The NICU Translated Podcast

The NICU is a place of extraordinary medicine — where fragile lives are stabilized and miracles unfold every day. But survival is only part of the story.  In this final episode of Season One, I share my hopeful vision for the future of NICU care, one that honors both medical excellence and emotional wholeness. What would it look like if trauma-informed practice was standard? If nurses were support...

Pumping in the NICU is about so much more than milk. It’s about logistics, exhaustion, hope, grief, and doing the best you can in one of the most intense seasons of parenthood. In this episode, I’m joined by Lisa Myers , founder of Ceres Chill , to talk about the real-life challenges NICU parents face when pumping — from storing and transporting milk to navigating work, long hospital days, and emo...

So many nurses feel the tension between caring deeply and feeling powerless inside broken systems — especially in high-stakes environments like the NICU. Burnout isn’t a personal failure; it’s often a systems problem. But what if nurses didn’t have to leave healthcare to create meaningful change? In this episode, I’m joined by Claire Phillips, DNP, RN — a nurse leader, systems thinker, and founder...

For many NICU families, discharge doesn’t mean leaving the medical world behind — it means bringing it home. Oxygen tanks, feeding tubes, monitors, supplies, and endless instructions can turn a long-awaited homecoming into a new kind of overwhelm. In this episode, I’m joined by Christine Herndon, a NICU mom who spent years navigating infertility before welcoming identical twin girls born at 32 wee...

Insurance is one of the most confusing — and emotionally charged — parts of pregnancy, postpartum, and the NICU experience. Bills pile up, coverage feels unclear, and families are often left making financial decisions during moments of deep stress and vulnerability.  In this episode, I’m joined by Pachet Bryant, founder of MINE Maternity, to break down maternity benefits in a way that actually mak...

Losing a baby in or after the NICU is a grief few can imagine — and one that deserves more compassionate, trauma-informed support than most families receive. In this episode, I’m joined by Ashley Inclima , a doula specializing in perinatal loss and bereavement. Ashley is the founder of Tides of Life Doula , where she supports families through pregnancy, birth, and infant loss with presence, ritual...

Some NICU journeys begin long before delivery — and Natascha Bohmann’s story is one of them. After a high-risk mono-mono twin pregnancy, a lengthy inpatient hospitalization, and a NICU stay for her daughters, she walked through every chapter of uncertainty a family can face: fear, waiting, grief, advocacy, and rebuilding life on the other side. In this episode, Natascha shares how her experience a...

Waiting is one of the hardest parts of the NICU — waiting for updates, waiting for milestones, waiting to finally bring your baby home. But in those quiet, uncertain moments, families and siblings are living their own version of the NICU journey, too. In this heartfelt episode, I’m joined by Emily Rosen — mom, creative director, and author of the new children’s book Waiting for Max: A NICU Story —...

Stepping into the NICU can feel like landing in a completely different world — one with its own language, routines, and cast of characters. In this episode, I’m breaking down the essentials so you can start feeling more confident, informed, and ready to be an active part of your baby’s care team. We’ll cover what the NICU is, who’s on your baby’s care team, the most common terms you’ll hear, and h...

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Rachael Carreon — a pediatric physical therapist and infant development expert who has supported babies and families for more than a decade. Together, we break down some of the most common challenges NICU graduates face after discharge, including oral ties, feeding difficulties, torticollis, plagiocephaly, body tension, and early motor delays. Rachael has such a...

The NICU may end at discharge, but for many families, the journey is far from over. Life after the NICU often means learning to navigate complex medical needs, therapies, and emotions that don’t fit neatly into anyone’s discharge plan.   In this episode, I’m joined by Michele Salmons , mom of two and one of my former NICU doula clients, whose story is one of courage, advocacy, and deep love. After...

Sleep after the NICU is complicated — not just for babies, but for parents, too. Preemies have different developmental timelines, different sensory needs, and often, different medical journeys that shape how (and when) they sleep. Add in parental trauma, nighttime anxiety, and navigating life after the NICU, and sleep can feel like one of the hardest parts of bringing your baby home. In this episo...

There are so many myths about the NICU and while most come from a place of love, they can leave families feeling confused, unprepared, or even ashamed for not matching someone else’s expectations. In this episode, I’m breaking down the top 5 NICU myths I hear most often, including big ones like “all NICU babies are preemies,” “NICU babies can’t be breastfed,” and “once you go home, everything goes...

When one baby is in the NICU and another is at home, parents face a kind of split that’s hard to describe — the heart wants to be in two places at once. In this episode, I’m joined by Julia Kraemer , founder of Kangaroo Cozies and mom of two, who knows this journey firsthand. Julia spent three months navigating life between home and the NICU after her daughter’s 27-week birth, and she’s here to sh...

When a pregnancy becomes high-risk, fear can take over — for both families and the professionals supporting them. But with the right tools, mindset, and communication, confidence and calm are still possible. In this episode, I’m joined by Cassandra Kobiltz, a labor and delivery nurse, doula, and the founder of Hakuna Matata Mamas. Cassandra blends medical knowledge with mindfulness-based support,...

If you’ve ever walked into the NICU and seen your baby wearing a little hat and tubing on their nose, you’ve likely seen CPAP — one of the most common (and misunderstood) forms of respiratory support.  In this quick The NICU Translated episode, Mary breaks down what CPAP actually is, how it helps your baby breathe, and why it’s often one of the first steps toward coming off more intensive support....

If you’ve never heard of a NICU doula, you’re not alone — even many birth professionals don’t know this role exists. But NICU doulas are filling a huge gap in support for families navigating the NICU, and their impact can be life-changing. In this episode, I’ll explain what a NICU doula does, why families deserve one, and how they can make the NICU journey less overwhelming for parents — and more...

Many NICU graduates leave the hospital with a few extra things to monitor — and motor development is one of the biggest. From torticollis (tight neck muscles) to flat spots on the head (plagiocephaly), these are common issues for NICU babies, but with the right support, families can make huge progress at home. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Jessica Smith , a pediatric physical therapist and fo...

Most parents leave the NICU hoping they’ll never have to return. For Jillian, walking back into those hospital doors meant something entirely different — she was returning as a NICU doula, hired to support families right at the bedside. In this inspiring interview, Jillian shares her journey from NICU parent to professional advocate, the steps she took to step into her new role, and how her work i...

The NICU journey is full of emotions — joy, grief, gratitude, trauma, and everything in between. For some families, those emotions continue long after discharge, especially when facing loss or long-term medical complexities. In this episode, I’m joined by Mahaley Patel, LMFT, PMH-C — a therapist specializing in perinatal mental health, grief, trauma, and infant/child loss, and the co-author of You...

Advocating for your NICU baby doesn’t have to mean conflict — in fact, the best advocacy builds bridges and strengthens your baby’s care team. In this episode, NICU parent and NICU Doula Academy graduate Shayna Abraham shares her practical, compassionate approach to finding the right providers, recognizing when things aren’t working, and making changes with confidence and respect. You’ll learn the...

Preemies are incredible — but their journey in the NICU looks very different from that of a full-term baby. From learning how to breathe and eat, to staying warm and conserving energy, every step is a milestone worth celebrating. In this episode of The NICU Translated Podcast , I’m sharing the top 5 things I want every parent and professional to know about preemies while they’re still in the NICU....

“When can my baby go home?” If you’ve ever been in the NICU, you’ve probably asked it — or thought it. It’s a natural question, but the answer is rarely simple. In this episode, I’m breaking down the key milestones babies need to reach before discharge, what can speed up or slow down that process, and how parents can be actively involved in getting their baby ready for that big day. You’ll leave w...

When Leilah planned her birth, the NICU wasn’t even on her radar. But an unexpected turn led her to deliver a micro-preemie and face weeks in the hospital — an experience that tested her strength, reshaped her perspective, and revealed the power of mindset in the hardest seasons of motherhood. In this deeply personal conversation, Leilah shares the emotional rollercoaster of NICU life, the spiritu...

Stepping into the NICU can feel like landing in a completely different world — one with its own language, routines, and cast of characters. In this episode, I’m breaking down the essentials so you can start feeling more confident, informed, and ready to be an active part of your baby’s care team. We’ll cover what the NICU is, who’s on your baby’s care team, the most common terms you’ll hear, and h...