This page contains references to sensitive themes you may not be ready to read. If you’re aged 16-25, we can help you today.
NICU Support for Young Parents Across Teesside
Becoming a parent is supposed to be one of the most exciting times of your life, yet you never imagined it would start in the NICU.
All of a sudden, you are surrounded by monitors that are constantly beeping, medical jargon that sounds scary and you’re having conversations you never expected or wanted to have. All of this is happening whilst you are just trying to understand what this means for you and your baby.
At Leo’s, we get it. We have been there. Our Her Journey NICU Support Leads, Tammy and Katie, have been exactly where you are now or have been. Whether you need someone to talk to before a difficult conversation, want to make sense of everything that has happened that day or simply need to speak to someone who understands, they are there.
Can I hold them? Can I feed them? Can I change their nappy? Can I touch them?
Suddenly, you’re surrounded by people who understand every monitor and every beep, and it can feel like they know your baby better than you do.
Time in the NICU is difficult at any age, but young women aged 16–25 are already facing their own mental health challenges, with many difficulties beginning during these years.
That is why we created Her Journey, giving young women across the Tees Valley dedicated support during and after neonatal care from people who understand what you’re going through.
Why Her Journey Is Here for Young Women
1 in 4
Young women experience a common mental health problem
2x
More likely to experience a probable mental health disorder
3 in 4
Mental health problems begin by age 24
0.7%
Of mental health and wellbeing grant funding went specifically to young women
That Is Why We Offer Specific NICU Support to Young Women Across Teeside
NICU Peer Support
You can talk to someone who truly gets it. Our NICU peer support is available 1:1, over the phone or in your own home, with support from people who have lived through neonatal care themselves.
Practical Advocacy
Having a baby in NICU doesn’t make everything outside the hospital stop. We can help you navigate work, housing, appointments and conversations with professionals, whether that means speaking to your employer, communicating with your health visitor or simply making sure you and your baby are heard.
Newborn Behavioural Observation
NICU can leave you feeling like everyone knows your baby better than you do. Our Newborn Behavioural Observation support helps you understand your baby’s unique cues, ease some of that worry and feel more confident knowing what they need.
Trauma-Informed Therapy
Sometimes it isn’t until you’re home and settled that everything you experienced in NICU catches up with you. When you feel ready, our trauma-informed therapy can help you process what happened and work through difficult memories and emotions at your own pace.
Developmental Support
Your baby’s journey doesn’t end when you leave NICU. If they were born extremely premature, experienced a birth injury or received a genetic diagnosis, we can support you as they grow, helping you understand their development and access the right support, groups and activities.
Are You Based in the Tees Valley Area?
If you’re a young woman between the ages of 16 and 25 and live in Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar & Cleveland, Darlington or the surrounding Tees Valley area, you may be eligible for Her Journey NICU support if your baby is currently receiving neonatal care or you’re adjusting to life at home after NICU.
You don’t need to know exactly what support you need before reaching out. We can work that out together.
Our team understands what you’re going through because we’ve been there too.
What Does NICU Support Look Like?
Those days in NICU can feel like a lot.
There is constant barage of beeping that sends your nervous system into overdrive, numbers on montiors suddenly seem scarier, the constant use of medical gibberish leaves you feeling more alone and helpless. All this is going on whilst you’re becoming a mother.
This is where Katie & Tammy can help, because they have been exactly where you are. So whether you need Whether you need someone at the end of the phone, 1:1 peer support or help making sure your voice is heard, you don’t have to be alone in this.
Katie and Tammy can be there to listen, help you make sense of what you’re feeling and support you through difficult days and conversations.
Your brain is designed to notice and respond to your baby’s cues. However, after time in the NICU your nervous system is on high alert so every movement or cry can send you into a tailspin.
Our Newborn Behavioural Observation support gives you the chance to slow things down and learn your baby’s individual behaviours. By understanding how they respond to sounds, faces and their surroundings, what helps them settle and the subtle signs that they may need a break, you can spend less time second-guessing every little movement and more time enjoying getting to know your baby.
Thanks to Children in Need funding, we can continue supporting you and your little one from birth through to age three, helping you stay connected to a community that understands.
You can join groups including Leo’s Little Learners, Forest School, Stay & Play and Tots & Tales, giving you the chance to get out of the house, meet other mums and finally have some fun.
From 12 months to 3 years, we can also introduce you to occupational therapy-based activities designed to support your little one’s development, alongside their ongoing needs following their early experiences and medical care.
Because your journey doesn’t end when Her Journey does.
When Your Baby’s Journey Looks Different
Support After Premature Birth, Birth Injury or a Genetic Diagnosis
Leaving NICU doesn’t always mean everything goes back to normal. Your baby may have been born extremely prematurely, experienced a birth injury or received a genetic diagnosis, leaving you with new questions, more appointments and a lot of uncertainty about what comes next.
You may find yourself navigating different professionals, waiting for assessments or trying to understand what your baby’s needs might look like as they grow. It can be difficult to know where to turn, especially when you’re still processing everything you’ve been through.
We can support you through that journey. We can help you prepare for appointments, communicate with professionals, understand the support available to you and find groups and services that may be helpful for your family.
We won’t tell you what your baby should or shouldn’t be doing, and we don’t provide medical diagnosis or treatment. We’re here to listen, help you navigate what comes next and make sure you don’t have to figure it all out alone.
Meet Your Her Journey NICU Team
Katie, NICU Support Joint Lead
Katie is one of our Her Journey NICU Support Leads and a qualified Specialist Peer Mentor and Child Development Practitioner. She brings lived experience of NICU alongside professional training in early years and developmental support, giving her both personal understanding and professional experience to support young mums through their NICU journey.
Tammy, NICU Support Joint Lead
Tammy is one of our Her Journey NICU Support Leads and a Specialist Peer Mentor and Child Development Practitioner. She brings lived experience of NICU and SEND alongside specialist training in developmental play, supporting young mums and their little ones during and after neonatal care.
Leanne
Leanne is the Her Journey service lead as a whole as is a qualified Perinatal and Baby Loss Practitioner. She provides specialist therapeutic and perinatal support and can help you explore further support when you feel ready.
Lottie
Lottie is the CEO and Founder of Leo’s and works behind the scenes to help shape Her Journey. She brings lived experience of baby loss, NICU and pregnancy after loss alongside her work as a Nervous System Practitioner.
You Don't Have to Figure This Out Alone
Whether your baby is still in neonatal care or you’re finding your feet after coming home, our Her Journey NICU team is here to support you.
Meet Other Families Who Understand NICU in Teesside
Getting out after NICU can feel harder than people realise. Appointments, corrected ages, developmental milestones and everything your baby has been through can make those early months feel very different from what you imagined.
Our groups and events give you a chance to meet other families who understand without needing the backstory. You can talk about the things that only another NICU parent really gets, bring your little one along, get out of the house and make new memories together.
Whether you join us for Leo’s Little Learners, our Forest Schools, or one of our family events, there’s a space for you and your little one to feel part of a community.
More Ways Her Journey Can Support
We also have other branches of support within 'Her Journey' that may apply to you.
Baby Loss Support
Compassionate support following the loss of your baby, giving you a safe place to talk, process what you’ve been through and be supported through grief at your own pace.
More InformationPregnancy After Loss Support
Support for you women aged 16-25 that are currently navigating the fear, uncertainty and emotions that can come with pregnancy after experiencing a previous loss.
More InformationHelp Us Make Her Journey Better
Her Journey is built around the experiences of young women and their families. Your experience matters, and your feedback can help us understand what support is missing, what has made a difference and what we could do better. Whether you’ve used our support, joined a group or simply have an idea you’d like to share, we’d love to hear from you.