Dear NICU Mama

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...

In this week’s episode, in honor of Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, we’re hosting a powerful roundtable conversation sharing real, honest stories from NICU moms navigating this diagnosis with their NICU miracles. Melissa, Vilma, Andrea, and Aisha together share about what it’s like to hear the words Cerebral Palsy for the first time, why it can feel so heavy, and how that understanding shifts over...

In this week’s podcast episode, we continue Emilee’s story as she shares what life looked like after Oakley’s diagnosis and their transition home from the NICU. Emilee opens up about navigating the unknowns of Oakley’s rare genetic deletion, making decisions about medical interventions like a G-tube and hearing devices, and adjusting to life at home with a medically complex baby. She also reflects...

In this week’s podcast episode, Emilee shares Part 1 of her son Oakley’s unexpected NICU journey, a story marked by emergency decisions, a rare genetic diagnosis, and a powerful full-circle moment within her own family. After a healthy pregnancy, Emilee delivered Oakley six weeks early via emergency C-section when she noticed decreased movement in the middle of the night. What began as low blood s...

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: “If you could go back in time and share a word of love with yourself while you were fresh in the NICU, what would you tell her?” From reminders to breathe, to choosing patience, to giving yourself permission to...

In this week’s podcast episode, Jessica shares the remarkable story of becoming a NICU mom through adoption. She opens up about her and her husband’s journey through foster care, infertility, and the unexpected call that would introduce them to their son, Noah. Just weeks before his birth, they learned he had a complex congenital heart defect, along with other medical concerns that left doctors un...

In this week’s podcast episode, we’re sharing a 2026 refresh of one of our most requested and revisited conversations, originally recorded in 2021. We’re joined by pelvic floor physical therapist Jill Ehrmantraut of Apex Therapy for an honest and affirming discussion about pelvic floor health, physical healing, and sex after the NICU and birth trauma. Jill helps us understand how birth, trauma, an...

We are back!!! In this week’s podcast episode, we’re sharing a 2026 update and re-release of a conversation originally recorded in 2020, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day. We’re joined by maternal mental health therapist Natalie Reiter for an honest and compassionate discussion about sex and intimacy after the NICU and birth trauma. Natalie explores how trauma impacts our nervous systems, why intim...

In this week’s episode, Ashley and Aisha sit down for a cozy end-of-year conversation to close out the 2025 podcast season. Together, they reflect on the stories, experts, and full-circle moments that shaped this year’s episodes, and share how the Dear NICU Mama sisterhood continues to impact their own healing journeys. They also introduce something brand new to the community: our Right On Time Ho...

In this week’s episode, Ashley and Aisha sit down with two very special guests: Allie, a PA who cared for Ashley’s son during his NICU stay, and her husband, Troy—the illustrator of Right On Time , Dear NICU Mama’s first children’s board book. Together they share the full-circle story of how their NICU connection led to creating a book that honors and represents the diverse journeys of NICU famili...

On this week’s episode, we welcome Dr. KC from Milestones & Motherhood — a pediatric physical therapist, early intervention specialist, and trusted guide for parents navigating developmental milestones. KC shares her own experience with late-preterm babies and how it shaped the compassionate, parent-centered approach she brings to her work. We talk about what early intervention really is, why...