If you have been in the NICU at one of our partner hospitals in Austin, you may have met Liz! @Liz at Hand to Hold is a Family Support Specialist serving families at St. David’s Medical Center and Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, TX. Liz has never had a traditional postpartum experience. Her first pregnancy with her son was normal until delivery, when she developed postpartum preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. She spent nearly two weeks recovering in the hospital. Halfway through her second pregnancy, her daughter was diagnosed with IUGR and required additional growth scans to monitor the baby. Her daughter was born at 35 weeks and went straight to the NICU. It was eye opening and humbling for Liz to learn to navigate the NICU with her second baby, especially since her daughter’s journey was not as straightforward as the medical team initially presumed. Her daughter spent a month in the NICU before being welcomed home. It was an experience that changed their families’ entire lives. Liz is passionate about connecting with parents during the vulnerable postpartum time. She aims to bring empathy to all families, ensuring they feel seen during their own NICU journey. 💚 Liz’s advice for NICU parents: Take it one day at a time. Sometimes you may need to take it one hour, or even one minute at a time. It is normal to feel overwhelmed and anxious about what the next day, next phone call, or next touch time may bring. When that happens, it is ok to take a break and do something small for yourself. For me it was walking outside, and taking deep breaths of fresh air.

Posted by Leigh Ann at Hand to Hold at 2024-01-12 16:53:47 UTC