Support for parents
Supporting families in neonatal care
Caring for your baby means caring about your wellbeing too
In addition to your medical and nursing team, members of the Family Wellbeing Team are available to support all families in the neonatal unit.
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This team supports families when there are complexities to do with their pregnancy, delivery or neonatal experiences, that have impacted upon them emotionally. It is a service which supports people who are going through extraordinary and often difficult experiences.
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The team can offer emotional and mental health support, and spiritual care. They can link you into supports for financial advice, and practical activities to support parenting experiences.
The team includes:
Clinical Psychologists
They are available as part of your baby’s care at the Simpson’s and St John’s neonatal units. They offer confidential emotional wellbeing appointments at your baby’s cot side or in a more private location on the unit. They remain available over the first year following your baby’s care on the unit. They offer support for emotional health and/or parent-infant relationship issues related to experiences of maternity and neonatal care.
They can be contacted via your baby’s nursing and medical team. Alternatively, you can leave any non-urgent messages or enquiries for them on 0131 242 1554 or by email at mnpi.mail@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk
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The Chaplain and the Spiritual Care team
They offer confidential support for families whatever their beliefs or life situations. They can be contacted directly on: 0131 242 1990.
Any member of your baby’s medical and nursing team can help you to get in touch with the Neonatal Family Wellbeing Team.
Other supports for families during baby’s inpatient stay or following baby’s care in the unit
Helpful Links for parents
Neonatal dads online group
A weekly, online group run by dads for dads of babies who are in or have been in neonatal or special baby care - Dads Rock
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Bliss
Premature and sick babies’ charity - Bliss
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Instagramers Miraclemoon
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The NICU foundation
Animated guides to life on the neonatal unit to help familiarise parents with the environment and alleviate some worries.
View on YouTube
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Best Beginning and Small Wonders
Short films - Small Wonders
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Twins and multiples
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Information and resources for fathers
Rainbow families LGBTQ+
Book resource
Leake, N. (2019) Surviving Prematurity - Amazon
Parent Club
Information for parents in Scotland - Parent Club
Tiny Happy People
BBC - Tiny Happy People
Solihull online
Free NHS recommended evidence-based, online modules for parents - Solihull online
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Perinatal mental health and wellbeing resources
Mind
Information on perinatal mental health - Mind
Inspiring Scotland
A directory of perinatal mental health supports in Scotland - Inspiring Scotland
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Wellbeing Lothian
NHS Lothian’s mental health and wellbeing information pages - Wellbeing Lothian
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Support across Lothian
Directories of local supports across Lothian - ithriveedinburgh.org.uk, midspace.co.uk, eastspace.org.uk, westspace.org.uk
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NHS Lothian
A ‘walk in’ mental health information service - The mental health information station
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CrossReach
Counselling and groups for parents in pregnancy and up to age 2 - CrossReach
Juno
Local perinatal mental health peer support groups (online and face to face) - juno.uk.com
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Dads Rock
Local support for perinatal dads - Dads Rock
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Helpful Numbers in times of crisis
Parentline
A freephone support for parents Tel 08000 28 22 33 - Children 1st
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Breathing Space
Listening and advice for times of overwhelm Tel 0800 83 85 87 - Breathing Space
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NHS 24
Tel 111 - NHS 24
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The Samaritans
Tel 116 123 - The Samaritans