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Reading in the NICU: A Love Story

A reading program at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital NICU found that both parents and infants find healing, lower stress and increased bonding.  

 

Benefits of reading to babies 

Reading to infants results in stronger bonds and intimacy, better voice recognition, and improved language, reading and math skills. Reading early and often to babies truly gives them a head start. 

The program established several positive outcomes:  

  • Improved family-centered care 
  • Decreased stress and better bonding 
  • Enhanced NICU environment with sounds of parent voices, rather than just machines 

Parents shared that reading to their infants made them feel closer, especially when they were in incubators and unable to be held. They appreciated the opportunity to forget about what surrounded 2them and simply spend time with their babies, relaxing and bonding while also beginning to develop a love of reading together. 

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