Good morning.

How are you holding up today?

Today

This week's update

Development & support

Self-care journal

A safe place to land

Milestones

Track every win

Appointments

Stay organized

Feeding & pumping

Pump · feed · diapers

Growth

Every gram counts

Tools & support

Care team

Doctors, nurses, social work

NICU glossary

Decode the medical jargon

Questions to ask

For rounds & your team

Going home

Discharge checklist

Local resources

Support near you

Community

Parents who get it

TEACUP services

Refer, register, learn more

You're doing enough. The NICU is a marathon, not a sprint. Be gentle with yourself today.

Educational support tool, not medical advice.
Always follow guidance from your baby's NICU team.

Your baby's profile helps personalize your week-by-week updates and milestone tracking.

Baby's name

Date of birth

Gestational age at birth (weeks)

Birth weight (optional)

NICU / hospital (optional)

Your name

Preferred language

Backup & restore

Everything in this app lives only on this phone. Download a backup file every so often — if you ever get a new phone, switch browsers, or clear your browser data, Restore brings everything back: journal, milestones, logs, contacts, all of it.

The backup saves to your phone's Files/Downloads. It never leaves your device unless you share it.

Save the doctors, nurses, social workers, and TEACUP team members who are part of your baby's care.

Glossary terms adapted from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Nationwide Children's Hospital NICU Glossaries, used for educational purposes.
View full sources & disclaimer

Becoming a NICU parent comes with its own emotional journey. Here's what to expect this week — and what to watch for.

A private place to land. Nobody sees this but you.

Every milestone is a victory. Tap the circle to celebrate one. Add as many as you like from the suggestions — or write your own.

Track upcoming appointments — pediatrician visits, early intervention, lactation, follow-ups.

Log your baby's weights and watch their growth curve take shape. Your NICU team plots the official chart — this is your own record of every gram gained.

Track pumping, feeds, and diapers in one place. Each day shows its totals — exactly what your NICU team or pediatrician asks for.

Getting ready to bring your baby home. Tap items as you complete them, remove any that don't apply, and add your own. Your NICU team will guide the timing.

It's hard to think of everything at the bedside. Here are questions other NICU parents have found helpful — bring any that fit to rounds or your next conversation with the team.

There are no silly questions. Your team wants you to understand your baby's care.

Local organizations that can help — especially as you get ready to bring your baby home.

You are not alone. Connect with other NICU and preemie parents — and with the TEACUP team who walk this road with families every day.

TEACUP Preemie & NICU Support is a free, bilingual program of The Children's Healing Institute serving NICU families across Palm Beach County.

What we offer

✓ Bilingual NICU bedside support

✓ Welcome Bags for new NICU families

✓ Discharge transition support

✓ Connection to community resources

✓ Peer support groups

✓ Lactation education

✓ Breast pump lending for preemie families (if you don't have WIC)

Get connected with TEACUP

Free for NICU families in Palm Beach County

Call Email

Visit us online

childrenshealinginstitute.org

Learn more

Baby emergency: call 911.

Mental health crisis: dial 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line). Both 24/7.

Pregnancy / postpartum support: call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262) — National Maternal Mental Health Hotline. 24/7, English & Spanish.

TEACUP NICU Companion is a supportive, educational tool created by The Children's Healing Institute (CHI) to walk alongside NICU families.

Medical disclaimer and limitation of liability

No Medical Advice. The TEACUP NICU Companion ("the App") is provided by The Children's Healing Institute, Inc. ("CHI") solely for general educational and emotional support purposes. The content within this App — including week-by-week developmental information, parent process descriptions, the medical terminology glossary, and any other materials — is not medical, diagnostic, therapeutic, or treatment advice, and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Always Consult Qualified Professionals. Always seek the advice of your baby's pediatrician, neonatologist, NICU care team, or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding your baby's medical condition, development, feeding, behavior, or treatment. Always consult your own healthcare providers, including your obstetrician, primary care physician, or licensed mental health professional, regarding your own physical and mental health.

No Substitute for Hospital Care. Information in this App is general in nature and is not personalized to any individual baby or family. Every baby is different. Every NICU is different. Every family situation is different. Do not delay seeking medical care, disregard professional medical advice, or make any medical decisions based on information obtained through this App.

Emergencies. If you believe your baby is experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately or contact your NICU directly. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).

Sources and Limitations. Educational content in this App has been adapted from publicly available materials including the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia NICU Glossary, Nationwide Children's Hospital NICU Terms, Parents magazine (medically reviewed), and additional educational resources listed below. CHI does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, currency, or applicability of any content to any individual baby or family. Medical knowledge evolves; some content may not reflect the most current research or clinical practice.

No Provider-Patient Relationship. Use of this App does not create, and is not intended to create, a clinical, therapeutic, counselor-client, or any other provider-patient relationship with CHI, the TEACUP program, or any CHI staff member, contractor, or affiliate. Information you enter into the App is stored only on your device and is not reviewed, monitored, or accessed by CHI personnel.

No Liability. To the fullest extent permitted by law, CHI, its officers, directors, employees, volunteers, contractors, and affiliates disclaim all warranties, express or implied, regarding the App and its content, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, and non-infringement. CHI shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages arising out of or related to use of, or inability to use, the App or any information contained within it.

Assumption of Risk. By using this App, you acknowledge and agree that you use it at your own risk, that you have read and understood this disclaimer, and that you accept these terms.

Changes. CHI reserves the right to modify the App and this disclaimer at any time. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.

Governing Law. This disclaimer is governed by the laws of the State of Florida.

Educational sources

The general information in this app draws from publicly available educational content provided by these trusted organizations. Each is a wonderful resource for further reading.

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)

NICU Glossary of Medical Terms — primary source for our glossary content

chop.edu ↗

Nationwide Children's Hospital

NICU Terms — additional source for our glossary content

nationwidechildrens.org ↗

Parents magazine (medically reviewed)

"Premature Baby Development Week by Week" — source for week-by-week baby development content

parents.com ↗

Philadelphia Postpartum Doula

"Premature Babies: What to Expect in the NICU" — gestational-age development, feeding progression, and what parents can expect

philadelphiapostpartumdoula.com ↗

March of Dimes

Preemie development, NICU stages, parent support

marchofdimes.org ↗

American Academy of Pediatrics — HealthyChildren.org

Infant development, milestones, premature baby care

healthychildren.org ↗

National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (HRSA)

Free, confidential, 24/7 support for pregnant and postpartum individuals and their loved ones — in English and Spanish (interpreters in 60+ languages)

Call or text: 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262)

mchb.hrsa.gov ↗

Postpartum Support International (PSI)

PPD, PPA, postpartum PTSD information and HelpLine (not 24/7 — calls returned within 24 hours, 8am–11pm EST)

postpartum.net ↗ • 1-800-944-4773

Hand to Hold

NICU parent peer support and family resources

handtohold.org ↗

Graham's Foundation

Resources for parents of micro-preemies

grahamsfoundation.org ↗

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)

ACEs research, developmental milestones, infant health

cdc.gov ↗

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Postpartum depression and perinatal mental health information

nimh.nih.gov ↗

Clinical review

Content reviewed by qualified clinical staff at The Children's Healing Institute.

Clinical review of NICU developmental content pending. This prototype version is for evaluation purposes.

Privacy

Your data stays on your device. Journal entries, milestones, contacts, and appointments are stored only in your phone's local storage. They are not transmitted to TEACUP, CHI, Google, or any other party.

If you delete the app or clear your browser data, your information will be lost. Protect yourself: open Profile → Backup & restore and download a backup file every so often. And for the safest experience, add this app to your phone's home screen rather than visiting it in a browser tab.

Limitation of liability

The Children's Healing Institute provides this app as a free educational and supportive resource. CHI makes no warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy or completeness of information provided. Use of this app does not create a clinical or therapeutic relationship with CHI, TEACUP, or any of its staff. Users should always consult qualified medical and mental health professionals for personalized care.

You're not alone in this.