First-of-its-kind book program designed to make the NICU feel more like home
A stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is a challenging time for any family.
Kristen and Paul Montag started the adoption process for their daughter, Madeleine, the day after she was born. But after six years of waiting to find a match, it would be another two months before they were able to bring Madeleine home. She was born two months early and needed continued support in the NICU to help her breathe, eat, and grow.
On top of medical concerns, an extended hospital stay makes it more difficult for newborns and their families to bond. It also poses extra challenges to early brain development.
The new Reach Out and Read program in the NICU at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital aims to improve bonding and early development through the magic of books. Launched this spring, the initiative provides weekly books to the intermediate care division of our NICU.
The Montag family had been reading to Madeleine since their first visits to the NICU in early February. Both Kristen and Paul would come to see Madeleine every evening and weekend. After the Reach Out and Read program started in March, they had a new book waiting for them at the hospital each Tuesday when they arrived after work.
Lauren Buckley, MD, a current neonatology fellow who will join the staff at Masonic Children’s Hospital this fall, started the pilot with help from M Health Fairview Reach Out and Read Coordinator Julie Nalezny and Neonatologist Catherine Bendel, MD.
They received a grant for a year's worth of books from Ben’s Buddies, a nonprofit, all-volunteer charity group that raises money for the NICU and Neonatology Fellowship Program at Masonic Children's Hospital in honor of Benjamin Walker Hanson.
Although this is the first program of its kind in a NICU in Minnesota, several other M Health Fairview clinics already participate in Reach Out and Read – distributing books to older children during annual wellness visits.
"Exposure to language is a critical aspect of early development," said Buckley. “Reading out loud promotes bonding between a newborn and their caregiver. It may be especially beneficial for our premature and medically complex infants, who are at increased risk for language and cognitive delays."
The NICU can be a busy place, with many different machines running as newborns receive care for a range of potentially life-threatening conditions. Out-loud reading allows children to hear and start to recognize words, said Buckley. It’s also a great bonding experience between newborns and their families.
“We could start to see that bonding was taking place, Madeleine would give us hints,” said Paul. “If I would come into the room and start speaking, she would turn her head toward the door. The whole time that we were reading to her, she looked so content. You can tell that it’s a very powerful thing.”
When purchasing books for the program, Nalezny looks for ones that represent a wide range of experiences. Nurses distribute the books each week, selecting the title they think makes most sense for each family.
“We want families to see themselves in these books. We started with one book that’s about a family staying in the NICU,” said Nalezny. “Nurses know the families best. They might be missing a dog or a sibling at home, they might be farmers. Our nurses can choose books based on their interactions with each family.”
Our Reach Out and Read program currently has books in 28 different languages, which Nalezny plans to include in the NICU pilot. Buckley and Nalezny will also be reporting back to the national Reach Out and Read nonprofit on their work in the NICU to help shape the program for newborns going forward.
“We’re the first in the state of Minnesota,” said Nalezny. “Reach Out and Read programs in the NICU are still a very new concept nationwide. The national program is really eager to get feedback from what we’re able to do here in Minneapolis.”
Madeleine is now home with her parents, where Paul and Kristen continue to read to her daily. Sometimes they’ll hold her and read aloud from the novels they’re reading or other favorite children’s books. Sometimes they revisit the books they received in the NICU, which will be memories to share with Madeleine for years to come.
“We’ll be able to reread these books with her as she grows up,” said Kristen. “The books are a way to remember our first months with her and share more with Madeleine about her time in the NICU.”
The pilot is currently funded for one year, with Buckley and Nalezny working to secure additional funding. If you’re interested in donating to the Reach Out and Read program, you can make a directed donation through the University of Minnesota Foundation.
