Dear NICU Mama

In this week's episode, Ashley and Aisha are joined by fellow NICU mamas Mollie and Latoya for a heartfelt roundtable conversation in honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. Together, these mamas share their experiences navigating life after the loss of their children, how grief has evolved over time, and the ways they have found comfort and support along the way. They discuss the unpr...

In honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month and the International Wave of Light, this week's episode is dedicated to remembering and honoring the babies who left this world far too soon. In this week's podcast episode, Ashley and Aisha share the names and stories of babies whose lives have left a lasting impact on the hearts of those who love them. Together, we make space for remembrance...

In this week’s episode, we are sharing a replay centered on grief and the many ways it can show up throughout the NICU journey and beyond. As mentioned in the introduction, our Wave of Light episode will be published on October 14. Below, you’ll find a form where you can share the name of your baby or babies so we can gently honor and remember them during that episode. Thank you for trusting us wi...

In this week's episode, we sit down with NICU Mama and longtime member of this sisterhood Maddie to hear the story of her daughter, Josie. After a textbook pregnancy, Maddie was suddenly diagnosed with severe preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome at 29 weeks, airlifted to a hospital four hours from home, and soon delivered Josie by emergency C-section. Maddie shares honestly about the fear and overwhelm...

In this week's episode, we sit down with Keira Sorrells, NICU mama and founder and Executive Director of NICU Parent Network. Keira shares her journey through infertility, an unexpected pregnancy with quintuplets, and ultimately welcoming her daughters Avery, Lily, and Zoe at just 25 weeks and 5 days. Keira reflects on their months in the NICU, the people who helped her find her voice as a mother...

In this week's episode, Ashley and Aisha sit down with NICU mama Kelsey to hear the story of her son, Rory, who arrived unexpectedly at 35 weeks and spent seven days in the NICU. Kelsey vulnerably shares the loneliness of being separated from her baby after birth, waiting 72 hours to hold him, navigating the unexpected challenges of bonding, and the survival mode that followed her long after they...

In this week's episode, Ashley and Aisha are joined by Melody Weston, CEO of Embrace Global, for a powerful conversation about neonatal care around the world and the life-saving impact of something as simple as warmth. Melody shares how Embrace Global is working to decrease neonatal mortality by ensuring premature and low birth weight babies have access to safe thermal support, particularly in com...

WE ARE BACK!!! And what better way to kick off a new season of the Dear NICU Mama podcast than during NICU Awareness Month! In this week's episode, Ashley and Aisha are joined by NICU mama, artist, and writer Savannah O'Malley as she shares the story of her twin boys, Lachlan and Lex. Born at just 24 weeks and 5 days, Savannah's twins spent 101 days in the NICU navigating brain bleeds, heart compl...

It’s time for another Mamas Call In episode! Our call-in episodes are some of our favorites because they give us the chance to hear directly from YOU. This month’s prompt was: “What does it mean to be a Walking Letter of Hope?” In this episode, two incredible NICU mamas share what becoming a Walking Letter of Hope has meant in their own journeys. From finding community years after the NICU to beco...

In this week's episode, Ashley and Aisha are joined by Dear NICU Mama Board Member Nicole as she shares the story of her daughter, Layla. After a year and a half of trying to conceive, Nicole became pregnant with Layla and was carefully monitored due to a congenital heart condition. At 32 weeks, severe preeclampsia changed everything, leading to a life threatening medical helicopter transfer from...

In this week's podcast episode we're revisiting a beautiful roundtable conversation from season 8  for an honest discussion about mental health after the NICU with Dear NICU Mama volunteers, Kamille and Lexxa. Together, they share vulnerably about their own experiences with postpartum depression, anxiety, PTSD, therapy, medication, and the lifelong healing that follows a traumatic birth...

In this week's podcast episode, Katie shares the remarkable story of her daughter Annie's early arrival and the incredible full circle moments woven throughout their NICU journey. At 25 weeks pregnant, Katie was unexpectedly diagnosed with severe preeclampsia and hospitalized before delivering Annie at 28 weeks. As a former 28-week preemie herself, Katie suddenly found herself walking th...

It’s time for another Mamas Call In episode! Our call-in episodes are some of our favorites because they give us the chance to hear directly from YOU. This month’s prompt was: “What words of hope or encouragement would you offer to a NICU mom who feels like it’s all too much right now?” In this episode, mamas from across the country share heartfelt reminders of hope, resilience, and the power of c...

In this week's episode, we're welcoming back Mary Farrelly, founder of The NICU Translator and NICU Doula Academy. Since her first appearance on the podcast, Mary has turned a dream into a growing movement. As a Level IV NICU nurse and professionally trained doula, she is passionate about helping families experience more support, more advocacy, and less trauma throughout their NICU journ...

In this week’s podcast episode, Katonya shares the incredible story of her son Kareem and the unimaginable journey that led her into motherhood. At just 22 weeks and 6 days pregnant, Katonya unexpectedly went into labor and delivered Kareem alone at home before emergency responders arrived. She opens up about those terrifying moments, the shock of becoming a NICU mom in an instant, and the emotion...

It’s time for another Mamas Call In episode! Our call-in episodes are some of our favorites because they give us the chance to hear directly from YOU. This month’s prompt was: “Tell us about a moment when you felt unexpected courage.” From emergency deliveries and NICU stays to the challenges of bringing babies home, this episode is filled with powerful reminders that courage often shows up in the...

In this episode, Emily Souder and Mahaley Patel join us to share their motherhood journeys, their experiences navigating NICU trauma and loss, and the heart behind their new resource for NICU families, “Your NICU Story”. Mahaley vulnerably shares the story of her daughter, Sachi, who passed away in the NICU after an HIE diagnosis. Together, Emily and Mahaley reflect on the complexities of grief, h...

In this week’s podcast episode, Emma shares the story of her son Grady’s unexpected NICU journey after experiencing a rare neonatal stroke at birth. What began as a healthy, full-term pregnancy quickly turned into a series of medical emergencies, including respiratory distress, seizures, an emergency transfer to Massachusetts General Hospital, and the discovery of multiple blood clots in Grady’s b...

It’s time for another Mamas Call In episode! Our call-in episodes are some of our favorites because they give us the chance to hear directly from YOU. This month’s prompt was: “What words of hope would you offer to another NICU mama this Mother’s Day?” From reminders that your feelings are valid, to encouragement that you are already an incredible mother right now, this episode is filled with the...

In this week’s episode, Latoya shares her motherhood story of welcoming her daughter Skylar at 28 weeks and navigating a long and complex NICU journey. She opens up about the challenges they faced during Skylar’s 10-month NICU stay, the joy of bringing her home, and the deep love that defined their time together. Latoya vulnerably shares about the devastating loss of Skylar at 18 months old follow...

In this week’s episode, we’re continuing part 2 of our C-section roundtable with Ashley, Aisha, and two incredible NICU mamas from our community, Lindsay and Kristen. If you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, we encourage you to start there because today we’re picking up right where we left off! In this part of the conversation, we move into what happens after delivery. We talk about recovery, the un...

In this week’s podcast episode, we are sharing a replay episode from a c-section roundtable with Ashley, Aisha, and two incredible NICU mamas from our community, Lindsay and Kristen! In this honest and gentle conversation, we share about the moments leading up to our C-sections, whether they were unexpected, emergent, or part of a high-risk journey, and what it felt like to walk through a birth ex...

In this week’s podcast episode, we share the story of Sharon and her journey of becoming a NICU mom to her twin daughters after a high-risk pregnancy. After learning she was expecting twins, Sharon’s pregnancy quickly shifted as one of her daughters experienced growth restriction, leading to frequent monitoring, weeks in the hospital, and ultimately delivering her girls at 30 weeks via C-section....

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Brent and Suzette to share the story of their daughter Chloe and her journey with a rare mitochondrial disorder. What began as a typical pregnancy quickly shifted into a complex medical journey marked by uncertainty, advocacy, and deep resilience. Brent and Suzette vulnerably reflect on receiving Chloe’s diagnosis of Leigh Syndrome, navigating hospitalizati...

It’s time for another Mamas Call In episode! Our call-in episodes are some of our favorites because it gives us the chance to hear from this remarkable sisterhood. This month’s prompt was: “ What would you tell a NICU mama who just received a new diagnosis for her baby or NICU grad? What is something you would want her to know?”  From reminders that you are not alone, to giving yourself grace in t...