NICU Parent Network

08/26/2026

There are plenty of conferences you can attend, but this one was built specifically for NICU Parent Leaders.

The 2026 NPN Leadership Summit & Retreat brings together leaders from community-based NICU support organizations, hospital programs and the broader maternal-infant health community to share best practices, build leadership skills, and create stronger connections.

Register here ➡️ https://nicuparentnetwork.org/summit/

November 6–7 | Austin, TX

08/21/2026

Registration is officially open.

The 2026 NPN Leadership Summit & Retreat is designed for the people who know this work from the inside out. It's for NICU Parent Leaders building organizations, strengthening programs, advocating for families, and creating change.

This isn't just another conference.

It's a place to sharpen your leadership, learn from people who understand the work, and leave with practical tools you can put to work immediately.

November 6–7 | Austin, Texas

Reserve your seat: https://nicuparentnetwork.org/summit/

08/20/2026

We’re proud to celebrate a new publication in the American Academy of Pediatrics’ journal, Pediatrics: “A Family-Inclusive Taskforce for Improving NICU Quality of Care.”

NPN Executive Director & Founder Keira Sorrells is among the authors, alongside fellow members of the Family-Centered Care Taskforce.

The article explores the evolution of family-centered care in the NICU and the critical role of family partners as equal members of quality improvement efforts.

Congratulations to Keira and all of the authors on this important contribution to the field.

Read the publication in Pediatrics and learn more about the work of the Family-Centered Care Taskforce.

🔗https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/158/2/e2025073793/208226/A-Family-Inclusive-Taskforce-for-Improving-NICU

10.1542/6394191246112Video AbstractPEDS-VA_2025-0737936394191246112

08/13/2026

The NICU experience teaches you things no textbook can. But leading an organization, building sustainable programs, advocating for change, and representing NICU families requires more than lived experience alone.

It requires leadership. Strategy. Expertise. Community.

The 2026 NPN Leadership Summit & Retreat brings NICU Parent Leaders together in Austin for two days of learning, connection, leadership development, and sharing practical tools designed specifically for this community.

NPN members get first access during our exclusive presale through August 20. Check your email for your exclusive member discount code.

General admission tickets will go on sale the 21st!

November 6–7 | Austin, Texas

08/11/2026

Join Project NICU at the Wishing Flower Walk! Whether you're walking in person or from your own neighborhood across the country, every step makes a difference for NICU families. Sign up today, start a team, & help Project NICU spread hope, because no matter where you live, you can make an impact. Link to register below!

08/10/2026

Inclusive family-centered care means making sure every family has the support they need.

We’re glad to see this important conversation bringing greater attention to the barriers families with disabilities can face during pregnancy, a NICU stay, and beyond.

Learn more and join at Family-Centered Care Taskforce's link below.

Next month, we’re focusing on supporting parents with disabilities during pregnancy, a NICU stay, and beyond.

Featuring experts Kara Ayers, PhD, Alesha Thomas, BS, IBCLC, and Amy RL Rule, MD, MPH, FAAP, this event will provide practical tools, compassionate communication strategies, and inclusive care practices to help NICU staff and advocates better support families who face unique, often overlooked barriers to FCC.

Join our free membership to register: https://stanforduniversity.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7QmVtGvnETQEJ3o?jfefe=new

08/03/2026

Supporting NICU feeding journeys means recognizing that there is no single path.

We honor every parent who works tirelessly to nourish their baby—whether that's breastfeeding at the bedside, exclusively pumping, providing expressed breast milk through a feeding tube or syringe, using donor human milk, combination feeding, or navigating unexpected challenges along the way.

Every ounce. Every effort. Every family's feeding journey matters.

07/28/2026

Leadership begins with connection and Jennifer Degl has experienced firsthand the power of a community that understands the NICU journey.

As President of NICU Parent Network, Jennifer's vision reflects the heart of our mission: ensuring every NICU family is recognized as an essential and valued member of their baby's care team.

Her words remind us why this work matters and why building strong, connected parent leaders continues to make a lasting impact for families everywhere.

07/27/2026

Run for babies and families with NEC Society at the California International Marathon (CIM)!

The NEC Society is a proud partner of CIM's Charity Program 💛

Running 26.2 for the NEC Society means running for a world without necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a leading cause of death for premature infants.

Learn more at NECsociety.org/CIM