Hello friends  👋 Live from the NEO Conference in Las Vegas, Ben and Daphna sit down with Dr. Tarek Nakhla to discuss his new book, Saving Babies Behind the Doors of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Moving beyond standard medical textbooks, Dr. Nakhla shares how chronicling nearly 30 years of challenging patient encounters and complex family dynamics can serve as an essential guide for new trainees. The conversation highlights the therapeutic power of narrative medicine for

Hello friends  👋 How can a database tracking 20% of all US NICU admissions change the way we practice neonatology? Live from the NEO Conference, Ben and Daphna sit down with Dr. Veeral Tolia to discuss his groundbreaking work with the Pediatrix Clinical Data Warehouse. Dr. Tolia dives into the power of leveraging decades of observational data to supplement randomized trials—from analyzing the 50-fold increase in Precedex usage to studying natural experiments like the vitamin

Hello friends  👋 How will artificial intelligence fundamentally change the way we chart, teach, and monitor patients in the NICU? Live from the NEO Conference, Ben and Daphna sit down with Dr. James Barry to explore the critical need for "AI literacy" among bedside clinicians. Dr. Barry draws parallels between driver's education and safe AI use, highlighting the hidden dangers of automation complacency with AI scribes. They also discuss the exciting potential of computer vis

Hello friends  👋 Can groundbreaking neonatal research thrive outside of academic medicine? Live from the NEO Conference, Ben and Daphna sit down with Dr. Kaashif Ahmad, Vice President of Research at Pediatrix. Dr. Ahmad shatters the myth that community NICUs can't drive clinical science, discussing how everyday documentation in systems like Baby Steps quietly fuels hundreds of publications. He also unveils "The Parent Network," a revolutionary initiative designed to partner

Hello friends  👋 How does individualized medicine shape both patient trust and neonatal careers? Live from the NEO Conference, Ben and Daphna catch up with Dr. Zubin Shah, Clinical Ambassador for Pediatrix. The team explores the power of tailoring bedside conversations to individual babies—whether discussing targeted hemodynamics or framing RSV prevention with nirsevimab—rather than relying solely on generalized trial data. Dr. Shah also sheds light on the evolving landscape

Hello friends  👋 In this episode, Shelly-Ann and Mbozu sit down with a few members of the Parents Neonatal Intensive Care Charity affiliated with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados.  Heidi and Andrew Hutchinson, parents of a baby born at 30 weeks who is now a practicing lawyer, share how they transitioned from frightened NICU parents to decades-long advocates. June Walton and Cheryl Walrond, retired NICU nurses, describe building the first parent education sessions and

Hello friends  👋 When parents fundamentally disagree on life-saving interventions in the delivery room, how do clinical teams decide the next step? Live from the NEO Conference, Ben and Daphna sit down with Dr. Mark Mercurio, Executive Director of the new Center for Pediatric Bioethics at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Mercurio dissects a highly complex ethical case regarding parental disagreement over resuscitation at the border of viability. Emphasizing the distinction be

Hello friends  👋 Join Ben and Daphna live from the NEO Conference as they welcome the 2026 Legends in Neonatology Award recipient, Dr. Waldemar "Wally" Carlo. In this inspiring conversation, Dr. Carlo discusses the driving forces behind his enduring passion for clinical care and the critical need for robust bedside research. They explore how full-time clinicians can actively shape the research agenda by turning everyday diagnostic uncertainties into innovative trials. Dr. Ca

Hello friends  👋 Does our fear of necrotizing enterocolitis do more harm than good? In this live episode from the Neo conference, Ben and Daphna sit down with Dr. Ariel Salas to challenge the "culture of fear" surrounding neonatal nutrition. Dr. Salas argues that while we obsess over ill-defined NEC risks, we may be sacrificing the proven benefits of early feeding on sepsis reduction. From the emotional weight of "wasted" breast milk to the "illusion of control" provided by

Hello friends  👋 Live from the Neo Conference in Las Vegas, Ben and Daphna sit down with Dr. Zach Anderson from Winnie Palmer Hospital to demystify the integration of Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in the NICU. Moving beyond the intimidation of complex cardiac scans, Zach explains why starting with "pinch points" like vascular access or bladder volume can revolutionize bedside decision-making. From the SAFER protocol to managing the agitated infant on ECMO, this episode ex