Dear NICU Mama

In this week’s podcast episode, Ashley and Aisha sit down with Dear NICU Mama co-founder Martha for a vulnerable and joy-filled conversation about the early days of the sisterhood and how it all began! From the first coffee date and color-coded binder to the launch of the podcast and the years of growth that followed, Ashley and Martha reflect on what it was like to build something so meaningful t...

In this week’s podcast episode, Ashley and Aisha sit down with their husbands, Ryan and Andy, for an intentional conversation about their experiences as NICU dads! Ryan and Andy share vulnerably about the moments that shaped their journeys, from emergency deliveries and hospital stays to navigating grief, helplessness, and healing years later. They reflect on what it was like to support their part...

In this week’s podcast episode, Ashley and Aisha sit down with NICU mamas Vilma and Sam for a vulnerable roundtable conversation about feeding journeys after the NICU, and what it’s like when a G-tube becomes part of your story. They share vulnerably about the emotions that come with this transition, from the relief of finally going home, to the surrender that often follows. Together, they share a...

In this week’s podcast episode, we share the audio from our recent Walking Letter of Hope Day virtual event featuring licensed therapist and birth trauma survivor Kayleigh Summers, known as The Birth Trauma Mama ! Kayleigh joins us to talk about the lasting impact of birth and NICU trauma, what healing can look like, and the hope that comes from sharing our stories in community. She offers gentle,...

In this week’s podcast episode, Ashley and former and beloved podcast co-host Martha revisit an important conversation for our NICU sisterhood: understanding IEPs and how to advocate for your child in school. This replay episode features special education expert Catherine Whitcher, founder of Master IEP Coach , who shares practical guidance on navigating the Individualized Education Program (IEP)...

In Part 2 of Kristen’s story, Ashley and Aisha dive deeper into the unique “right on time” milestones that marked her and Amelia’s 11-month NICU journey! Kristen shares about the courage it took to face a trach and heart procedure, and how Amelia’s progress has unfolded through what she calls “inchstones.” She opens up about the challenges of coming home with medical complexity, the bittersweet tr...

In this week’s episode, Ashley and Aisha are joined by Kristen, a NICU mom whose journey spans 11 months in the NICU, hospital transfers, heart surgery, and eventually a trach for her daughter, Amelia. Kristen vulnerably shares about her water breaking at 23 weeks, the unexpected 11 weeks of hospital bedrest, and Amelia’s birth at 35 weeks. She describes the whirlwind of those first moments in the...

In this week’s episode, Ashley and Aisha are joined once again by their dear friend Carrie for the long-awaited part two of her family’s story.  In part one , Carrie shared about her daughter Hattie’s unexpected NICU stay after being born full term. In this follow-up episode, Carrie opens up about life beyond the NICU: the years of waiting for the possibility of heart surgery, navigating the unkno...

In this week’s episode, Ashley and Aisha are joined by their dear friend and DNM team member, Kamille, for a heartfelt conversation about kindergarten milestones and what it means to parent COVID NICU babies now entering school. Kamille and Aisha vulnerably share their journeys of navigating the NICU during the earliest days of the pandemic, balancing therapies and virtual care, and the emotions o...

WE'RE BACK! In this week’s episode, Ashley and Aisha return after a summer break to reflect on Walking Letter of Hope Day, share big back-to-school milestones, and give exciting Dear NICU Mama updates. They also announce the release of Right On Time , Dear NICU Mama's very first children’s book. This book is a beautifully crafted children’s board book designed for NICU families, celebrat...

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Carey, a remarkable NICU mom and cherished member of our Dear NICU Mama community and team. Carey vulnerably shares her story of an unexpected diagnosis of preeclampsia just days after moving across the country—and the delivery of her daughter Eliana at 29 weeks. From navigating a 113-day NICU stay, including multiple heart surgeries and a G-tube journey, t...

In this week’s episode, Ashley and Aisha share all about one of our favorite events of the year: Walking Letter of Hope Day ! Happening on Thursday, July 31st, Walking Letter of Hope Day is a special day where we honor NICU journeys, celebrate the strength of our sisterhood, and raise crucial funds to sustain Dear NICU Mama’s mission. Whether it’s your first year participating or you’ve walked wit...

In this week’s episode, we’re honored to welcome Andrea Hickson—two-time NICU mom and founder of NICU Alumni. Andrea shares the emotional and unexpected journeys of welcoming her daughters Lucy and Felicity, both born prematurely and with unique NICU experiences. From emergency C-sections and hospital stays to navigating life at home with early intervention and a later cerebral palsy diagnosis, An...

In this week’s episode, Brianna shares her experience as a two-time NICU mom. She shares about her first pregnancy, marked by an unexpected 20-week anatomy scan that revealed she was already two centimeters dilated. After an emergency cerclage and weeks of anxiety-filled bedrest, Brianna gave birth to her son at 28 weeks. His 60-day NICU stay, though miraculously smooth, left a lasting emotional i...

In this episode of the Dear NICU Mama podcast, we're joined once again by the remarkable Kayleigh Summers, also known as The Birth Trauma Mama , for a heartfelt conversation about how friendships shift in the wake of birth trauma and NICU experiences. Together, Ashley, Aisha, and Kayleigh open up about the grief of changing relationships, the identity shifts that happen after trauma, and the...

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...