The Incubator

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Applied forces during neonatal intubation with direct and video laryngoscopy at different bed elevations: a randomized crossover manikin study.

Cavallin F, Pasquali G, Maglio S, Villani PE, Menciassi A, Tognarelli S, Trevisanuto D.Eur J Pediatr. 2025 Nov 5;184(12):732. doi: 10.1007/s00431-025-06524-8.PMID: 41191125 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.

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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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Early body composition outcomes of infants born very preterm and receiving high volume, human milk feedings (≥170 ml/kg/day) before postnatal day 14.

Gunawan E, Molleti M, Salas AA.J Perinatol. 2025 Oct 31. doi: 10.1038/s41372-025-02469-w. Online ahead of print.PMID: 41174086 No abstract available.

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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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Full exclusively enteral fluids from day 1 versus gradual feeding in preterm infants (FEED1): a open-label, parallel-group, multicentre, randomised, superiority trial.

Ojha S, Mitchell EJ, Johnson MJ, Gale C, McGuire W, Oddie S, Hall SS, Meakin G, Anderson J, Partlet C, Su Y, Johnson S, Walker KF, Ogollah R, Mistry H, Naghdi S, Montgomery A, Dorling J; FEED1 collaborative.Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2025 Dec;9(12):827-836. doi: 10.1016/S2352-4642(25)00271-8. Epub 2025 Oct 17.PMID: 41115446 Free article. Clinical Trial.

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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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In this episode of the Incubator, Betsy Crouch and David McCulley interview Dr. Wendy Chung, a leader in clinical genetics and child health research. They discuss her journey into genomics, the challenges faced in her career as a physician scientist, the importance of early mentorship, and her research interests, particularly in congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Dr. Chung shares insights on the complexities of genetic disorders and the need for innovative approaches in treatment and diagnosis. She discusses her experiences with newborn screening and the evolution of genetic screening for rare diseases, emphasizing the importance of advocacy for children's health research. The conversation highlights the impact of patient stories in research and concludes with personal insights into family activities and the importance of maintaining a balance between work and personal life.

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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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Three third-year fellows present diverse research at Hot Topics. Juhi from University of Illinois in Chicago demonstrates lung ultrasound's potential to predict respiratory support duration in 30+ week infants, with first six-hour exams showing strongest correlation—suggesting possible replacement for admission chest x-rays. Tanima from Boston Children's applies large language models to extract IVH prognostic variables from AI literature, identifying critical gaps including absence of resolution prediction studies. Hailey conducts qualitative research on physician experiences with NICU mortality/morbidity, identifying three impactful loss categories: outcome-expectation mismatches, meaningful relationships, and weight of responsibilities. Their work exemplifies emerging neonatologist interests in point-of-care ultrasound, artificial intelligence applications, and clinician wellbeing.

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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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Dr. Jeffrey Gould and Dr. David Stevenson recount founding California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative (CPQCC) in the mid-1990s, transforming California's fragmented perinatal care system. Initial success required organizational development expertise—not just databases—to transform stakeholders into partners by identifying mutual value. They created California Association of Neonatology, secured Packard Foundation support, and unified competing academic centers and private practitioners. CPQCC's disciplined approach—pods meeting biweekly, shared data, non-hierarchical teams—contributed to California achieving the nation's lowest maternal mortality while national rates climb. Gould emphasizes quality improvement as structural intervention building relationships and improving working conditions. For aspiring leaders, they advise: identify what teams value, use data to reveal challenges, build consensus around shared goals.

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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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Dr. Elizabeth Foglia, University of Pennsylvania/Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and scientific PI for AAP's DRIVE (Delivery Room Intervention and Evaluation) Network, discusses building a 3,000-hospital US collaboration to understand real-world delivery room practices. Despite robust evidence supporting supraglottic airways for PPV in infants 34+ weeks, surveys show minimal provider use—representing a significant evidence-to-practice gap. The SUGAR trial compares implementation strategies to increase adoption using hybrid effectiveness-implementation design. DRIVE currently includes 50 hospitals with diverse delivery room configurations, providing infrastructure for pragmatic trials, quality improvement, and benchmarking. First network-wide meeting launches multi-center QI project in February. Sites can join via AAP DRIVE Network website.

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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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 In this episode of The Incubator Podcast, recorded live at Hot Topics in Neonatology in Washington, DC, we sit down with Dr. Daniele De Luca, Chief of Pediatric and Neonatal Critical Care at AP-HP Paris-Saclay University and leader of one of Europe's largest NICUs. Dr. De Luca discusses the groundbreaking Lancet Child & Adolescent Health Commission on the Future of Neonatology, a three-year initiative involving over 100 global key opinion leaders addressing the critical innovation gap in our specialty. He explores why neonatal medicine has experienced a slowdown in therapeutic advances since the 1990s, despite treating patients who will become citizens for decades ahead. The conversation covers the multifactorial barriers to innovation—from regulatory challenges to funding constraints—and the Commission's comprehensive recommendations for industry, regulators, academic centers, and patient representatives. Dr. De Luca emphasizes the urgent need to avoid treating babies in 20 years the same way we did 20 years ago, highlighting specific examples like the decades-long journey from drug development to registration and the paradox of FDA-approved equipment. He calls for a united approach to elevate neonatology's profile, establish formal specialty recognition, and accelerate the translation of research into bedside care. 

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As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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Dr. Michael Narvey, neonatologist and Vice President of Canadian Pediatric Society, challenges the validity of pre-discharge car seat testing. After leading Canadian work resulting in nationwide abandonment of the test in 2016, he argues the test doesn't represent real-world conditions (potholes, movement) and lacks evidence demonstrating it saves lives from apnea or desaturations. Based on 50 years of autopsy data, rare car seat-related deaths result from unsupervised asphyxiation when infants slide down onto straps—not from events in moving vehicles. Narvey distinguishes between eliminating the test versus maintaining essential car seat safety education, emphasizing proper positioning and avoiding unsupervised use outside vehicles. Some US centers are reconsidering this practice.

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

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Nicole and Maureen from Lactalogics present innovative donor human milk processing using gentle ultra-high temperature pasteurization—exposing milk to heat for only 10 seconds versus 30-40 minutes with traditional methods. Their tube-in-tube system (milk and steam traveling opposite directions) maintains safety by eliminating pathogens while better preserving inherent nutrients. Products launching April 2026 include shelf-stable options for term infants (20 cal, 1.1g protein/100mL) and preterm infants (20 cal, 1.6g protein/100mL), plus a human milk fortifier reaching 24 calories. Donor moms require rigorous screening and 500+ ounce surplus. The shelf-stable format supports both in-hospital use and post-discharge bridging when mothers face milk supply challenges.

Support the show

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

Enjoy!