The Incubator #375 - 🟠 CHNC 2025 COVERAGE - Doctor and NICU mama- why parental mental health is a community imperative
In this episode, neonatologists Dr. Megan Paulsen (Children’s Minnesota) and Dr. Sarah Swenson explore strategies for supporting parental mental health in the NICU, emphasizing universal screening for depression, anxiety, and trauma. They highlight the critical impact of parental well-being on infant neurodevelopment, family stability, and long-term quality of life. Drawing on personal and professional experience, Dr. Paulson shares her journey as a NICU parent, illustrating gaps in current care. Practical recommendations include integrating psychologists and social workers into NICU teams, implementing structured follow-up, and advocating for system-level changes to ensure equitable, sustained mental health support for families.
As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.
Enjoy!