2020 Vol. 13 No. 1

NIDCAP Federation  
International (NFI)

Founded in 2001, the NFI is an  

international, non-profit membership 

organization. The NFI encourages highly 

attuned implementation of the Newborn 

Individualized Developmental Care 

and Assessment Program (NIDCAP) 

for all intensive, special care and 

newborn nurseries around the world. 

The NFI serves as the authoritative 

leader for research, development, and 

dissemination of NIDCAP, and for the 

certification of trainers, healthcare 

professionals, and nurseries in the 

NIDCAP approach.

Developmental 
  Observer
The Official Newsletter of the NIDCAP® Federation International

“Averages… seduce us away from 
minute observation.”

Florence Nightingale

Greetings from the Editor 
As we start a new decade the future looks bright for 
the Developmental Observer. We have expanded our 
editorial team to include Debra Paul as column editor 
for the Family Voices and Maria Maestro Lopez - who 
brings a European perspective. We took the opportunity 
to meet as a group together with Graphic Designer, Rob 
Catalano. This face-to-face meeting gave us the oppor-
tunity to discuss future directions for the Developmental 
Observer and develop a plan.

In this issue we have the abstracts from the 30th An-
nual NIDCAP Trainers Meeting held in Portsmouth, 
New Hampshire, USA. The abstract topics highlight the 
breadth of NIDCAP work from the science of Oxytocin, 
implementation strategies for programs of reading, use of volunteers, the CICU to 
refugee health. The abstracts and other articles in this issue now have unique DOIs that 
will enable others to locate the articles easily through the IUScholarWorks platform. We 
highlight the NIDCAP Germany Training Center Tübingen which hosts the next Train-
ers Meeting in October. You will be challenged by Marjorie Palmer to consider pacing 
for infants who have difficulty feeding, and Natascia Bertoncelli takes us through her 
involvement with the European Standards and highlights this valuable resource. With 
our regular features from the Science Desk Jeff Alberts explores the fascinating world 
of epigenetics and NIDCAP work and Debra Paul introduces us to the little warrior of 
Matilda as told by her mother Tracey. We learn about developmental care in Chile as we 
explore the globe in each issue. 

I welcome your feedback and suggestions for future content. I would also like to receive 
manuscripts on any aspect of NIDCAP work so we can all benefit from innovation and 
experiences.

Kaye Spence AM
Senior Editor – Developmental Observer 
Adjunct Associate Professor / Clinical Nurse Consultant 
Australasian NIDCAP Training Centre / Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network / Western 
Sydney University / Australia

Table of Contents

Editorial  ...................................................... 1 

Abstracts  .................................................... 2

Intervention Strategies for the Poor 
Feeder ....................................................... 14

Global Perspective of Developmental 
Care – Chile  ............................................. 16

Family Voices  .......................................... 17

European Standards for Newborn 
Health  ....................................................... 20

The Science Desk  .................................... 22

NIDCAP Training Centers Around the 
World  ........................................................ 24

NIDCAP on the Web  ................................ 28 

 

ISSN: 2689-2650 (online)
DO 13:2 full issue DOI: 10.14434/do.v13i1.29113

ABSTRACT EDITION

Kaye Spence, AM

Editorial Team (from left): Sandra Kosta, Kaye Spence, Rob Catalano, gretchen Lawhon, Debra Paul, 
Dianne Ballweg, Jeffrey Alberts, Maria Maestro Lopez, Deborah Buehler.

DOI: 10.14434/do.v13i1.29076