Dear NICU Mama

Walking Letter of Hope Day is only two days away! On July 19th, you have the power to make a difference and show your support for Dear NICU Mama in several meaningful ways: Wear your Walking Letter of Hope apparel : On July 19th, proudly wear your Walking Letter of Hope apparel from Dear NICU Mama. By doing so, you raise awareness for the organization and highlight the invaluable support this comm...

Today’s episode is very bittersweet as we say farewell to Season 6 of the Dear NICU Mama Podcast! It has been such a gift to have vulnerable and meaningful conversations with NICU moms and specialists about growing our families after the NICU, and we hope that you have felt heard and seen throughout this season. We know that this subject can be a tender one, and we want to make sure to acknowledge...

As we near the end of season 6, which has been all about growing and building our families after the NICU, we wanted to make sure to dedicate an episode to the foster and adoptive NICU mamas in our community. Which is why we are so grateful to have NICU mom and NICU nurse, Sarah joining us on the podcast today! Throughout this episode, Sarah shares openly and honestly about her family’s journey to...

In honor of Mother’s Day, this week’s podcast episode is a special episode where DNM team members read out-loud letters that they have written for this community. This Mother’s Day, our hope is that you offer yourself the grace and permission to feel the duality of both grief and joy of longing and gratitude. Whether you are celebrating in or out of the NICU, with full or empty arms, or with a clo...

Happy World Maternal Mental Health Day to this wonderful sisterhood and NICU mama community! This week we have the honor of welcoming back Dr. Frankie Harrison of Miracle Moon to talk all about the basics of maternal mental health. In this episode we cover: What is maternal mental health? How does the practice of a maternal mental health therapist differ from a traditional practicing therapist? Wh...

As we continue season 6 which is all about growing our families after the NICU, we want to make sure to also honor the NICU mamas in our sisterhood who are no longer able to carry children due to an emergent or elected hysterectomy. And we are so grateful for twin NICU mama Leah for sharing about her personal experience. After an emergency c-section, Leah’s twins were born at 32 weeks 2 days gesta...

As we continue our season of growing our families after the NICU, we want to make sure to also honor the NICU mamas in our sisterhood who have grown their families via pregnancy after loss. Throughout this episode, Martha and Aisha share about the mountains and valleys of their healing journeys, what support felt most meaningful to them in pregnancy, and encouragement they have for other loss mama...

This week’s podcast episode is a roundtable episode with two of our editorial team members, Keely and Savannah! And this week we are talking all about navigating and announcing pregnancy announcements on social media after the NICU. Depending on where you are in your healing journey, social media can sometimes be a joyful and wonderful place to engage, and other times it can invoke feelings of jea...

This week’s podcast episode is a replay episode from season 2 of the Dear NICU Mama podcast! As we further our conversation of growing our families after the NICU, we wanted to make sure to re-share this episode as it contains not only invaluable information about high-risk pregnancy after NICU, but also because Dr. Stefanie is a NICU mama herself. For those who find themselves pregnant after the...

This week’s podcast episode is Part 2 of Kamille’s motherhood journey and pregnancy with her son, Luuk! Two days before her first son Owen’s birthday, Kamille found out she was pregnancy with Luuk. Throughout this episode she shares vulnerably about what it was like to be pregnant again after the NICU, how she relied on her support system and prioritized her mental health throughout her pregnancy...

This week’s podcast episode is Part 1 of Kamille’s motherhood journey with her son, Owen! At 20 weeks, Owen was diagnosed with CDH. Throughout her pregnancy, she was closely monitored until his arrival at 38 weeks. Four days after delivery, Owen underwent surgery to repair his diaphragm and move his stomach and intestines out his chest, and he spent a total of 23 days in the NICU! Owen is a thrivi...

This week, we have the privilege of speaking with Katie Taylor from Child Life On Call! One of the most commonly asked questions in our support forum is how to not only balance being a mom to kids at home and in the NICU, but also how to include their older kids with their new sibling’s NICU journey in a way that feels safe and easy to comprehend. And we couldn’t think of a better guests to talk a...

On this week’s podcast episode, we have the honor of hearing the miraculous NICU journey of Sully! Sully was born at 31 weeks during the height of the pandemic due to Paige developing severe preeclmapsia. While in the NICU, he developed NEC, which led to three surgeries, a G-tube, and a 131 day NICU stay. Sully is now two years old, G-tube free, and the happiest toddler in the world! To the G-tube...

This week, we are excited to release another roundtable episode! As we continue our theme of growing our families after NICU, we invited Ebony and Carrita back on the podcast as they are both expecting after loss and NICU stays. Ebony and Carrita share their personal family building journeys, how they have savored each moment of their pregnancies, and words of encouragement they would offer other...

This week’s podcast episode is a replay from a former season of the Dear NICU Mama podcast! As we continue our conversation of growing our families after the NICU, we couldn’t think of a more valuable series of episodes to share than our Sex & Intimacy after NICU and/or Birth Trauma series. We know that connecting with our bodies after the NICU is a lifelong healing journey, especially when it...

This week’s podcast episode is a replay from a former season of the Dear NICU Mama podcast! As we continue our conversation of growing our families after the NICU and approach the Valentine’s Day holiday, we couldn’t think of a more valuable series of episodes to share than our Sex & Intimacy after NICU and/or Birth Trauma series. We know this conversation can be a tender one, but we hope that...

We have the honor and privilege of welcoming back Parijat Deshpande back to the Dear NICU mama Podcast! And today we have a gentle and trauma informed discussion about high-risk pregnancy after NICU. In this episode we cover: How do we know if we are ready for another pregnancy? What questions can help couples answer this for themselves? What does it mean to have a high-risk pregnancy? Will stress...

This week’s podcast episode is a replay from a former season of the Dear NICU Mama podcast! As we continue our conversation of growing our families after the NICU, we wanted to make sure to re-share this episode as we know that many of us in this community find ourselves as one-and-done families. We hope that this podcast episode affirms the NICU mamas in our sisterhood that have decided or are ma...

On today’s podcast episode, we have a roundtable discussion about growing our families after NICU! Co-hosts Martha and Ashley and team members Sara and Kendra take turns sharing about their own personal journeys to either deciding to be done carrying children, their journey to becoming pregnant again, or how they currently find themselves in the middle of the decision making process. No matter whe...

Welcome back, beautiful mamas! We hope you were all able to find moments of joy during the holiday season and that your start to 2023 has been wonderful. We are kicking off season six with co-hosts Martha & Ashley reflecting on their break, as well as previewing this season's theme: Growing Your Family After NICU! We are so excited to launch this new season and share some remarkable NICU...

This week’s podcast episode is a special one! Not only is this week’s episode the final episode of season 5, but it’s also a “Mamas Call In” episode! We asked this sisterhood, “NICU mama, who is someone during your NICU stay that became like family? What moment with them do you remember the most?”, and the responses were absolutely beautiful. It has been an amazing season 5 and we cannot wait to c...

Cold and flu season, pandemic, RSV oh my! On this week’s episode, we are sharing a replay of an episode we recorded in season 4 where we had the opportunity to sit down with a very well-known and respected pediatrician in the Fargo Moorhead area, Dr. Stephanie Hanson with Sanford Health. Dr. Hanson has 11 years of pediatric experience, and in her practice has seen many NICU grads come through her...

It's spooky season! And this week, we have the pleasure of welcoming back Natalie Reiter with Prairieland Counseling to discuss the topic of "spooky" or intrusive thoughts. In this episode we cover: What are intrusive thoughts and how can we identify them? What are common intrusive thoughts that NICU parents might experience? What are some practical things NICU moms can do when intr...

On this week’s podcast episode, we have the honor of hearing the miraculous NICU journey of Mateo! Throughout this episode, Mateo’s mom Paola shares about her high risk pregnancy and delivery, Mateo’s triumphs and setbacks during his 4 month NICU stay, and how Mateo is thriving as a four year old today with Kniest Syndrome. To the medically complex NICU mamas in our sisterhood, we hope you feel se...

Join us for Dear NICU Mama's annual conference 'Courage Lives Here' on November 5th! This virtual conference is for both past and present NICU moms, birthing parents, and the providers that support them! Featuring Hilary Waller, MS, LPC, Director of Education and Programming/Psychotherapist at The Postpartum Stress Center, and Parijat Desphande, renowned high-risk pregnancy speciali...