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

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

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

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

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

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

There is a quiet moment that happens every day in neonatal follow-up clinics. A parent sits across from a clinician. Their child is beside them. There are forms, clipboards, screens, and time limits. On paper, it looks like care. But care is not experienced on paper. Care is experienced in the body. At the 2026 CHILD-BRIGHT Conference, speakers Jessica Green and Stephanie Glegg shared a story from a follow-up appointment that many parents will recognize. As the conversatio

What if one of the most powerful tools in neonatal care was already in the room? Skin-to-skin care, also known as kangaroo care, is not new. The evidence is clear: it stabilizes infants, supports brain development, improves breastfeeding outcomes, and protects parental mental health. Yet, across Canada, it isn’t consistently happening. In 2025, the national Family Engagement EPIQ (Evidence-based Practice for Improving Quality) Group was formed with a bold vision: to make fa

In neonatal units from coast to coast, something beautiful is taking shape this May. For the first time ever, we’re hosting the National Kangaroo-a-thon, a friendly but powerful nationwide challenge that puts what matters most front and centre: parents and their babies. At its heart, the Kangaroo-a-thon is a celebration of the time parents spend doing kangaroo care. That’s the science-backed practice of holding a baby skin-to-skin, heart to heart, a method shown to reduce s

Last November, something extraordinary happened. In a room filled with candlelight, music, and stories of resilience, the preemie community came together for the very first Little Lights, Big Hearts Gala, and it sold out. What we expected to be a meaningful fundraiser became something even more powerful: a night of connection, celebration, and shared purpose. Families, healthcare providers, researchers, and advocates gathered not just to support premature babies, but to hon

Every year, the EPIQ conference brings together Canada’s level-3 NICUs to share knowledge, strengthen quality improvement, and move neonatal care forward. But it’s the people that truly makes the EPIQ conference special. The 2026 conference in Banff highlighted the growing and essential role of NICU parent partners in shaping better care. Families are not an “add-on” to quality improvement. They are at the heart of it. At the pre-conference Family Integrated Care workshop

On November 17, the world lights up in purple as we come together to raise awareness about the challenges of preterm birth and to celebrate the incredible strength of preemies and their families. From coast to coast and across more than 110 countries, millions of people unite in hope and solidarity, and you can be part of it! This year’s theme, Give Preterm Babies a Strong Start for a Brighter Future, reminds us that every baby deserves the chance not only to survive, b

By Fabiana Bacchini, Executive Director, CPBF It was an honour to spend a week with the incredible team at the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority (SLFNHA ) . My time there was filled with listening, learning, sharing stories, and exchanging knowledge about how we can better support families of preterm babies across Northern Ontario—an important step on our path of reconciliation. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to be there in person, to see, hear, and bet