The NIDCAP Federation International has reached 
20 years and we all look forward to the celebrations 
at this year's NIDCAP Trainers Meeting. In 
this issue we highlight the work of the various 
committees within the NFI. I encourage you, the 
members to get involved as your organization is 
only as strong as the membership’s contributions.

In this issue Eleni Gerassis shows us how the 
impact of having a sick baby proved to be a catalyst 
for her amazing ongoing support for the current 
families as she celebrates her daughter’s 13 years. 
We can learn so much from the families and how 
they cope with the trauma of an early birth. 

We are challenged to improve our practice. Inge Van Herreweghe and Delphine Druart 
in Belgium share their efforts to improve feeding practices for small babies. From her 
Science Desk, Ita Litmanovitz challenges us about technology and its impact on the 
babies and families. 

The profile of the Children’s Hospital University of Illinois (CHUI) Training Center takes 
you through a NIDCAP Report to give an update on their amazing work. We travel to 
South Africa to hear about one woman’s extraordinary work to ensure Developmental 
Care has an impact – congratulations Welma Lubbe. 

The Facebook pages of many of the Training Centers highlight NIDCAP. If your center 
has a Facebook page please let me know so I can profile your work. The number of 
publications relevant to NIDCAP is increasing – a small sample is included in this issue.

Enjoy the issue and please let me know what you liked and what you would like to see 
more of in future issues.

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

2021 Vol. 14 No. 2

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

“The best time to plant a tree was 
20 years ago. The second-best time 
is now.”

Chinese Proverb  

Table of Contents

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

The NFI Celebrates 20 Years  ..................... 2

Evolution of National Guidelines ............ 4

Family Voices  ............................................ 8

Global Perspectives ............................... 10

NIDCAP Training Centers Around the 
World  ........................................................ 14

The Science Desk  .................................. 18

Publications  ............................................ 21

NIDCAP on the Web  ................................ 27

ISSN: 2689-2650 (online)
DO 14:2 full issue DOI: 110.14434/do.v14i2.32997

NIDCAP Care 
in the Moment

Used with permission

Calming Supportive 
Hands

Greetings from the Editor 

NFI 
CELEBRATING

20YEARS!

Read about our history and becoming 
a member on p.2.