Dear NICU Mama

In this week’s episode, we continue part 2 of Sam’s remarkable motherhood journey as she opens up about the emotional and physical toll of life after a traumatic birth and the journey of becoming a NICU and medical mama. Sam shares vulnerably about her daughter’s fragile start after being born at 24 weeks, the devastating reality of an MDR E-Coli diagnosis at just five days old, and the long road...

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Sarah Hogan, a courageous NICU mom and military spouse, whose story embodies the truth that the NICU is a marathon, not a sprint. Sarah shares her high-risk pregnancy and the traumatic sequence of events that led to her daughter Sadie’s premature birth at 28 weeks—beginning with a seizure while driving with her sons and her husband deployed on a submarine....

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Sam, a remarkable NICU mom and valued member of the Dear NICU Mama team and sisterhood. Sam vulnerably shares part 1 of her motherhood journey with the story of her family-building journey—navigating infertility, a PCOS diagnosis, and the heartbreak of unexpected complications during pregnancy. At just 21 weeks pregnant, Sam’s water broke. With brave vulner...

In this special episode, we’re holding space for the complicated emotions that can come with Mother’s Day after a NICU experience. This conversation is close to our hearts—it’s a live recording from our recent Dear NICU Mama Virtual Live Podcast Event, where we gathered with NICU moms from across the country to connect, reflect, and honor the duality of this season! In this roundtable discussion,...

In this week's roundtable replay, Co-Founders Ashley and Martha are joined by Dear NICU Mama editorial team member Lindsay for an honest conversation all about bonding with our NICU babies. Together, they reflect on the tender, complicated, and deeply personal journey of building a bond in the NICU—what it looked like for them, how they navigated grief, fear, and comparison, and how bonding c...

In this episode, we continue with part two of NICU mom Rebekah and her son Elias. After a traumatic birth and critical early days in the NICU, Rebekah shares what came next—the challenges of feeding, navigating a brain injury diagnosis, and the emotional weight of waiting for answers. Rebekah opens up about the realities of parenting a medically complex child, the grief of letting go of her origin...

In this week’s episode, we sit down with NICU mom and fierce advocate Rebekah, who vulnerably shares the extraordinary story of her son Elias’s birth and beginning of life. Rebekah walks us through her story of a sudden placental abruption at 28 weeks, an emergency C-section during the early days of COVID-19, and the hours that followed when Elias was flown by helicopter to a Level IV NICU in crit...

Welcome to Episode 4 of our Baby Showers Mini Series! In this final episode of the series, we’re exploring a topic that can feel especially tender: attending baby showers after a NICU experience. This conversation is extra special—it’s a live recording from our very first Dear NICU Mama Live Podcast Event! We gathered virtually with NICU moms from across the country for a night of connection and s...

Welcome to Episode 3 of our Baby Showers Mini Series! This week, we’re diving into the tender and emotional experience of navigating baby showers after loss. For some, baby showers are a joyful milestone. But for those who experience miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss, they can bring a wave of grief, unmet expectations, and lasting heartache. In this roundtable conversation, hosts Ashley and...

Welcome to Episode 2 of our Baby Showers Mini Series! This week, we’re diving into the experience of attending a baby shower while your baby is in the NICU—a reality that many NICU moms never expected to face. For some, baby showers are filled with excitement and joy. But for those navigating a NICU journey, they can bring complex emotions, unexpected grief, and even difficult decisions about whet...

Welcome to Episode 1 of our Baby Showers Mini Series ! This week, we are diving into the emotional side of planning (or not planning) a baby shower while navigating a high-risk pregnancy. For many, baby showers are a moment of joy and celebration—but for NICU moms and those with high-risk pregnancies, they can bring complex emotions, uncertainty, and grief. In this roundtable conversation, hosts A...

In this week’s special teaser episode, Ashley and Aisha introduce an exciting new mini-series all about baby showers—a topic that brings up a mix of emotions for many NICU moms. Whether you’ve attended a shower after a traumatic birth, celebrated while your baby was still in the NICU, or never had one at all, this series will explore the deeply personal and varied experiences of baby showers in th...

In this episode, we sit down with NICU mom and Joy of Creative Play founder, Lauren, as she shares her extraordinary story of navigating a high-risk pregnancy, in-utero procedures, and the overwhelming uncertainty of a rare diagnosis. Lauren opens up about the realities of facing the unknown, the power of advocating for her daughter’s care, and the unexpected ways joy and hope showed up along the...

Happy Valentines Day, NICU mamas! In this episode, we are honored to welcome Ashton, a well-known Enneagram expert, content creator, and fellow NICU mama, as she shares her unexpected journey into the NICU. Ashton’s pregnancy with her second child, Evans, seemed routine, until an unexpected bleed at 33 weeks changed everything. What started as a quick check-in at the hospital turned into an urgent...

We are excited to be back on the podcast with this sisterhood! To kick off our return, we are honored to share Jamie's story. Jamie, a labor and delivery nurse, never expected to find herself on the other side of care, but at 20 weeks, unexpected complications changed everything. She opens up about the emotional toll of bed rest, the moment she realized she wouldn’t be leaving the hospital un...

The holiday season is often filled with joy, but for families in the NICU, it can also bring a unique set of challenges and emotions. In this roundtable episode, Aisha is joined by fellow NICU moms Kamille and Taylor, who share their experiences of spending the holidays in the NICU with their babies! Together, they share what it’s like to navigate the holiday season while balancing the realities o...

In this episode, we sit down with Rachell Dumas, founder of A Light After Nine , to hear her journey through loss, resilience, and advocacy. Rachell shares her experiences of multiple pregnancy losses, advocating for herself and her babies, and finally welcoming her son after an incredibly challenging journey. She opens up vulnerably about her path to bonding with her son and offers encouragement...

We are excited to be back after the Thanksgiving break! On today’s episode, we have the opportunity to hear Serenity’s NICU journey with her daughter Amirah. Serenity opens up about her unexpected high-risk pregnancy and her daughter Amirah’s premature birth at 25 weeks. Through her story, she reflects on the challenges of balancing life as a NICU mom and a full-time student, the difficult decisio...

This week’s podcast episode is a replay of an episode from season 3 with Natalie Reiter of Prairieland Counseling! With the holidays approaching and with many of us having hard conversations with loved ones about boundaries, we wanted to share this episode as an extra boost of confidence. This sisterhood believes in you, is so very proud of you, and is wishing you a very gentle Thanksgiving. We wi...

In this week's episode, we are joined by Chrissy and Naomi from Courageous Parents Network (CPN) , a nonprofit with a mission to orient and empower parents and others caring for children with serious illness by providing resources and tools that reflect the experience and perspective of families and clinicians. Together, we dive into the realities and misconceptions of pediatric palliative ca...

In this episode, Makayla shares her journey of navigating the NICU as a single mom. She opens up about her pregnancy, her intuition that something unexpected was ahead, and the sudden complications that led to an early delivery and a challenging start for her daughter, Winona. Makayla reflects on the emotional experience of seeing Winona in critical condition, the many moments of fear and hope, an...

It’s time for another Mamas Call In episode! This episode’s prompt was, "Share a moment, in or out of the NICU, where you experienced unexpected joy." Thank you to each of you for submitting your stories of unexpected joy for this month’s prompt. It’s an honor to celebrate these moments with this sisterhood! To get connected with DNM: Website  |  Private Facebook Group  |  Instagram Host...

In this week’s podcast episode, Taylor shares her unique journey of becoming a NICU mom through adoption. She opens up about her and her husband’s decision to adopt, their struggles with infertility, and the emotional experience of meeting their daughter, Selah, who was born four weeks early and spent a month in the NICU. Taylor reflects on the challenges of navigating both adoption and the NICU e...

In this episode, Mollie shares her motherhood story of carrying identical twin girls, navigating a high-risk pregnancy, and experiencing both the joy of motherhood and the heartbreak of loss. Mollie opens up about the unexpected challenges she faced as a NICU mom, from giving birth at 26 weeks to her daughter Veronica’s fight for survival in the NICU, and the devastating loss of her daughter Athen...

On this week’s podcast episode, we hear the story of Anne and her son August’s unexpected unexpected NICU journey. She shares vulnerably about the moments leading up to his delivery, the emotional rollercoaster of seeing her son in the NICU for the first time, and what it was like to navigate their NICU journey as a full-term NICU family. She also shares about life at home and how they celebrate h...