Helping Babies in the NICU Reach Their Full Potential

Premature baby with mother

Pathways.org provides trusted and easy to use resources to help baby’s early development. Below are key resources to support babies and empower parents in the NICU and beyond.

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Pathways.org = Trusted Information:

  • Our milestones are supported by American Academy of Pediatric findings.

  • Our resources are developed with and approved by expert pediatric physical and occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists.

  • Our website reflects the most current research studies, vetted by our team of medical professionals and Medical Roundtable.

Pathways.org Baby Milestones App

baby with app

The Pathways.org mobile app is here to help on your parenting journey. Easily track baby’s milestones, and see games and activities to help meet them, all from trusted experts. Plus, it offers reliable answers to FAQs, making it an indispensable partner in your parenting adventure.

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Looking for a way to help share the app with other NICU parents?

Print, email, and share the below resources to help other parents.  Currently the app is available in English and Spanish, with more languages coming shortly:

Prematurity and NICU Resources

Baby being born premature or needing additional medical support is something almost no parent expects, but there is so much that can be done to support baby’s health and development!

Explore these pages to see our essentials for parents with a baby that is born premature and/or spends time in the NICU.

Explore the Prematurity Page

Explore the Baby in the NICU Page

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Tracking baby’s development if they are premature may require some adjustments, but baby is still on the right track.

NICU Brochure

Download our NICU brochure

From adjusting milestones to helping baby once they’re discharged, this brochure provides tips and support for any baby in the NICU.

Download the NICU Brochure

For Premature Babies: Massage+ 30, 10, 5

Massage+ 30, 10, 5 is a simple, quick, and powerful intervention using massage to help improve the health and development of premature and full-term infants. Based on 40+ years of research this intervention is proven to help with:

  • Reduce hospital stays

  • Improve feeding habits

  • Increase parent confidence levels

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Download the Massage+ 30, 10, 5 Brochure

Based on 40+ years of research, this 15 minute massage provides a variety of benefits for premature and full-term babies, including improved feeding habits and reduced hospital stays. Use this brochure to not only help baby with their development, but to promote healthy bonding between parents and baby.

Download the Massage+ 30, 10, 5 Brochure

New Content for NICU Babies

When baby is identified as premature, users will receive custom content specifically made to support their preemie development. Features include:

  • Automatically adjusted milestones and activities

  • Access to the Prematurity Explore page, which offers education and activities to keep preemies on track

  • Additional resources to support baby’s development

New Blogs

Milestone Guide Front

Order Baby’s First Year Milestone Guide

A helpful guide to keep track of your baby’s development! Baby’s First Year Milestone Guide helps you keep track of baby’s progress throughout their first year of life.

The Baby’s First Year Milestone Guide includes:
Motor, sensory, communication, and feeding milestones (with pictures) to help you track your baby’s progress
300+ verified tips, activities, and more to help you encourage your baby’s development
Color-coded by age and separated by topic for easy use

Order Baby's First Year Milestone Guide

Videos

Pathways.org has hundreds of educational and expert-approved videos covering all topics of development. These videos provide visual examples and answers in a matter of minutes!

See all of our videos here:

Watch this video about helping baby learn to talk, with tips from a speech-language pathologist:

Check off your baby’s milestones and abilities as they reach them!

Milestone Checklist Cover

Our developmental milestone checklist is sorted by age and four topics: motor, sensory, communication, and feeding. All our milestones are supported by American Academy of Pediatrics findings. Track milestones up to baby’s third birthday! Available in 9 languages.

Download the Milestone Checklist

This checklist is sorted by age and four topics: play and social skills, coordination, daily activities, and self-expression. These core topics help in several areas of your child’s development, including the development of executive function skills. Track abilities beyond 6 years old! Available in 6 languages.

Download the Ability Checklist

 

Topics of Development

All of our resources come back to 8 core topics of development (Motor, Sensory, Communication, Feeding, Tummy Time, Play, Social-Emotional, and Executive Function). Explore some of the core resources we provides for each topic.

Motor Skills

Fine and gross motor skills are used everyday throughout our lives. They help us move and do everything from lifting heavy items to typing on a keyboard. Motor skills and motor control begin developing after birth, and will progress as children grow.

Visit the Motor Page

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Assure the Best Brochure

This brochure gives parents and healthcare providers an easy way to understand and track important changes in children up to 15 months old, in order to maximize their development. Available in 23 languages!

Download the Assure the Best Brochure

Sensory

Sensory integration is the process by which we receive information through our senses, organize this information, and use it to participate in everyday activities.

Visit the Sensory Page

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Sensory Integration/Processing Brochure

Sensory integration happens when the brain uses information obtained from the seven senses (yes, seven!) to “make sense” of the world, by organizing how information is received and responding to it. This brochure helps parents and providers better understand the importance of sensory development and integration. Available in 8 languages!

Download the Sensory Brochure

Communication

Communication is more than talking! It is any form of message sent from one party to another, through sounds, words, or physical hints, like body language.

Visit the Communication Page

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Speech and Language Brochure

This brochure encourages healthy language development by giving parents a convenient way to track their child’s communication milestones, from 3 to 36 months. Available in 9 languages!

Download the Speech and Language Brochure

Communication Checklist

When should baby say their first words? When can you begin to have a conversation with your toddler? Use this checklist to track the communication development of infants and toddlers. Available in 9 languages!

Download the Communication Checklist

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Feeding

Every day, baby is growing so quickly! Their growth is powered by good nutrition and strong feeding abilities.

Visit the Feeding Page

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Feeding Brochure

This brochure will guide parents and caregivers through all of baby’s feeding milestones by providing recommendations on what baby should eat or drink. These foods help to support baby’s growth and development by providing the appropriate nutrition for their age and ability. Available in 7 languages!

Download the Feeding Brochure

Feeding Checklist

This checklist answers common questions like: When is baby ready for finger food? If baby starts to sit, what are the best foods for them to eat? If baby starts solids, do they still need to nurse? Available in 6 languages!

Download the Feeding Checklist

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Tummy Time

Tummy Time is one of baby’s first exercises—and the most important! Tummy Time is the period during the day your baby spends awake and on their stomach. It is a crucial exercise for baby’s motor, visual, and sensory development.

Visit the Tummy Time Page

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Tummy Time Brochure

This brochure is a simple guide parents and healthcare providers can use to understand and safely implement Tummy Time. Help baby build the muscles they will use to hit important milestones, from rolling to sitting and crawling. Available in 9 languages!

Download the Tummy Time Brochure

Play

It’s more than just fun and games! Play matters because it helps children learn about themselves, explore different interests and passions, interact, share, and socialize, and develop important life skills.

Visit the Play Page

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Play Brochure

This brochure covers a range of play-based topics that can be used to help develop a child’s life skills. Play allows children to engage early on with those around them, to develop new skills that promote creativity and independence. It also helps children learn how to problem solve, socialize, and so much more. Available in 7 languages!

Download the Play Brochure

Social Emotional

Social-emotional skills are essential for connecting with others! They help us manage our emotions, build healthy relationships, and feel empathy.

Visit the Social Emotional Page

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Social-Emotional Development Brochure

Social-emotional skills allow children to express themselves appropriately in different environments and around other people. Learn how to improve a child’s social-emotional skills by using this brochure to help children succeed in life. Available in 7 languages!

Download the Social-Emotional Development Brochure

Executive Function

Executive function skills combine motor, sensory, communication, and cognitive skills we’ve developed. Beginning at a very young age, we apply this combination of skills to daily activities and situations, such as playing, learning, and socializing.

Visit the Executive Function Page

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Executive Function Brochure

Kids develop executive function skills through playtime, social interactions, and every day activities. Help children improve their executive function skills by developing their ability to achieve goals, such as making cookies or finishing homework. Available in 10 languages!

Download the Executive Function Brochure

Other resources

About Pathways.org

Our Mission

Provide free tools to maximize all children’s motor, sensory, and communication development.

Our Vision

Empower parents to understand and encourage their baby’s development to keep them on track or catch potential delays early.

Our Goal

Ensure every child is screened for motor, sensory, and communication development by 4 months of age, taking advantage of baby’s neuroplasticity.

Learn More About Pathways.org

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