On today’s episode of the Dear NICU Mama podcast we have the very special privilege to talk with NICU mama and NICU nurse, Kerrie! Kerrie’s daughter Kate was born prematurely at 25 weeks gestation due to an abruption and fetal distress. She spent three months in the NICU before coming home to meet her brother and sisters, and she is now three and thriving!

Kerrie has been a registered nurse for over 15 years working mostly in a hospital setting caring for the adult population. Her NICU journey gave her a whole new respect for being a patient and the feelings of helplessness experienced while in the hospital, and was the motivation for her to become a NICU nurse. Kerrie has been a NICU nurse for over two years and has had the privilege to work alongside the very team that saved her daughter's life. She is currently working toward becoming a Nurse Practitioner with a dream of focusing on developmental growth and early intervention for our vulnerable NICU babies!

Throughout this episode, Kerrie talks about the unique experience she has to provide care as a NICU nurse, encouragement for NICU mamas that are building trust with their baby’s medical team, and the importance of valuing your mental health both in and out of the NICU.

To get connected with DNM:

Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

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April is C-Section Awareness Month! And this week’s podcast episode Part 2 of a special roundtable episode all about c-sections with co-hosts Ashley and Aisha, and team members Lindsay + Kristen! Throughout this episode they each share more about their healing journey post delivery both emotionally and physically, and what they wish others knew about c-sections.

We hope these episodes have been validating and hope-filled for the c-section mamas in our sisterhood, and that you would be reminded that healing is a lifelong journey. We honor you and your remarkable birth story!

To listen to part 1, head here. For the episode transcription, head here. (Please note that it is computer generated and not perfect!)

To get connected with DNM:

Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

April is C-Section Awareness Month! And this week’s podcast episode is a special roundtable episode all about c-sections with co-hosts Ashley and Aisha, and team members Lindsay + Kristen! Throughout this episode they each share openly about their own c-section deliveries, what they knew about c-sections prior to their deliveries, and how they have processed their birth plan not going to plan. The best part? This is only part 1 meaning we get to hear part 2 next week!

We hope any c-section NICU mamas feel validated and seen throughout this episode, and that you are reminded that your body did not fail.

For the episode transcription, head here. (Please note that it is computer generated and not perfect!)

To get connected with DNM:

Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s time for another Mamas Call In episode! The topic of developmental milestones, and when and if our NICU grads reach those milestones, can be a very tender subject. On one hand, we are so PROUD of the milestones our children are reaching, and on the other, we can feel exhausted by the amount of charts and graphs that are continually tracking and telling us where our kids should be. This duality of emotion inspired Ashley to write and create the “Right On Time” poem and merchandise collection, and we thought it would be beautiful to hear stories from mamas of this sisterhood of when their NICU miracles were right on time.

This episode’s prompt was, “Tell us a story that your NICU miracle was right on time.”

It was an honor to share responses from this community, and know that this sisterhood celebrates ALL of the milestones your miracles are reaching. You are not alone!

To listen, you can find us on iTunes or Spotify, Google, or by clicking the link below!

For the episode transcription, head here. (Please note that it is computer generated and not perfect!)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s podcast episode is a replay episode from season 6 of the Dear NICU Mama podcast! For the NICU mamas in our sisterhood who find themselves splitting time between their children at home and children in the NICU, we hope you feel seen and heard by this episode.

Use code “nicumama” for 50% off Katie’s How to prepare, support and respond to your child during shots course! Find the episode transcription here.

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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 about this today than Katie!

In this episode we cover:

• What are some ways we can talk to our kids about their sibling being in the NICU without scaring or overwhelming them?
• What encouragement would you offer families that are struggling with splitting time between their kids at home and their child in the NICU?
• What are ways that parents can encourage and establish a bond between siblings while in the NICU?
• When possible, how can families prepare their older children to visit their new sibling in the NICU?
• How can they introduce the new baby into the family at home and reassure their older children of all the new changes, especially if their new sibling requires ongoing medical attention or care?

We hope this conversation affirms that NICU mama, you are the best mother to ALL of your children, and your love is and will always be more than enough. 💕

To get connected with Katie:

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Child Life On Call Podcast

To get connected with DNM:

Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

This podcast episode is not an attempt to practice medicine or provide medical advice. All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis or treatment.

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On this week's podcast episode, we have part two of team member Carolissa’s journey with her daughter Elizabeth! Elizabeth was born at 31 weeks and had a 56 day NICU stay. Throughout this episode, Carolissa shares openly about what it was like to split time in the NICU with Elizabeth and time with her older daughter Sophia at home, and what it was like to transition to life as a family of four at home.

To any other NICU mamas listening who split time with their baby(ies) in the NICU and older kiddos at home, we hope you are reminded that you and your love are enough. You are never alone!

To listen to the podcast episode with Child Life On Call mentioned in this episode, head here! Head here for the episode transcription.

The Dear NICU Mama Podcast is made possible by the generosity of this community. To give to the mission and movement of Dear NICU Mama, head to: dearnicumama.com/give!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's podcast episode, we have part one of team member Carolissa’s journey with her daughter Elizabeth! Elizabeth was born at 31 weeks and had a 56 day NICU stay. Throughout this episode, Carolissa shares vulnerably about the rollercoaster of a ride her motherhood journey has been, including experiencing secondary infertility and the emotions that arise when things don’t go the way we hoped they would.

Our hope is that as you listen to this episode, you are reminded how powerful your mother’s intuition is and that you and your steadfast love are more than enough!

Read Carolissa’s DNM letter here! Head here for the episode transcription.

To get connected with DNM:

Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

The Dear NICU Mama Podcast is made possible by the generosity of this community. To give to the mission and movement of Dear NICU Mama, head to: dearnicumama.com/give!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As NICU families, birthdays often come with a variety of emotions. Joy for the life of our NICU miracles, and grief for their entrance into the world. It’s not uncommon to feel a variety of emotions on birthdays, and in an effort to explore this more we reached out to this sisterhood to share their experiences with navigating and processing birthdays!

This episode’s prompt was, “How have you processed and felt on your NICU baby’s birthdays? What words of hope would you offer another NICU mama before a birthday?”

It was an honor to share responses from this community. To the NICU mamas navigating and processing all of the emotions that come with your NICU baby’s birthday, we hope you feel validated and seen throughout this episode. You are not alone!

Head here for the episode transcription.

To get connected with DNM:

Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's podcast episode, we have the honor of hearing DNM team member and podcast co-host Aisha’s NICU journey with her daughter Eva. Eva was born prematurely at 26 weeks at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 and had an 82 day NICU stay. Eva is Aisha’s second preemie baby after losing her first, Enzo, earlier in 2018. Throughout the episode Aisha shares what it was like to have a pregnancy after loss, the miracle of watching your baby defy all odds, and the duality of emotions you feel through it all.

To the loss mamas in our sisterhood, we hope you feel heard throughout this episode. This sisterhood honors not only your children's resilience, but also yours.

To listen to part 1 of Aisha’s motherhood journey with her son Enzo, head here! Head here for the episode transcription.

To get connected with DNM:

Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's podcast episode is the recording from our live podcast event hosted by Thrivent for Giving Hearts Day! At this free event, members of our local community were able to order a coffee and hear Tyler + Carrie's NICU journey with their son Jett, and learn more about Dear NICU Mama and who we are as an organization. It was such a special way to kick off the week of Giving Hearts Day!

Because of your generosity and the generosity of our local community, Dear NICU Mama exceeded our goal and raised $22,409.81!!! We are SO grateful for your continued support and we cannot wait to see what is in store for 2024.

Thank you so much for listening and for being a part of this sisterhood!

For the episode transcription, head here.

To get connected with DNM:

Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Season 8 and Happy Valentine’s Day, beautiful mamas! We hope you are all having a cozy winter and that your 2024 is off to a wonderful start. We are so excited to be back on the podcast with you all and share a Mamas Call In episode! This week’s prompt was, “What is a fun date night you and your partner did in the NICU, or a fun memory you have with your partner in the NICU?”

We are excited to be kicking off another season of the podcast with you, and we can’t wait to share amazing expert interviews, round table discussions, and NICU motherhood stories with you throughout this season. Thank you to each and every one of you for being here with us and for making this sisterhood so special!

For the Instagram post mentioned in the episode, head here.

To get connected with DNM:

Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

For the episode transcription, head here. (Please note that it is computer generated and not perfect!)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.