Six Years of Preemie Chats: From a Pandemic Pivot to a Global Community

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 supported, even when in-person community was no longer possible. 

What started as a pandemic pivot quickly became something far bigger. 

Now, six years later, Preemie Chats has grown into a trusted and reliable source of information and encouragement for families and clinicians alike. With more than 396 episodes and viewers tuning in from more than 150 countries, the series has reached far beyond what we first imagined; creating a global community centred on evidence, compassion, and the shared realities of prematurity. 

One of the reasons Preemie Chats resonates so deeply is its heart: it is hosted by parents who truly understand. 

The program is led by three NICU moms, Jenna Morton, Leah Whitehead, and Fabiana Bacchini, who rotate hosting duties and bring a unique blend of lived experience and professional storytelling. With backgrounds in journalism, each host knows how to ask the right questions, draw out meaningful insights, and create conversations that feel both informative and deeply human. 

Over the years, Preemie Chats has featured researchers, clinicians, advocates, and families, exploring topics that matter most: NICU care, long-term outcomes, mental health, feeding, development, and the realities of parenting a baby born too soon.

But at its core, Preemie Chats has always been about the same thing it was in March 2020: making sure families feel less alone. 

As we celebrate six years, we’re filled with gratitude for every guest who has shared their expertise, every parent who has tuned in seeking hope, and every supporter who believes that families affected by prematurity deserve trusted information and community.

Preemie Chats began in a moment of isolation. Today, it stands as a reminder of what’s possible when we keep showing up together.