Finding Your Voice in the NICU Through Journaling
When my son was born at 28 weeks gestation, I quickly learned how overwhelming life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can be for parents. The alarms, the fast-paced decisions, the rotating care teams, and the unfamiliar medical terms all blurred together. There were moments when I didn’t know what to ask or how to make sure my voice was part of the conversation about my baby’s care.
Over time, I realized that when parents ask questions, share observations, and take an active role in the NICU, they engage in advocacy. It’s important to note that advocacy isn’t about questioning every decision or having all the answers, it’s about partnership. Advocacy helps bridge communication gaps, keeps families informed, and strengthens the connection between parents and the medical team. Studies show that parental advocacy in pediatric settings not only help care teams make better, more informed decisions, it also increases patient safety.
In a busy NICU, information moves fast, and details can be missed. Writing things down (i.e. updates, questions, medical terms, etc.) helps parents stay informed, organized, and confident. It also serves as a reminder that parental voices matter in care. Advocacy isn’t loud, it’s steady. It’s the quiet act of paying attention, noticing what matters, and speaking up when something doesn’t feel clear.
That belief inspired me to put together a no-cost, downloadable NICU Parent Journal Template. It’s a simple, evidence-informed tool designed to help parents strengthen their advocacy while caring for themselves emotionally. The prompts are based on research-backed approaches that improve communication and confidence for families in healthcare settings, adapted for the realities of NICU life.
Inside the journal template, you'll find:
A daily page to write down NICU care team names, updates, and questions to ask at rounds
A space to record how you were involved in your baby's care, such as skin-to-skin, feeding, or soothing
A section for NICU medical terms and notes so you don't feel pressure to remember everything
A weekly reflection page to capture lessons learned and meaningful moments from your NICU journey
Using this journal is a practical way to prepare for conversations with your care team and to advocate for your baby’s needs. It also provides space to pause and check in with yourself. There is no “right” way to use it. Some parents jot down a single question or note each day, others use it as a daily companion throughout their NICU stay. However you use it, I hope it helps you feel more informed and more involved in your baby’s care throughout your NICU journey.
