This November 15, the world will come together to recognize babies born too soon, celebrate their families and advocate for a brighter future. And this year marks an important milestone. For the first time, World Prematurity Day will be observed on November 15 following its official recognition by the World Health Assembly in 2025. Previously held on November 17, the day now has a place on the World Health Organization's official calendar, bringing greater global attention to

RSV season is approaching, and for families of babies born prematurely, protecting their little ones from respiratory illness is especially important. But across Canada, not every baby has the same access to protection. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus that typically circulates from November through April. While it often causes cold-like symptoms, RSV can lead to serious illness, including bronchiolitis and pneumonia, particularly in young infan

What if one of the most powerful ways to comfort a baby during a painful medical procedure was something a parent could provide? For babies in the NICU, blood tests, injections and other procedures are often necessary parts of medical care. But these experiences can also cause pain and stress, and research has shown that repeated, poorly managed pain can affect a baby's developing brain. The encouraging news? Parents can play an important role in reducing that pain. Through a

What happens when parents who have experienced the NICU come together, share what they've learned and work toward a common goal? Ideas grow, connections form, and opportunities to improve care begin to take shape. Across Canada, parents who have experienced premature birth and the NICU journey are using their voices to help make a difference for other families. Through the CPBF Parent Partner Network, these parents are connecting with one another, sharing knowledge and helpin

The NICU journey can leave an emotional impact that lasts long after a baby comes home. But while so much attention is focused on the baby, who's looking after the parents? For many families, premature birth brings an unexpected world of medical terminology, difficult decisions, uncertainty and worry. Days become weeks or months spent navigating the NICU, balancing hope with fear and trying to find a sense of normalcy. After discharge, those feelings don't necessarily disappe

A baby's discharge from the NICU is a milestone worth celebrating. But for many families, it's also the beginning of a new chapter filled with questions, appointments and uncertainty. Will their child meet developmental milestones? What happens if concerns arise months or even years later? Who will help them navigate the services and support their child may need? For babies born prematurely, specialized follow-up care can make an important difference. Yet across Canada, acces

By Dr. Namrata Todurkar Seeing your newborn in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with monitors, wires, and tubes can feel overwhelming. Among these medical tools, a PICC line is one of the most vital instruments helping your baby receive essential nourishment and medicine. This blog talks about what a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) line is, why it is needed, how it protects your baby, and how the NICU medical team manages potential complications like line

By Dr. Namrata Todurkar Between 2% to 6% of premature infants are discharged from the NICU with feeding tubes. Nasogastric (NG) tubes and Gastrostomy (G/GT) tubes are the primary methods. If your medical team has brought up the idea of going home with a temporary feeding tube, it is completely normal to feel a mix of excitement and anxiety. This blog will break down tube feeding in NICU graduates, why it is used, and how it acts as a bridge to independent feeding in the comfo

It’s hard to really get it, unless you’ve been there. "I felt like a cow, pumping every three hours. I was exhausted and emotional and it felt like something robotic instead of relational... not anything like how I pictured it would be," NICU mom Jenny shared. Parents may be recovering from a difficult birth while learning to establish milk supply, navigate medical challenges, and support a baby who may not yet be able to feed at the breast. It is no surprise that many famili

"I have a vivid memory of watching my husband carry our sobbing three-year-old out of the hospital. She was protesting furiously because I was staying another night with her baby sisters instead of coming home with her." Catriona Matthews shared this memory during a Preemie Chats presentation on supporting siblings during a NICU stay. Her experience is one many NICU families can relate to. For families with children at home, a NICU admission can feel like being pulled in two

A newly published paper is drawing attention across the neonatal community. The paper, Multi-strain probiotics for Canadian preterm infants: a call for action, highlights growing evidence that multi-strain probiotics may help reduce the risk of NEC, late-onset sepsis, and death in very preterm infants. The authors argue that the evidence supporting probiotic use has become increasingly difficult to ignore and call for greater consistency in access to this intervention across

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many hospitals around the world restricted parental presence in NICUs in an effort to protect patients and staff. But those restrictions also highlighted something families have long known: Parents are not visitors. Parents are essential members of their baby's care team. Following the groundbreaking Presence Study led by Dr. Marsha Campbell-Yeo, MOM-LINC Lab, and Fabiana Bacchini, CPBF, 13 evidence-based recommendations were developed to help pr

When the winners of CPBF's first-ever national Kangaroo-a-thon were announced on June 10, not every participating NICU took home a prize. But for many teams, that wasn't the point. One participating NICU shared that although they didn't win, they felt like they had. During the month-long challenge, their team more than doubled the number of Kangaroo Care hours they achieved the previous year, despite having many new and early-career staff members. That sentiment reflects what

Most baby milestone cards celebrate first smiles, first steps, and first birthdays. And while those milestones are important, they may not be the milestones that matter most to every family. True family-integrated care begins with listening. When healthcare providers take the time to ask about a family's traditions, values, and preferences, they create opportunities for stronger relationships, greater trust, and more culturally safe care. For some Indigenous families, meanin

Do you know a business that believes every family deserves support during one of the most challenging times of their lives? Do you work for an organization that values family-centred care, mental health, healthcare, or community impact? If so, we'd love your help. On November 5, 2026, the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation will host its second annual Little Lights, Big Hearts Gala, themed Brighter Beginnings for NICU Families. Funds raised through the gala help support CPBF

Healthcare teams across Canada recognize that babies do better when families are present and involved in their baby’s care. But many NICUs haven’t unlocked the secret yet in involving families to their maximum capacity. That's where a new resource, From the Heart, can help. Developed through a collaboration between the CPBF, the SickKids Infant and Early Mental Health Program, and Family Integrated Care (FiCare), From the Heart is a beautiful, engaging resource that was creat

By Heather Cresswell, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner If you are the parent of a premature baby and wonder if and when your baby should get vaccinations, you are not alone. April 26-May 2 is National Immunization Awareness Week, so what better time than now to dive into this important topic! Read on to learn all about vaccinations and premature babies. Vaccination and immunization: are they the same? People often use the terms vaccination and immunization interchangeably. They

By Dr. Namrata Todurkar Leaving the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with your baby is a momentous occasion, a mix of relief, excitement, and perhaps a touch of anxiety as you navigate follow-up care. One term you might hear during this transition is "nephrocalcinosis" – a complex-sounding word that simply means calcium deposits in the kidneys. While it might sound worrying, understanding why it happens and what it means for your baby can provide clarity and peace of mind.

As you probably know, World Prematurity Day is the most important day of the year for our community and each year, it is gaining in global momentum. In Canada alone, we had 57 landmarks lit up while CPBF hosted 21 in-person celebrations in hospitals across the country. And in total, 107 countries around the world participated in World Prematurity Day activities and events. For many of us, November 17 has become a familiar date; a day marked in purple, filled with stories, a

In March 2020, the world changed overnight. Hospitals tightened restrictions. Volunteers were asked to step back. NICU families, already navigating the emotional intensity of prematurity, suddenly found themselves even more alone. At CPBF, we knew we couldn’t let connection disappear when families needed it most. So, we tried something new. That spring, Preemie Chats was born — a virtual space where parents and healthcare providers could still learn, connect, and feel sup