‘My very premature twins have demanded a lot of attention since they arrived home and one in particular continues to have special needs. I also have a young toddler who demands a lot of my attention. Having a TinyLife worker helps me greatly in maintaining some calm in my house and provides me with emotional support… I don’t get stressed as easily with the extra help.’ (Feedback from a parent on TinyLife’s Family Support Services.)
If you have experienced the birth of a premature, ill or disabled baby it is likely that your little one will have to spend weeks or even months in a neonatal hospital unit, which can be a stressful and anxious time for you. Our support service aims to help you juggle the demands of caring for older children and other everyday commitments.
TinyLife’s team of family support officers are here to help you through this difficult time. Working across Northern Ireland, each of our family support officers visits the neonatal units in their area weekly to liaise with hospital staff and make themselves available to mums, dads and other family members.
If you need someone to share your worries and who understands the stress and anxiety associated with having a baby or babies in intensive or special care, our support officers are there for you.
Our workers are also able to suggest practical measures which may help to ease your situation, including all of our support services at TinyLife, and can also recommend other resources and support services which are available. They can link you with other organisations outside of TinyLife who could also be of assistance.
Home Support
‘We as a family have been very fortunate in having our volunteer and it is a nice position to be in as a mother that when I am doing other jobs in the house I can be 100% confident that my children are in good hands.’ (Feedback from a parent on TinyLife’s Family Support Services)
Have you recently brought your premature baby home from hospital and are finding it difficult to cope? Could an extra pair of hands make all the difference? TinyLife can provide practical and emotional support to you to help make things a bit more manageable.
TinyLife volunteers are able to support you in a number of ways such as helping out with hospital visits, by giving you or a family member a lift, by looking after the older children in your absence or by simply being there to provide a listening ear.
Volunteers also support families who have experienced a multiple birth, although where resources are limited, priority is given to families with babies who are spending or have spent time in neo-natal intensive/special care wards.
When your baby is discharged from hospital, you will no doubt experience a surge of happiness and relief. But caring for a small, vulnerable baby at home can often be very daunting. TinyLife volunteers are also there to provide you with support at this crucial time by helping out with practical tasks, providing a sympathetic ear or simply giving you or other relatives some time to yourselves.
If you would like to find out more about getting support from one of our trained volunteers, please contact us.
If you are interested in becoming a TinyLife volunteer, please click here to find out more.
