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Quick Answer: What Is NICU Awareness Month?
NICU Awareness Month is observed every September to honor NICU patients, families, and the health professionals who care for them. Established in 2014, this month helps raise awareness of the challenges families face in the NICU, celebrates milestones and NICU graduates, remembers babies who have been lost, and encourages greater support for families and neonatal care teams.
Parents who want to better understand neonatal intensive care can also read our guide to the different levels of NICU care.
Key Takeaways
- NICU Awareness Month takes place every September.
- Nearly 1 in 10 U.S. babies are admitted to a NICU.
- NICU awareness recognizes babies, parents, siblings, nurses, therapists, physicians, and other NICU staff.
- Families may experience significant practical and emotional challenges during a NICU stay.
- Parents can often participate in their baby's care in meaningful ways with guidance from their NICU team.
- For parents who want to provide breast milk but cannot feed directly at the breast, pumping may become an important part of the NICU experience.
- September includes several dedicated NICU awareness days focused on nurses, remembrance, giving, staff appreciation, siblings, and NICU families.
Every September, NICU Awareness Month brings attention to the babies, families, and health professionals whose lives are touched by neonatal intensive care.
Nearly 1 in 10 babies in the United States are admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU. Some NICU babies are born prematurely, while others need specialized care because of medical complications after birth. A NICU stay may last only a few days or continue for weeks or months.
For NICU families, that time can include incredible hope and joy alongside uncertainty, exhaustion, and emotional challenges. NICU Awareness Month is an opportunity to honor those experiences, raise awareness of the support families need, recognize the dedicated professionals providing neonatal intensive care, and help build a stronger community around families navigating a NICU stay.
At Ameda, supporting parents and babies has always been at the heart of what we do. During NICU Awareness Month, we recognize every family experiencing this journey and every member of the care team helping give babies the best possible start.
Why NICU Awareness Matters
The neonatal intensive care unit is designed to provide specialized monitoring and treatment for newborns who need a higher level of care. Advanced technology and a multidisciplinary team may be involved throughout the course of a baby's NICU stay.
Depending on a baby's needs, that team can include neonatologists, nurses, respiratory therapists, feeding therapists, lactation consultants, social workers, and many other health professionals. The work they provide can make a meaningful difference for medically fragile newborns and their families.
But NICU awareness is about more than understanding the medical care taking place inside the unit.
Parents may suddenly find themselves learning unfamiliar medical terminology, adjusting to a different feeding plan, traveling back and forth to the hospital, caring for other children, and coping with the emotional highs and lows of having a hospitalized newborn.
Some families face long hospital stays and limited opportunities to hold or feed their babies. Others are preparing to bring their baby home while learning new routines or arranging follow-up services.
Our guide to transitioning from the hospital to home after a NICU stay offers additional support for families approaching that milestone.
Every family's experience is different. NICU Awareness Month creates space for sharing those stories and recognizing the many ways a NICU stay can affect an entire family. Families can also explore more of our NICU and preemie resources.
Supporting Parents as Part of the NICU Care Team
Family-centered care recognizes that parents are an important part of their baby's care, even when that care looks very different from what they imagined before birth.
Depending on a baby's condition and the guidance of NICU staff, parents may be able to participate through skin-to-skin holding, diaper changes, comforting touch, feeding activities, pumping breast milk, or simply being present.
These moments can be meaningful. They can give parents opportunities to connect with their baby and become more comfortable participating in care throughout the course of the NICU stay.
If your baby is admitted to the NICU, ask the nurses and other members of the care team what you can safely participate in. Your baby's needs may change over time, and the NICU team can help you understand what is appropriate at each stage.
Pumping Breast Milk When Your Baby Is in the NICU
For some parents, providing breast milk is one of the first ways they can participate in their baby's care.
Premature or medically fragile newborns may not be ready or able to feed directly at the breast. Depending on the baby's condition, expressed breast milk may instead be provided through another feeding method determined by the NICU team.
If direct breastfeeding is not currently possible, your care team may recommend beginning to pump. Because every birth, baby, and medical situation is different, work with your nurses, lactation consultant, and other health professionals to develop a pumping plan that fits your circumstances.
Our comprehensive breast pumping guide can help you learn more about getting started, pumping technique, and establishing a routine.
Use a Pump Designed for Frequent Pumping
Parents who are establishing milk production while separated from their baby may benefit from using a reliable electric or multi-user breast pump. Many hospitals also provide access to hospital-grade pumps during a NICU stay.
You can explore our complete selection of Ameda breast pumps and may even qualify for a free breast pump through insurance. Learn more here.
For more information about this type of pump, read Why Choose a Multi-User Hospital-Grade Breast Pump?
Make Flange Fit a Priority
Frequent pumping should not mean accepting unnecessary pain. A breast flange that fits properly can help make pumping more comfortable and effective.
Because breast and nipple size can change during the postpartum period, your flange needs may change too. If pumping is painful or you are unsure about sizing, ask a lactation consultant for help and explore our breast pump flanges and inserts.
You can also learn more about why fit matters in Yes, Size Matters: How Flange Size Can Make or Break Pumping.
Follow Your NICU's Milk Storage Procedures
Hospitals may have specific requirements for collecting, labeling, storing, and transporting breast milk for NICU patients.
Always follow the instructions provided by your baby's hospital. NICU staff can tell you which containers to use, how milk should be labeled, and how to safely transport it from home to the hospital.
For general guidance, read our guide to safely storing breast milk after pumping or explore our breast milk storage products.
Parents of premature babies can also read more about breastfeeding and providing milk for a preterm baby.
Finding Lactation Support During a NICU Stay
Pumping while separated from your baby can raise questions about milk production, pump settings, flange fit, pumping frequency, and what to expect as your milk changes.
You do not have to figure those things out alone.
Your hospital may have lactation consultants available to work specifically with NICU families. A lactation professional can help create a pumping plan, assess flange fit, address comfort concerns, and adjust recommendations as you and your baby progress.
Ameda also offers professional lactation support for parents who need additional breastfeeding or pumping guidance.
You can also visit our breastfeeding education resources for more information about breastfeeding, pumping, and caring for expressed milk.
The Emotional Side of a NICU Stay
A NICU experience can affect the entire family emotionally.
Parents may move between hope, fear, relief, exhaustion, and uncertainty, sometimes within the same day. Families experiencing extended stays can also feel isolated from friends and relatives whose postpartum experiences look very different.
Siblings can feel the change too. Family routines may be interrupted, parents may spend significant time at the hospital, and younger siblings may not fully understand why their new brother or sister cannot come home yet.
Support can come in many forms. For some parents, that means connecting with other NICU families or peer mentors. For others, it may mean talking with a social worker, therapist, counselor, spiritual care provider, or trusted member of their community.
There is no single way to experience a NICU stay. Asking for emotional or practical support is another way families can care for themselves during an incredibly demanding time.
Stories From NICU Families
Statistics help raise awareness, but individual stories can help people understand what life in the NICU can actually feel like.
Every journey is different. Some families spend days in neonatal intensive care, while others spend months balancing pumping, hospital visits, siblings, work, and everyday responsibilities.
For firsthand perspectives from Ameda families, read:
Sharing NICU stories can create connection, honor how far families have come, and remind families currently experiencing a NICU stay that a wider community understands many of the challenges they face.
Important NICU Awareness Days in September
Throughout NICU Awareness Month, several days are dedicated to different members of the NICU community.
September 15: Neonatal Nurses Day
Neonatal Nurses Day is a chance to honor the nurses providing specialized care to NICU babies and support to their families.
A simple thank-you note can be meaningful. Families who want to participate can also ask their local NICU whether there are approved ways to recognize nurses or other staff.
September 26: NICU Remembrance Day
NICU Remembrance Day is dedicated to remembering babies whose lives were lost and honoring the families who continue to carry their memory.
For families experiencing grief, remembrance may be private or shared. Lighting a candle, sharing stories, creating a keepsake, or simply taking time to remember can all be meaningful.
September 27: NICU Giving Day
NICU Giving Day encourages the community to give back to NICU families and organizations that provide support.
Before making a donation, consider asking your local NICU or a trusted nonprofit what is most needed. Donation funds may support transportation, lodging, a meal for a family, care packages, pumping supplies, or other practical resources.
Some organizations also maintain dedicated funds that help families with expenses during extended hospital stays. Contributing to those funds can help provide practical support when families are spending significant time away from home.
September 28: NICU Staff Appreciation Day
NICU Staff Appreciation Day recognizes the full team caring for babies and families.
In addition to nurses and physicians, NICU staff may include respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, lactation professionals, social workers, dietitians, and many others.
Families can send thank-you messages or ask their hospital whether there are other approved ways to show kindness and appreciation.
September 29: Sibling Support Day
A NICU stay affects siblings too.
Sibling Support Day highlights the experiences of brothers and sisters of NICU babies. Families can use the day to create special time for siblings, answer questions in age-appropriate ways, and remind them that their feelings matter throughout the course of the family's NICU experience.
September 30: NICU Awareness Day
The final day of September is NICU Awareness Day, dedicated to NICU babies and families.
It is an opportunity to raise awareness by sharing stories, celebrating milestones, recognizing NICU graduates, honoring babies who are remembered, and helping more people understand the NICU experience.
Ways to Support a NICU Family
You do not need to understand every part of neonatal intensive care to make a difference for someone going through it.
Practical support can often be especially helpful. Consider offering to:
- Bring a meal or arrange food delivery.
- Help with transportation, errands, pets, or household responsibilities.
- Spend time with siblings or help maintain their regular routines.
- Give gift cards for gas, parking, groceries, or nearby restaurants.
- Ask before purchasing items for the baby, since the NICU may have specific rules.
- Check in without expecting an immediate response.
- Listen when parents want to talk without pressuring them to share.
- Celebrate progress while recognizing that the experience may still be difficult.
- Connect families with trusted NICU resources when they ask for help.
Sometimes the most meaningful support is simply showing up consistently.
Supporting the People Who Support NICU Families
NICU Awareness Month is also an opportunity to recognize the health professionals who dedicate their lives to neonatal care.
NICU nurses, physicians, therapists, lactation professionals, social workers, and support staff work together to provide highly specialized care while helping parents navigate an unfamiliar environment.
Their work extends beyond medical treatment. They educate families, answer questions, celebrate milestones, provide comfort during difficult moments, and help prepare parents for the transition home.
Sharing gratitude, advocating for resources, supporting NICU programs, and participating in community awareness efforts are all ways to honor that work during September and throughout the year.
Creating Awareness Beyond September
Although NICU Awareness Month ends on September 30, the need for awareness and support does not.
Families continue their journeys after discharge. Some babies require ongoing appointments, therapies, feeding support, or other services. Parents and siblings may also need time and resources to process their experience.
Families preparing for discharge can read more about transitioning from the hospital to home.
Sharing accurate information, listening to the stories of NICU families, advocating for family-centered care, and supporting organizations serving medically fragile newborns can help create a stronger community throughout the year.
Every story shared, every act of kindness, and every effort to raise awareness can help another family feel a little less alone.
Ameda Supports NICU Families
For decades, our work at Ameda has centered on helping parents provide breast milk for their babies, including families whose feeding journeys begin in the NICU.
A NICU stay may not be the start a family expected, but parents do not have to navigate every part of that experience on their own.
This NICU Awareness Month, we honor the NICU babies showing incredible strength, the parents and siblings walking beside them, the health professionals dedicated to their care, and the families remembering babies whose lives continue to make a difference.
We hope September creates more understanding, more support, and more opportunities for NICU families to connect with the resources and community they need.
Frequently Asked Questions About NICU Awareness Month
When is NICU Awareness Month?
NICU Awareness Month is observed every September. The month is dedicated to raising awareness of the experiences of NICU babies and families while recognizing the health professionals who provide neonatal intensive care.
When is NICU Awareness Day?
NICU Awareness Day is September 30. It concludes the awareness month with a day dedicated to recognizing babies and families who have experienced a NICU stay.
What can I do during NICU Awareness Month?
You can participate by sharing NICU awareness resources, listening to and amplifying family stories, thanking NICU staff, supporting siblings, making a donation to a reputable NICU organization, or asking your local NICU how you can help.
How can I support parents with a baby in the NICU?
Practical help is often valuable. Meals, transportation assistance, help with siblings or pets, and simply staying connected can reduce some of the everyday pressure families face. Follow the parents' lead and ask what kind of support would be most helpful.
Can parents pump breast milk for a NICU baby?
Often, yes. If a baby cannot breastfeed directly, the NICU care team may recommend pumping so breast milk can be provided when appropriate. Parents should work with their baby's nurses, physicians, and lactation consultant to determine the feeding and pumping plan that is right for their situation.
For general pumping information, visit our comprehensive breast pumping guide.
What should I do with pumped breast milk for a baby in the NICU?
Follow the collection, labeling, storage, and transportation instructions provided by your baby's NICU. Hospital procedures can differ, so the NICU care team should be your primary resource for handling milk intended for a hospitalized baby.
For additional general information, see our breast milk storage and handling resources.