whether wearing our academic, clinical, or entrepreneurial hats. Later this year we will meet some of you in France, where we are partnering with the <a rel="external nofollow" href="https://www.cepas.org/">CEPAS</a> conference — and we are genuinely looking forward to what we have planned there.</p><p>But our global village is much bigger than whoever can make it to a conference. We span continents, and not everyone can travel all the time — after all, somebody has to stay on call. So this year, we want to connect more.</p><p>As part of our 20th anniversary, we want to organize a few informal online meetings. We want to hear from you — your thoughts on where 99nicu should go, projects we could take on together, and how you can get involved.</p><p>The first meeting is on May 7th. Details are available in our <a rel="" href="https://99nicu.org/events/event/421-99nicu-community-online-meeting-global-neonatal-village-is-calling-will-you-show-up/">Community Calendar</a>. Save the date!</p><p><em>- Kat from 99nicu</em></p><p></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">453</guid><pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2026 19:32:25 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Submit your Research Abstract to CEPAS now!</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/451-submit-your-research-abstract-to-cepas-now/</link><description><![CDATA[<p>The <a rel="external nofollow" href="https://www.cepas.org/abstracts">abstract submission</a> deadline for CEPAS 2026 is <strong>extended until 15 April</strong>!</p><p><a rel="external nofollow" href="https://www.cepas.org/abstracts">Submit your research now</a> for the opportunity to present your work at the Congress of the European Paediatric Academic Societies, taking place 28 - 31 October 2026 in Lyon, France.</p><p>Submitting an abstract also gives you the opportunity to apply for prestigious investigator awards:</p><ul><li><p>EAP Young Investigator Award</p></li><li><p>ESPR Bengt Robertson Award</p></li><li><p>ESPR Early Career Investigator Prize</p></li></ul><p>In addition, ESPR Travel Grants are available for early career investigators whose abstracts are accepted, helping support attendance at CEPAS 2026.</p><p>We will be there too <span class="ipsEmoji" title=")"><img src="https://99nicu.org/uploads/emoticons/smile@2x.png" alt=")" loading="lazy"></span>, let ut meet up in Lyon!</p>
<p><img class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed ipsRichText__align--block" data-fileid="2307" data-full-image="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2026_03/bild.png.6e96cbd645805dcadae162ef047cfeb4.png" src="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2026_03/bild.png.6e96cbd645805dcadae162ef047cfeb4.png" height="264" width="908" alt="bild.png" loading='lazy'></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">451</guid><pubDate>Sat, 21 Mar 2026 15:54:51 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Why We're Asking You to Log In</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/450-why-were-asking-you-to-log-in/</link><description><![CDATA[<details class="ipsRichTextBox ipsRichTextBox--expandable ipsRichText__no-index" data-i-background-color="blue"><summary class="ipsRichTextBox__title"><p><strong>TL;DR: What's Changed and Why</strong></p></summary><p><strong>Reading full discussions now requires login.</strong> Questions remain visible to everyone, but replies and expert responses are members-only.</p><p><strong>Why?</strong> Our members share knowledge under their real identities. We believe readers should be part of the community too. Registration is free, takes under a minute, and unlocks 20 years of peer-to-peer neonatal knowledge.</p><p><strong>Key points:</strong></p><ul><li><p>Homepage and news stay open</p></li><li><p>Questions are visible; answers require login</p></li><li><p>Your profile is visible to members — be thoughtful about what you share</p></li><li><p>Never include patient-identifying information in discussions</p></li><li><p>The platform grows when you participate — share your experience</p></li></ul><p><strong>Bottom line:</strong> The questions are open. The expert knowledge is for members. If you're not registered yet, join us — it's free, quick, and connects you to neonatal colleagues in 75+ countries.</p></details><p><strong>You might have noticed while browsing 99nicu recently: reading the full discussions now requires you to be logged in.</strong></p><p><img class="ipsImage ipsRichText__align--right ipsRichText__align--width-custom" data-fileid="2315" src="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2026_03/row(4).png.42d1c4a0b1e2972500f1b9152657965e.png" alt="row (4).png" title="" width="416" height="275" style="--i-media-width: 351px;" loading="lazy"></p><p><strong>The first post of any thread remain visible to everyone, like the news updates and feeds. But to read replies and join the conversation, you'll need to log in as a member.</strong></p><p><strong>We know this adds a step. Here's why we're doing it, and how we're working to make it worthwhile.</strong></p><p>________________________________________</p><h2>Why This Matters?</h2><p>For 20 years, 99nicu is built on professional exchange by NICU staff. When you contribute here, you're part of a community where many members use their real names and affiliations when sharing their clinical experience, knowledge, and personal insights. Our members are willing to be known, and we believe the readers should be, too.</p><p></p><p>________________________________________</p><h2>What You Need to Know</h2><p><strong>Registration is free and always will be. </strong>No fees, no paywalls, no corporate gatekeeping. Just a basic account, that takes one minute to register for, and then you just need to await our manual approval of your account (usually within 24 hours).</p><p><strong>Homepage News , Blogs and Calendar remain open.</strong> Many sections remain open/public for browsing without logging in, including the Homepage, the Latest Research feed.</p><p><strong>Discussion Forum Topics are visible to everyone.</strong> You can see the first post in all Discussions, what colleagues are asking, but to read answers and expert responses, you need to log in.</p><p><strong>Posting and commenting requires login.</strong> Only members can contribute to discussions.</p><p><strong>We don't verify institutional emails. </strong>You can register with any email address. We trust you to be part of this professional community in good faith, but please remember to be thoughtful about what and how you post. Your profile information is visible to other members.</p><p><strong>Be mindful when sharing patient-related information. </strong>While clinical discussions are essential to our community, you must respect patient confidentiality and integrity. Never include information that could potentially identify a patient or family. When discussing specific cases, parental consent is recommended. You are responsible for ensuring your posts comply with your national laws and regulations regarding patient privacy. See our [<a rel="" href="https://99nicu.org/privacy/">privacy policy</a>] and [<a rel="" href="https://99nicu.org/terms/">registration terms</a>] for details.</p><p><strong>Stay logged in with the 99nicu app. </strong>Available for iOS and Android, the app keeps you connected without needing to sign in every time. If you visit us with your mobile browser, you'll see a prompt: "View in the app: a better way to browse." It's a simple, browser-style app that lets you keep 99nicu on your phone homescreen — no notifications, no instant messages. Just at the reach of your tap when you want to browse and interact.</p><p>________________________________________</p><p><img class="ipsImage ipsRichText__align--left ipsRichText__align--width-custom" data-fileid="2314" src="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2026_03/row(5).png.4f675fc7dd5ce9bbdb36dc64d544f75b.png" alt="row (5).png" title="" width="416" height="275" style="--i-media-width: 357px;" loading="lazy"></p><h2>The Platform Grows When Your Activity Grows</h2><p>99nicu thrives when you participate!</p><p>The value of this community isn't just in what you can read — the value is built from people sharing their questions, comments and expertise. Therefore we encourage you to ask questions and share your experiences.</p><p>Remember: what seems like a "basic, normal thing" to you might be genuinely eye-opening for another clinician somewhere else in the world. We all have unique perspectives shaped by the context where we work, what we've seen, and who we've learned from. So don't hold back!</p><p></p><p>________________________________________</p><h2>Help Us Get This Right</h2><p>We want to make this transition as smooth as possible. So we're asking:</p><p><em>What can we do to make logging in easier for you? Is the registration process clear? Do you have any issues recovering your password?</em></p><p>Let us know in the comments, or send us a message- we're here for you!</p><p>See you inside!</p><p><strong><em>Kat from the 99nicu Team</em></strong></p><p></p><p></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">450</guid><pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2026 20:22:29 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Should 99nicu launch a NICU Job Board?</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/449-should-99nicu-launch-a-nicu-job-board/</link><description><![CDATA[<p>For years, the 99nicu community has been a place where neonatal professionals connect, share knowledge, and support each other in improving care for the smallest patients. But could it also become a place where careers in neonatal care begin or take the next step?</p><p>We’re exploring the idea of adding a <strong>Job Board</strong> to 99nicu — a dedicated space where NICUs and neonatal organizations could post job opportunities for nurses, neonatologists, fellows, researchers, and other neonatal professionals.</p><p>Because 99nicu already brings together thousands of neonatal professionals globally, a job board could create a natural bridge between NICUs seeking staff and clinicians looking for their next role.</p><p>Of course, the most important question is whether this would be useful for <strong>you</strong>, the community.</p><p>Would you use a 99nicu Job Board?<br>Would your NICU consider posting job opportunities there?</p><p>We’d love to hear your thoughts. Share your feedback in the comments and help shape what the future of 99nicu could look like.</p><p><img class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed ipsRichText__align--block" data-fileid="2299" src="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2026_03/daniele-d-andreti-sCqkCcYmtlM-unsplash.thumb.jpg.ee1da9d7ae4e3e868adaf759b64971c3.jpg" alt="daniele-d-andreti-sCqkCcYmtlM-unsplash.jpg" title="" width="1000" height="750" data-full-image="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2026_03/daniele-d-andreti-sCqkCcYmtlM-unsplash.jpg.de36fdd107ec0b0e1bbac7667deedcae.jpg" loading="lazy"></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">449</guid><pubDate>Sun, 15 Mar 2026 15:57:59 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>99NICU Becomes a Partner of the CEPAS Conference 28-31 Oct 2026</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/448-99nicu-becomes-a-partner-of-the-cepas-conference-28-31-oct-2026/</link><description><![CDATA[<p><strong>We are pleased to announce that the 99NICU Community has become an official partner of the </strong><a rel="external nofollow" href="https://www.cepas.org/"><strong>CEPAS Conference</strong></a><strong>, 28-31 Oct 2026.</strong></p><p>CEPAS is an international conference dedicated to advancing knowledge and collaboration in neonatal and pediatric care, a new biennial meeting of the European Academy of Paediatrics (EAP) and the European Society for Paediatric Research (ESPR). In addition, the Global Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants (GFCNI) is co-organiser.</p><p>Through this partnership, 99NICU will help amplify the reach and discussions of CEPAS within our global neonatal community.</p><p>In the lead-up to the conference, 99NICU will promote CEPAS across our social media channels to help spread awareness and encourage participation. During the conference, members of the 99NICU team will be present on site, host a dedicated 99NICU session, and provide live coverage of selected sessions through social media, sharing insights and key takeaways with the wider community.</p><p>We look forward to working together with the CEPAS team to support collaboration, learning, and innovation in neonatal care.</p><p>Learn more about the conference at <a rel="external nofollow" href="https://www.cepas.org/"><strong>cepas.org</strong></a>.</p><p><a rel="external nofollow" href="https://www.cepas.org/"><img class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed ipsRichText__align--block" data-fileid="2282" src="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2026_03/CEPAS2026_Banner_1200x630px.thumb.jpg.2440ff13593fab1f288a547a7888a5ec.jpg" alt="CEPAS2026_Banner_1200x630px.jpg" title="CEPAS2026_Banner_1200x630px.jpg" width="1000" height="525" data-full-image="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2026_03/CEPAS2026_Banner_1200x630px.jpg.cfbecb2983798d2decbfe320b98012bd.jpg" loading="lazy"></a></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">448</guid><pubDate>Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:49:06 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>New Translation Features: Neonatal care has no borders, and neither should our 99nicu community</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/447-new-translation-features-neonatal-care-has-no-borders-and-neither-should-our-99nicu-community/</link><description><![CDATA[<p><strong>Dear 99nicu friends,</strong></p><p>Some of you might have already noticed our 99nicu page has been going through small improvements. We keep thinking about how to make this page more friendly for you, our users. What would it take to make us a page you visit often, or maybe even your starting page?</p><p>Last week I implemented an RSS feed with the newest papers in neonatal medicine. As 99nicu, we cannot guarantee you access to full texts, but at least we can show you new research being published every single day—for the betterment of neonatal care. </p><p>Living in Europe and communicating in English almost everywhere, I never even considered that 99nicu might not be accessible enough for people who simply don't use English. I'm thankful to our dear <a href="https://99nicu.org/profile/10290-mariana-oliveira/" class="ipsMention" data-mentionid="10290" data-ipshover="" data-ipshover-target="https://99nicu.org/profile/10290-mariana-oliveira/?do=hovercard" rel="">@Mariana Oliveira</a> who opened my eyes and encouraged me to find solutions to make our page more accessible for non-English speakers.</p><p>So, first of all—in the bottom right corner, you will find a blue "Translate" button. This is a whole page translation powered by Google Translate that will allow you to browse the page in any language you choose. Roam around and explore our content in the language you feel most comfortable with—you're welcome.</p><p><img class="ipsImage ipsRichText__align--block" data-fileid="2254" src="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2026_02/row.png.170ba5caa5811a56ba75bc86ff9a122b.png" alt="row.png" title="row.png" width="803" height="449" loading="lazy"></p><p>Second—underneath each post and reply to a post, you will find a button "Translate", which will give you an opportunity to choose a language. This will translate that post to your chosen language. This way, you can participate in the conversation in any language you feel comfortable with, and other users can translate your post to their language of preference. Right now the languages to choose from are limited to 12 (Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic and English), but we can add as many as you like—just let us know.</p><p><img class="ipsImage ipsRichText__align--block" data-fileid="2255" src="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2026_02/row(1).png.3008acfdf966326b75e13b32a310b5dd.png" alt="row (1).png" title="row (1).png" width="809" height="482" loading="lazy"></p><p>We're doing our best here, without an army of social media, IT and marketing experts—but honestly, it's been fun figuring out these improvements for you. I'd love to hear your feedback: what else can we do to make 99nicu work better for you? Drop your ideas in the comments or send me a message. You can help us in this mission by visiting our page, being an active part of our community, and telling us what you need. And if you like what we do, you can become a 99nicu Society Member (<a rel="" href="https://99nicu.org/subscriptions/">https://99nicu.org/subscriptions/</a>) for 10 EUR/year to keep our servers alive.</p><p>All the best,</p><p>Kat</p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">447</guid><pubDate>Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:46:39 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>99NICU - the online neonatal community reclaimed</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/446-99nicu-the-online-neonatal-community-reclaimed/</link><description><![CDATA[<p>We are approaching the 20 year anniversary of 99NICU and while thinking about our journey, we also came to explore the wider scope, including the feeling of a lost online neonatal community.</p><p>When I first helped build 99NICU in 2006, it came from a very simple need: a safe place to talk about neonatal care with other health care professionals. Not just to exchange information, like over email, but create a community space to think, question and learn together from real clinical experience. At the time, those kinds of conversations were harder to find online, due to the immature technology. Today, that challenge feels even more familiar, but for other reasons.</p><p>Many of us now rely on large social media platforms for professional connection. They’re convenient, fast, and always there. But they were never designed for careful clinical discussion. Algorithms decide what gets seen, conversations disappear as quickly as they appear, and the focus is often on confirmation and engagement (likes!) rather than substance. For neonatal care, where nuance, trust, and context matter, that model simply doesn’t work very well.</p><p>99NICU was created as an alternative to that. From the beginning, it has been built by neonatal professionals, for neonatal professionals, with no commercial agenda driving the conversations. We have a non-profit structure because independence matters.</p><p>What makes me most proud, all these years later, is not the platform itself, but the community behind it. Moderators, developers, and contributors are all volunteering NICU staff, colleagues who care deeply about neonatal care and about maintaining an online space where knowledge grow over time.</p><p>99NICU is not “social media” in the usual sense. It is a professional community reclaimed — a shared space we collectively own and shape.</p><p>Last but not least, being independent implies that we need support in a crowd-funding way. Please consider to donate 10 EUR per year to keep our servers running, <a rel="" href="https://99nicu.org/subscriptions/">visit this page</a> to do it today!</p><div class="ipsEmbeddedVideo" contenteditable="false" data-og-user_text="https://youtu.be/I1Nq1WEU9f0?si=-t_tX0lFgreYd05w" style="--i-media-width: 100%;"><iframe width="200" height="113" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/I1Nq1WEU9f0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; fullscreen" title="99NICU - the online neonatal community reclaimed!" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>
<p><img class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed ipsRichText__align--block" data-fileid="2245" data-full-image="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2026_02/News.png.b48c0033e43a25485ca179c26ff273da.png" src="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2026_02/News.png.b48c0033e43a25485ca179c26ff273da.png" height="200" width="300" alt="News.png" loading='lazy'></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">446</guid><pubDate>Fri, 06 Feb 2026 10:32:01 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>World Prematurity Day 2025</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/445-world-prematurity-day-2025/</link><description><![CDATA[<p>today, on November 17, is <a rel="external nofollow" href="https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-prematurity-day/2025">World Prematurity Day</a>.</p><p>We, being neonatal health care professionals, are much aware of the many unmet needs for preterm newborns.</p><p>But, for the larger context, there is still much to do, creating awareness of the large public health challenge to reduce the burden of preterm birth.</p><p>If you have some time today, join the WHO webinar about the launch of a new global clinical practice guide for Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC). <a rel="external nofollow" href="https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2025/11/17/default-calendar/global-launch-of-kangaroo-mother-care--a-clinical-practice-guide">Register here</a>!</p><p></p><p><img class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed ipsRichText__align--block ipsRichText__align--width-custom" data-fileid="2204" src="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2025_11/small-and-sick-newborns-require-special-care.thumb.webp.24d299bb393b62250a13054a501ea0dc.webp" alt="small-and-sick-newborns-require-special-care.webp" title="" style="--i-media-width: 497px;" width="750" height="750" data-full-image="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2025_11/small-and-sick-newborns-require-special-care.webp.3481384a49dff41a50f94fe253bb20c9.webp" loading="lazy"></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">445</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2025 13:52:32 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Our Colleague Vicky Payne Recognized by the Neonatal Nurses Association in the UK</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/443-our-colleague-vicky-payne-recognized-by-the-neonatal-nurses-association-in-the-uk/</link><description><![CDATA[<p>We are beyond thrilled to congratulate our colleague <a href="https://99nicu.org/profile/7619-vicky-payne/" class="ipsMention" data-mentionid="7619" data-ipshover="" data-ipshover-target="https://99nicu.org/profile/7619-vicky-payne/?&amp;do=hovercard" rel="">@Vicky Payne</a> on receiving the <strong>Outstanding Contribution to Neonatal Nursing Award 2025</strong> from the <strong>Neonatal Nurses Association</strong> in the UK.</p><p>Vicky is outstanding in every sense of the word—not only exceptional, but truly standing out from conventional boundaries. Operating at the edges of traditional nursing roles, never quite fitting into a single box, and that's precisely what makes her extraordinary. Her willingness to be an outlier—to stand outside the expected—is what allows her to see and achieve what others might miss.</p><p>Vicky, we couldn't be more proud to see your uniqueness recognized beyond our 99nicu community. Well deserved!</p><p></p>
<p><a href="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2025_10/WhatsAppImage2025-10-08at19_17_40.jpeg.e5d7241c8847d022e2b3728e65c17099.jpeg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image" ><img data-fileid="2176" src="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2025_10/WhatsAppImage2025-10-08at19_17_40.thumb.jpeg.aaac53586e3d861a2bb46d995645714c.jpeg" height="750" width="562" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt="WhatsApp Image 2025-10-08 at 19.17.40.jpeg" loading='lazy'></a></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">443</guid><pubDate>Thu, 09 Oct 2025 08:31:39 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Watch Preemie voices | Listen to Neonatology Now</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/441-watch-preemie-voices-listen-to-neonatology-now/</link><description><![CDATA[<p>we wanted to promote two neonatology media projects.</p><p>First of all, the Preemie voices <span style='font-family: "Tahoma", "Verdana", "Arial", "Helvetica", sans-serif;'>videos, meeting some of the preemie participants who wrote the inspiring letters in “Preemie Voices” book by Dr Saroj Saigal. Both videos, from 2014 and 2024, are added to the </span><a rel="" href="https://99nicu.org/links/"><span style='font-family: "Tahoma", "Verdana", "Arial", "Helvetica", sans-serif;'>Links Directory</span></a><span style='font-family: "Tahoma", "Verdana", "Arial", "Helvetica", sans-serif;'> but also embedded directly below.</span></p><p><span style='font-family: "Tahoma", "Verdana", "Arial", "Helvetica", sans-serif;'>Our second recommendation is to follow Neonatology Now, a podcast hosted by European School of Neonatology. The most recent episode is a very interesting </span><a rel="external nofollow" href="https://neonatology-now.podigee.io/23-apnea-of-prematurity"><span style='font-family: "Tahoma", "Verdana", "Arial", "Helvetica", sans-serif;'>interview with Prof Barbara Schmidt</span></a><span style='font-family: "Tahoma", "Verdana", "Arial", "Helvetica", sans-serif;'>.</span></p><p></p><div class="ipsEmbeddedVideo" contenteditable="false" data-og-user_text="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPASWGHrDpw" style="--i-media-width: 100%;"><iframe width="200" height="113" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/vPASWGHrDpw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; fullscreen" title="Preemie Voices 2014" loading="lazy"></iframe></div><p></p><div class="ipsEmbeddedVideo" contenteditable="false" data-og-user_text="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfQTy0xGtEs" style="--i-media-width: 100%;"><iframe width="200" height="113" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/pfQTy0xGtEs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; fullscreen" title="Preemie Voices 2024" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">441</guid><pubDate>Thu, 11 Sep 2025 11:56:10 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>World Breastfeeding Week: A Special Preemie Chat on Human Milk in the NICU</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/440-world-breastfeeding-week-a-special-preemie-chat-on-human-milk-in-the-nicu/</link><description><![CDATA[<p><strong>World Breastfeeding Week </strong>is approaching, and we'd like to invite you to join this live event organized by the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation, in collaboration with the Canadian Association of Neonatal Nurses and FiCare.</p><p><strong>Join on August 1 at 1 PM ET</strong> for a <strong>special Preemie Chat</strong> featuring expert talks from <strong>Dr. Marianna Gonzalez </strong><a href="https://99nicu.org/profile/10290-mariana-oliveira/" class="ipsMention" data-mentionid="10290" data-ipshover="" data-ipshover-target="https://99nicu.org/profile/10290-mariana-oliveira/?&amp;do=hovercard" rel="">@Mariana Oliveira</a> , presenting the Brazilian POP-MOM protocol for early oral exposure to mother’s milk; <strong>Dr. Erin Hamilton Spence</strong>, who will explore the clinical and emotional impact of milk as medicine; <strong>Dr. Sharon Unger </strong>who will focus on the foundational role of human milk in shaping the early microbiome of preterm infants. and <strong>Dr. Prakeshkumar Shah</strong>, who will share new data on neurodevelopmental outcomes related to feeding practices in the NICU.</p><p><strong>Join live on CPBF's YouTube, Facebook, or X channels (recording available here </strong><a rel="external nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgxy9oMVhTg"><strong>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgxy9oMVhTg</strong></a><strong>)</strong></p><p><a href="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2025_07/WhatsAppImage2025-07-29at15_00_33.jpeg.46157387a19af76cb468262500bed6d6.jpeg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image ipsRichText__align--block" data-fileid="2141" data-fileext="jpeg" rel=""><img class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" data-fileid="2141" src="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2025_07/WhatsAppImage2025-07-29at15_00_33.thumb.jpeg.6cc184c95e0fd7f5d1f893436e94024b.jpeg" alt="WhatsApp Image 2025-07-29 at 15.00.33.jpeg" width="1000" height="562" loading="lazy"></a></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">440</guid><pubDate>Tue, 29 Jul 2025 12:33:16 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>#BabiesNeedScience - join this campaign kicked off by AAP</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/439-babiesneedscience-join-this-campaign-kicked-off-by-aap/</link><description><![CDATA[<p>The American Academy of Pediatrics, AAP calls NICU staff, researchers, families and all others policy makers, kicking off the #BabiesNeedScience campaign on April 25!</p><p>While the initiative seems to originate in the current US context, we all know that science is essential for improving public health of infants world wide.</p><p>As an organisation connecting health care professionals in a global network, we share the values behind this campaign. It may seem like an obvious position that science is instrumental for evidence-based practices in NICUs. However, we experience a time in history where high-pitched opinions want to change the narrative about meaningful public health strategies to reduce the disease burden of newborns.</p><p>Therefore, the #BabiesNeedScience campaign is a timely initiative that we fully support. We want to encourage all 99nicu members to join this campaign, by speaking out why #BabiesNeedScience, on this web site and in your social media channels. Support and follow AAPs example.</p><p><a rel="external nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DIsjikrxc4h/">https://www.instagram.com/p/DIsjikrxc4h/</a></p>
<p><a href="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2025_04/Skrmavbild2025-04-22kl_21_41_35.png.d1366a4f32bd4e5dc1eed26b3a66860f.png" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image" ><img data-fileid="2079" src="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2025_04/Skrmavbild2025-04-22kl_21_41_35.thumb.png.88f1047126e71aefa7e83b63c56a91eb.png" height="543" width="1000" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt="Skärmavbild 2025-04-22 kl. 21.41.35.png" loading='lazy'></a></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">439</guid><pubDate>Wed, 23 Apr 2025 12:03:17 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>GIFs FTW (and please use carefully)</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/438-gifs-ftw-and-please-use-carefully/</link><description><![CDATA[<p>Among the changes, it is now possible to add so-called animated GIFs to your posts, when you need to convey something with a picture worth more than 1000 words, as the saying goes.</p><p>Please use carefully <span class="ipsEmoji" title="grinning face">😀</span></p>
<p><a href="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2025_04/200-2.gif.15e442564ec836150ef18163eab31bc6.gif" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image" ><img data-fileid="2063" src="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2025_04/200-2.gif.15e442564ec836150ef18163eab31bc6.gif" height="200" width="262" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt="200-2.gif" loading='lazy'></a></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">438</guid><pubDate>Fri, 11 Apr 2025 07:42:43 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Building Bridges Between Parents and Neonatal Care Professionals: An Interview with Sari Ahlqvist-Bj&#xF6;rkroth</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/437-building-bridges-between-parents-and-neonatal-care-professionals-an-interview-with-sari-ahlqvist-bj%C3%B6rkroth/</link><description><![CDATA[<h1><span style='font-family: "Georgia", "Times New Roman", serif'>Building Bridges Between Parents and Neonatal Care Professionals: An Interview with Sari Ahlqvist-Björkroth</span></h1><p style="text-align:justify;"><em><span data-ips-font-size="125">T<span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>he Close Collaboration with Parents training program has been transforming neonatal care across multiple countries. As the program prepares for its first international conference in Lithuania, we spoke with Sari Ahlqvist-Björkroth, one of the program's creators, about its origins, evolution, and future.</span></span></em></p><h5><strong><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>What inspired the creation of the Close Collaboration with Parents program?</span></strong></h5><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>"Three things inspired the creation of the program," Sari explains. "First was my professional commitment to infant mental health. I started researching this field in the 90's for my master's thesis, which helped me understand the power of early parent-infant relationships. Second was my personal experience—the birth of my third son as a preemie. And third was meeting Professor Zack Boukydis and Liisa Lehtonen, who shared the same passion to improve infant and parent care in the NICU context."</span></p><h5><strong><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>Could you explain the core principles of the program and how it has evolved since its inception at Turku University Hospital?</span></strong></h5><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>"The Close Collaboration with Parents is a systematic educational program that transforms how neonatal professionals communicate with parents and support the parent-infant relationship," Sari explains. "What makes our approach unique is that we train entire units rather than individual staff members.”</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>The program unfolds through four evidence-based phases:</span></p><div class="ipsRichTextBox ipsRichTextBox--alwaysopen ipsRichText__align--right ipsRichText__align--width-medium" data-i-background-color="yellow"><div class="ipsRichTextBox__title"><p><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>Sari Ahlqvist-Björkroth, PhD</span></p></div><p style="text-align:justify;"><img class="ipsImage ipsRichText__align--left ipsRichText__align--width-custom" data-fileid="2017" src="https://99nicu.org/uploads/monthly_2025_03/982908.jpg.527346e6dd3e68c2da916b2a8c9829c8.jpg.830b6f5178547f540afd8c49bcb5268f.jpg" alt="982908.jpg.527346e6dd3e68c2da916b2a8c9829c8.jpg" style="--i-media-width: 170px" width="518" height="690" loading="lazy"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>Sari Ahlqvist-Björkroth is a psychologist, Associate Professor of clinical and developmental psychology, and the driving force behind the Close Collaboration with Parents training program. Her research focuses on early parent-child relationships and the development of family-centered interventions in neonatal care, combining her professional expertise with personal experience as a parent of a premature infant.</span></p></div><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>" First, staff develop skills in infant observation, learning to recognize each baby's unique preferences and needs, and communicating their observations with colleagues. Second, we introduce joint staff-parent observations to create collaborative care plans. Staff learn active listening techniques that help them value parents' insights about their babies. Third, staff learn to conduct semi-structured CLIP-I discussion that explore parents' journeys to parenthood. This fosters empathy and enables truly personalized support for each parent-infant relationship. Finally, we integrate parents into all aspects of decision-making—from daily care to medical rounds and discharge planning. We begin preparing for the transition home early, tailoring the process to each family's specific situation."</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>Sari emphasizes the program's practical approach: "While we provide theoretical content through e-learning and lectures, the heart of our method is experiential learning. Staff practice their new skills at the bedside with real families under the guidance of local mentors who have completed the training themselves. These mentors, alongside unit leadership, drive the implementation process."</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>Since its development at Turku University Hospital (2009-2012), the program has evolved significantly:</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>"The program has undergone several key refinements," Sari explains. " Supervision has been streamlined to focus on mentors and leadership rather than the entire staff, making better use of resources. The shared decision-making component has been strengthened through the incorporation of medical round observations. Documentation requirements have been added to ensure program fidelity, along with systems for continuous support to local mentors and leaders. For international implementation, an e-learning platform now standardizes theoretical content across different settings. Perhaps most exciting is our newest development—establishing our first designated training center, enabling one unit to train others within their country. This represents a significant step toward sustainable growth and wider adoption of family-centered care practices."</span></p><h5><strong><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>What motivated you to organize this first international conference in Lithuania?</span></strong></h5><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>"Before COVID-19, we organized annual national seminars for units that had implemented the program or were interested in it," Sari recalls. "When thinking about restarting these gatherings, we realized that since the intervention has expanded internationally, our 'seminar' should be international as well.</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>Our Finnish Rotary partners also encouraged us by offering financial support. Rotary International has supported the training of two NICUs—one in Riga, Latvia, and one in Pardubice, Czech Republic. They recognized that our program shares their values and wanted to continue their support by sponsoring this conference, which is why it's free of charge."</span></p><h5><strong><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>How many countries have participated in the program, and is it adaptable to different healthcare systems and cultural contexts?</span></strong></h5><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>"To date, units from 10 countries have implemented the program," Sari states proudly. "It has been implemented in 25 NICUs and six labor and delivery units. Its successful implementation in diverse cultural contexts, from South Korea to Norway, demonstrates its adaptability.</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>What makes the program so flexible is its structure. We provide the bedside practice and reflection framework that helps unit staff become aware of their family-centered practices and encourages them to innovate better approaches. A key aspect of our philosophy is that we don't impose standardized solutions from the outside. Instead, the program creates a framework where staff can discover what works best in their specific environment.</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>"One of our core principles," Sari emphasizes, "is that the program does not dictate change on the unit. The practice changes are decided by the staff themselves, based on the feedback they receive from parents during bedside practices. This bottom-up approach ensures new practices are directly adapted to each unit's unique context and cultural setting, making them more likely to be embraced and sustained over time."</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>At the conference, we'll have presentations from many different cultural settings, including Japan, South Korea, Israel, Czech Republic, Norway, Finland, and the Baltic countries."</span></p><h5><strong><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>What specific challenges do neonatal units face when implementing family-centered care practices, and how will the conference address them?</span></strong></h5><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>"Resources are probably the biggest challenge for most units," Sari acknowledges. "The implementation is based on the whole multiprofessional staff receiving training or, more accurately, mentoring from local mentors. This mentoring, which is mostly one-on-one, requires additional resources. At the conference, you'll hear about different implementation solutions.</span></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>Sustainability of change is also a common concern. This will be one of the main topics at the conference. Units that have been implementing for some time will report on how they've sustained desired changes and continued to develop."</span></p><h5><strong><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>How did the partnership between Finnish, Lithuanian, and other Baltic institutions develop for this conference?</span></strong></h5><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>"I hope this event will strengthen cooperation and support among countries in the field of family-centered neonatal care," Sari says. "The idea for the second day of the conference is to share good family-centered practices and learn from each other."</span></p><h5><strong><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>Is the conference exclusively for units who have undergone the Close Collaboration with Parents training, or would it be valuable for all professionals interested in family-centered care?</span></strong></h5><p style="text-align:justify;"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>"The conference is open to all professionals interested in family-centered care," Sari emphasizes. "Our program is only one way to implement family-centered care; there are many others. Anyone can gain new perspectives and ideas from the conference without participating in our specific program. Of course, if someone wants to know more about Close Collaboration with Parents, this is a perfect event for them."</span></p><div class="ipsRichTextBox ipsRichTextBox--alwaysopen" data-i-background-color="yellow"><div class="ipsRichTextBox__title"><p>Conference Info</p></div><p><em><span data-ips-font-size="125"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>The first international Close Collaboration with Parents conference will take place in Lithuania and is open to all neonatal care professionals interested in family-centered approaches. For more information about the conference and registration details, please visit </span></span></em><a rel="external nofollow" href="https://www.tyks.fi/node/4287"><em><span data-ips-font-size="125"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>www.tyks.fi/node/4287</span></span></em></a><em><span data-ips-font-size="125"><span style='font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif'>.</span></span></em></p></div><p></p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">437</guid><pubDate>Tue, 04 Mar 2025 22:58:32 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Launching into 2025: Community First</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/436-launching-into-2025-community-first/</link><description><![CDATA[<p><em>As we step into 2025, many of you have already noticed the major updates rolling out across our 99nicu forum. These improvements are designed to enhance usability and foster connections within our community. While we continue refining the platform, we also want to take a moment to appreciate the incredible projects of 2024. That’s why we’re revisiting this wrap-up—to celebrate the progress we’ve made together and set the stage for another impactful year ahead.</em></p><p><strong><em><u>2024: It's a Wrap!</u></em></strong></p><p><strong>The Future of Neonatal Care: More Than Technology</strong></p><p>Following the success of our previous conferences in Stockholm (2017), Vienna (2018), and Copenhagen (2019), our flagship event, "The 99nicu Meetup: The Future of Neonatal Care," made its return in the beautiful city of Lisbon, Portugal. After the long pause due to COVID, it was incredibly rewarding to once again facilitate face-to-face connections among our community members.</p><p>While cutting-edge technologies and AI-based innovations were certainly on display, we discovered something even more profound: the future of neonatal care isn't just about advancing technology—it's about strengthening our human connections. We were particularly touched by the blend of scientific excellence and genuine warmth exhibited by our attendees and speakers—brilliant researchers who are, above all, compassionate and engaging individuals.</p><p><strong>Expanding Horizons: The APAN Webinar Series</strong></p><p>November brought an exciting collaboration with the Adult Preemie Advocacy Network (APAN) as we launched "Adults Born Preterm: The Honesty Sessions." This five-part webinar series created a unique platform where experts, advocates, and individuals with lived experience came together to explore the lifelong impact of preterm birth. From advocacy and communication to lung health and personal insights, these sessions highlighted the connection between NICU care and long-term outcomes.</p><p><strong>Digital Evolution: Finding Our True Home</strong></p><p>2024 also marked a thoughtful evolution in how we connect with our community. We made the conscious decision to leave Twitter/X, choosing to focus our energy on platforms that better align with our core values of inclusivity, collaboration, and meaningful dialogue. You can now find us on our moderated forums at <a rel="external nofollow" href="https://99nicu.org">99nicu.org</a>, our Mastodon server (the NICUVERSE), LinkedIn, and BlueSky—spaces where authentic professional connections can truly flourish.</p><p><strong>Looking Forward</strong></p><p>As we reflect on this year, we're grateful to every member of our community who has contributed to making 2024 a year of growth, learning, and fostering connections. We would also like to thank our collaborators, partners and supporters- you made many things possible. Together, we're building a stronger future of neonatal care—one that combines innovation with the irreplaceable human touch.</p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">436</guid><pubDate>Mon, 10 Feb 2025 10:02:16 +0000</pubDate></item><item><title>Major update of the 99nicu web site</title><link>https://99nicu.org/blogs/entry/435-major-update-of-the-99nicu-web-site/</link><description><![CDATA[<p>Exciting times are ahead of us!</p><p>We are approaching the Big Leap upgrading to our community software to a <a rel="external nofollow" href="https://invisioncommunity.com/features/whats-new-in-5/"><u>new version</u></a>.</p><p>This is a major upgrade, but we hope there won't be too much issues while doing it. In addition to lots of tech stuff, the look and feel will also change, especially on your mobile  <span class="ipsEmoji" title="grinning_face">😀</span></p><p>In case the site drops offline <span class="ipsEmoji" title="">🫣</span> we will share updates on <a rel="external nofollow" href="https://nicuverse.org/public/local"><u>Mastodon</u></a>, <a rel="external nofollow" href="https://bsky.app/profile/99nicu.bsky.social"><u>BlueSky</u></a>, and <a rel="external nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/99nicu/"><u>LinkedIn</u></a>.</p><p>We are yet to finalize the timeline for doing this. You will know it when you see it!</p>]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">435</guid><pubDate>Sat, 08 Feb 2025 13:58:31 +0000</pubDate></item></channel></rss>
