Dear NICU Mama

This week’s podcast episode is a replay of an episode from season 3 with Natalie Reiter with 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 all a very merry holiday seaso...

On this week's episode, we have the honor of sharing part 1 of Jules' motherhood journey with her daughter Juliana. Jules and her husband tried for 10 yrs to conceive a child, and on their last fertility treatment they became pregnant! At 21 weeks we found out that we were expecting a baby girl. When Jules was 25 weeks pregnant, her and her husband were hit in a head-on collision by a dr...

On this week's episode, co-hosts Martha and Ashley share about their own personal healing journeys surrounding anniversaries, milestones, and big holidays. As we come down from a large holiday and prepare for an even larger one, we know that there can be significant emotional exhaustion. (On top of healing and processing through our children's big anniversaries and milestones!) So throug...

On this week’s episode, we have the opportunity to interview Dr. Mona Amin of the PedsDocTalk Podcast! Dr. Amin is a Board Certified General Pediatrician and NICU mama herself, as well as the founder and educator of the organization PedsDocTalk. Through her platform and private practice her goal is to provide relatable and easy-to-digest educate the modern parent regarding the health and wellness...

On this week’s episode, we have the honor of sharing part two of Taylor’s motherhood journey with her son, Milo! Milo was born full-term and had a NICU stay of 188 days that included 2 ambulatory transfers and 3 hospitals. (To listen to part one, head here !) Upon birth, Milo was diagnosed with Vacterl association after being born with a VSD, TEF, and an ectopic kidney. He underwent his first of 3...

Our November virtual event is only a week and a half away! Which is why for this week’s podcast episode, we are sharing a replay of an episode from season 3 with Parijat Deshpande! Parijat is the keynote speaker of our November event, and if you are on the fence about registering and long to learn more about Parijat and her practice, this episode is a great episode to do just that. For more inform...

On this week’s episode, join Martha and Ashley in welcoming Dr. Michelle Wyatt for a special mini-interview! Dr. Wyatt is a Maternal Fetal Medicine physician at Essentia Health, our presenting sponsor for the Dear NICU Mama Event: Be Proud of Who You’ve Become. In anticipation of this incredible event, we chat about Maternal Fetal Medicine practice, what Essentia Health is doing to support NICU fa...

On this week’s episode, we have the honor of sharing part 1 of Taylor’s motherhood journey with her son, Milo! Milo was born full-term and had a NICU stay of 188 days that included 2 ambulatory transfers and 3 hospitals. Upon birth, Milo was diagnosed with Vacterl association after being born with a VSD, TEF, and an ectopic kidney. He underwent his first of 3 TEF repairs at 3 days old, 2 of those...

This week’s episode is a mini episode all about our upcoming event on November 13th, 2021! If you’ve had any questions about our event or wondered what to expect when attending the event, we hope this episode answers some of those questions! Our “Be Proud of Who you’ve Become” event is designed specifically for current and past NICU mamas. Featuring renowned high-risk pregnancy specialist, author,...

On this week’s episode, we have the honor of sharing Jamie’s motherhood journey with her twins, Cooper and Lydia! Cooper and Lydia were born at 26 weeks, and had a NICU stay of 80 days. Not only is their story special because of their resilience, but also because today they are now thriving 19 year olds heading to college and we get to hear about the young adults they are becoming! Throughout this...

Cold and flu season, pandemic, RSV oh my! On this week’s episode, we have 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 clinic. Cold and flu season is a scary topic for any new mother, bu...

WE'RE BACK! While we are so grateful to have had some time to rest and recharge over the month of August, we have greatly missed connecting with you all here on the podcast! Throughout this episode we talk about some of the new and exciting things happening at Dear NICU Mama, how our summers have unfolded, and Martha shares about her recent hospitalization experience with her daughter. Our ho...

This week's episode is all about Walking Letter of Hope Day 2021!!! We are SO excited to celebrate our second annual Walking Letter of Hope Day with this sisterhood on August 14th, 2021. Throughout this episode we share how you can get involved and create your own fundraising team, as well as how you can partner with the growing mission and movement of Dear NICU Mama! To participate and regis...

For many NICU mothers, the decision on how and if to grow their family after NICU or birth trauma can be complex. And for some, the decision on whether or not they are able to grow their family via pregnancy was made for them due to emergency medical procedures or interventions. This decision can feel additionally complex when questions such as “When are you going to give your child a sibling?” ar...

It’s no secret that each individual will process and navigate trauma in their own way. And when it comes to how we heal and grow alongside our partners in and out of the NICU, having tools for how to communicate and grow together can help immensely. To lead us in this discussion is the one and only Natalie Reiter with Prairieland Counseling ! In this episode we cover: How can we communicate with o...

On this week’s episode we hear from our editorial team member, Sarah! Throughout pregnancy, Sarah was monitored very closely for significant ovarian cysts. At her 37 week OB appointment, she was admitted to the hospital due to lack of fluids and Mason was born 24 hours later! Upon delivery, he was rushed to the NICU because of lack of oxygen and they discovered that his lungs did not inflate and w...

In an effort to celebrate Father's Day and NICU dads everywhere, we have a very special podcast episode to share with you this week! On this week's episode, we have the opportunity to hear from NICU dad Jose. Throughout this episode he shares what it was like for him to walk through the NICU journey as a NICU dad, how him and his wife supported each other throughout their son's stay...

Welcome to SEASON 4! We are kicking off season 4 with a roundtable episode with co-hosts Martha and Ashley, and founding board member Kendra! Throughout this episode, Martha, Ashley, and Kendra share about what their transitions home looked like, when they started to process their NICU journeys and prioritize their mental health, and they also offer words of encouragement to newly discharged NICU...

May is Preeclampsia Awareness Month! And for today’s episode, we have the opportunity to sit down with Rebekah Tompkins, MD to chat about not only preeclampsia, but also HELLP Syndrome. Rebekah Tompkins not only specializes in high-risk pregnancy, but she personally experienced preeclampsia, HELLP, and a NICU stay with her firstborn son. Not only does she offer sound doctrine on the medical and ph...

On this week’s episode, we have the opportunity to hear part 2 of Tiffany’s NICU journey with her twin girls, Finley and Isla! Throughout this episode we have the opportunity to hear more about Isla’s NICU journey and what life at home looked like for their family of 5. While in the NICU with her twin Finley, Isla was diagnosed with MRSA at 2 weeks old. When they later discovered she had pulmonary...

On this week’s episode, we have the opportunity to hear part 1 of Tiffany’s NICU journey with her twin girls, Finely and Isla! After rounds of IVF, Tiffany and her husband found out they were having twins. At 24 weeks exactly, Tiffany went into labor and the girls were born the next day at 24 weeks 1 day gestation, weighing 1lb 60z and 1lb 80z. Throughout the episode we hear all about Finley’s NIC...

Have you tried exercising after your trauma but found yourself feeling particularly triggered? If so, you are not alone and you are absolutely not broken. Today we have the one and only Parijat Desphande with Healthy High Risk Pregnancy on the podcast to talk all about exercise and trauma! With swimsuit season soon approaching, we know there is an increased pressure to “get our bodies back”. But f...

This week’s episode is a roundtable episode about c-sections with the DNM podcast co-hosts, Martha & Ashley! Throughout the episode Martha and Ashley share about their own personal c-section deliveries and how they continue to heal today. We hope this episode affirms other c-section mamas that your birth is a worthy birth. To listen to Martha’s NICU journeys: S1 EP 01 | Martha Part 1 S1 EP 02...

If you have ever wondered what a NICU journey would have been like 50+ years ago, today’s episode is one you will want to tune into. Janet is a twin NICU mama to Kelly and Kevin who were born at 26 weeks. Upon delivery, Kevin tragically passed away at 7 hours of birth while Kelly spent a total of 62 days in the NICU. (Which at the time was simply a section in the corner of the nursery!) Throughout...

On this week’s episode we hear from mama of two, Lexxa! Lexxa delivered her daughter Ali at 28 weeks 2 days due to severe preeclampsia, and Ali weighed 2lbs 2oz at birth. She spent 88 days in the NICU and came home on oxygen and an NG tube and is now a healthy and thriving toddler! In the middle of the pandemic, Lexxa and her husband found out they were pregnant with their son Luka. Because of her...