

The Incubator
Ben Courchia & Daphna Yasova Barbeau
A weekly discussion about new evidence in neonatal care and the fascinating individuals who make this progress possible. Hosted by Dr. Ben Courchia and Dr. Daphna Yasova Barbeau.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 12, 2025 • 51min
#366 - A European Approach to Neonatology: Individualized Care, Empowered Families, and the Future of Education with Mario Rüdiger
Send us a textIn this episode of the Incubator Podcast, Dr. Mario Rüdiger, a prominent neonatologist from Germany, shares his journey into the field of neonatology, discussing the differences between European and American practices, the importance of flexibility in adopting new therapies, and the role of evidence in neonatal care. He emphasizes the significance of empowering parents in the NICU and advocates for a family-centered approach to care. The conversation also touches on the future of neonatal education, the impact of podcasting in the field, and the challenges of work-life balance for healthcare professionals. Dr. Rüdiger's insights provide a comprehensive view of the evolving landscape of neonatal care and the importance of advocacy in shaping policies that benefit both patients and practitioners. Support the showAs 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!

Oct 8, 2025 • 39min
#365 - 👶 Christina’s Journey to Discharge Day
Send us a textIn this heartfelt episode of Beyond the Beeps, Leah and Christina discuss the emotional journey of navigating the NICU as a parent. Christina shares her experiences from the moment she went into preterm labor to the discharge day of her son, Caleb. The conversation highlights the importance of building a support system, advocating for your child, and finding resilience during challenging times. Christina emphasizes the need for information and education in the NICU environment, as well as the significance of self-care for parents. The episode concludes with a message of hope and encouragement for families facing similar journeys.Support the showAs 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!

Oct 5, 2025 • 1h 21min
#364 - 📑 Journal Club - The Complete Episode from October 5th 2025
Send us a textIn this Journal Club episode, Ben and Daphna review a wide range of new research shaping neonatal practice and policy.The discussion begins with a randomized controlled trial from Korea examining antenatal corticosteroid use in twin pregnancies at risk for late preterm delivery, showing reductions in neonatal respiratory morbidity. They then turn to a meta-analysis on DHA with or without ARA supplementation in preterm infants, where results raised concerns about potential increased risk of BPD, highlighting the need for more precise dosing and study design.A major feature of this episode is the release of the Improving Neonatology Staffing Toolkit, presented with guests Dr. Kerri Machut and Dr. Milenka Cuevas Guaman. They explain how the toolkit builds on consensus recommendations to offer practical guidance, case studies, and advocacy resources for units of all sizes.Ben and Daphna also review a multi-center study comparing transcatheter closure and surgical ligation of the PDA in extremely preterm infants, finding similar neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years. Additional topics include an analysis of opt-out consent in neonatal trials, new data on the association between critical congenital heart disease and infant cancer, and a systematic review of autism screening tools for preterm children.A dense episode full of data and practical implications for neonatology.Support the showAs 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!

Oct 5, 2025 • 7min
#364 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 Are Infants With Critical Congenital Heart Disease at Higher Risk for Cancer in the First Year of Life?
Send us a textCritical Congenital Heart Disease and Infant Cancer.Chin S, Lupo PJ, Baer R, Hobbs CA, Chambers CD, Bandoli G.Pediatrics. 2025 Sep 25:e2025072934. doi: 10.1542/peds.2025-072934. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40992753 No abstract available.Support the showAs 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!

Oct 5, 2025 • 9min
#364 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 How Reliable Are Current Screening Tools for Autism in Preterm Children?
Send us a textScreening for Autism in Preterm Children: A Systematic Review.Thomas KE, Raghuram K, Banihani R, Church PT, Mbuagbaw L, Penner M.Pediatrics. 2025 Sep 3:e2024069837. doi: 10.1542/peds.2024-069837. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40897396Support the showAs 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!

Oct 5, 2025 • 12min
#364 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 Does DHA With or Without ARA Supplementation Improve Outcomes in Preterm Infants? A Meta-Analysis
Send us a textEffect of enteral supplementation of DHA with or without ARA in preterm infants: a meta-analysis.Dang D, Gao Z, Zhang C, Mu X, Lv X, Wu H.Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025 Apr 15:fetalneonatal-2024-327606. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2024-327606. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40233974Support the showAs 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!

Oct 5, 2025 • 10min
#364 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 How Do Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Compare After Transcatheter PDA Closure Versus Surgical Ligation in Extremely Preterm Infants?
Send us a textComparison of neurodevelopmental outcomes of extremely preterm infants undergoing trans-catheter closure of the patent ductus arteriosus compared to surgical ligation.Kaluarachchi DC, Chock VY, Do BT, Rysavy MA, Sankar MN, Laughon MM, Backes CH, Colaizy TT, Bell EF, McNamara PJ, Hintz SR, Natarajan G.J Perinatol. 2025 Sep 23. doi: 10.1038/s41372-025-02417-8. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40987835Support the showAs 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!

Oct 5, 2025 • 9min
#364 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 Do Antenatal Corticosteroids Reduce Respiratory Morbidity in Late Preterm Twins?
Send us a textAntenatal Corticosteroid in Twin-Pregnant Women at Risk of Late Preterm Delivery: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Lee SM, Park HS, Choi SR, Lee J, Kim HJ, Park JY, Oh KJ, Cho GJ, Oh MJ, Chung JH, Kim SM, Kim BJ, Kim SY, Hong S, Jung YM, Lee SJ, Seong JS, Kim H, Oh S, Lee J, Jin YR, Kim JH, Cho HY, Park CW, Park JS, Jun JK.JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Sep 22:e253284. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.3284. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40982289Support the showAs 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!

Oct 5, 2025 • 13min
#364 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 What Do Parents and Practitioners Think About Opt-Out Consent in Neonatal Trials?
Send us a textParent and practitioner experiences of opt-out consent in neonatal intensive care: a mixed methods study within a trial.Mitchell T, Andrzejewska I, Battersby C, Cole C, Daskalopoulou Z, Dorling J, Gale C, Graham M, Hubbard M, Hardy P, Hurd M, King AR, Manley BJ, Murray D, Nuthall E, O'Connor H, Ojha S, Roberts CT, Rodriquez A, Roehr CC, Stanbury K, Tume L, Young L, Woolfall K.Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2025 Aug 31:fetalneonatal-2025-328693. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2025-328693. Online ahead of print.PMID: 40889884Support the showAs 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!

Oct 5, 2025 • 16min
#364 - [Journal Club Shorts] - 📌 Improving Neonatology Staffing With the INS Toolkit
Send us a textSupport the showAs 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!


