Beyond the NICU

A NICU stay, and subsequent surgeries, can put extreme strain on a relationship. Scott and Kathryn Whitaker share why they sought out help from a licensed marriage counselor, their barriers to get there and how it changed their relationship.

In this episode, we chat about:

• What led them to the counseling door?

• What were some of their reservations about going to counseling?

• Strategies learned in counseling that benefited their marriage?

• How did they overcome the stigma of needing help?

• What's your best advice for a couple that’s reluctant to go to therapy?

Scott and Kathryn Whitaker, both Texas natives, are the parents of six children, college to elementary, and have been married 27 years. Kathryn is the author of Live Big, Love Bigger, an award-winning book. Scott is the director of stewardship and development for the Catholic Diocese of Austin. On social media, they each share their honest take on family life and marriage, all while eating BBQ, cheering on the Texas Aggies and hiking national parks.

Connect with Scott and Kathryn:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scottwhitaker95

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/scottwhitaker95

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathrynwhitakertx

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathrynwhitakertx

Website: www.kathrynwhitaker.net

The NICU is hard. We’re here to help.

Hand to Hold is a national nonprofit dedicated to providing neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents with personalized emotional support, educational resources and community before, during and after their baby’s NICU stay. NICU support is available at no cost to NICU parents in English and Spanish.

Connect with Hand to Hold:

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handtohold

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handtohold/  

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/NICUHandtoHold

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HandtoHold 

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Thriving Together [Full version] by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10332-thriving-together-full-version

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Bright Colors Of Life by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7855-bright-colors-of-life

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Our NICU babies grow up and sometimes find themselves struggling to manage stress, anxiety, depression or navigating a disorder. Dr. Mitnaul, a child psychiatrist, shares how a child or adolescent may benefit from some extra assistance navigating those challenges.

In this episode, we chat about:

• How did you get from a biology degree to a child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist?

• What is a child psychiatrist?

• How is that different from a child psychologist?

• Often, parents of NICU babies don't uncover other challenges in their children until they enter a school environment, or go through puberty. What are some things they should look for that might need to be addressed by a child or adolescent psychiatrist?

• How can parents find a psychiatrist and what questions should they ask to ensure it's a good fit for their child?

• Sometimes there's a stigma when a child is seeing a psychiatrist. What myths do you want to bust on that?

• What types of encouragement and information can people find on your TikTok account or other social media, as well as your PBS Show, Cause for Hope?

• What's your best advice to a parent seeking psychiatry for their child?

Dr. Mitnaul has quickly become a trusted voice in both the parenting and mental health space. When he’s not at the clinic, he’s engaging with his community on socials or on his PBS Show, “Cause for Hope” by helping families navigate parenting in the digital age. 

Connect with Dr. Mitnaul:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctormitnaul

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/doctormitnaul 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/doctormitnaul 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctormitnaul/

Website: www.bewellacademy.org/ 

The NICU is hard. We’re here to help.

Hand to Hold is a national nonprofit dedicated to providing neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents with personalized emotional support, educational resources and community before, during and after their baby’s NICU stay. NICU support is available at no cost to NICU parents in English and Spanish.

Connect with Hand to Hold:

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handtohold

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handtohold/  

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/NICUHandtoHold

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HandtoHold 

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Thriving Together [Full version] by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10332-thriving-together-full-version

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Bright Colors Of Life by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7855-bright-colors-of-life

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Parents of NICU babies often find themselves struggling in relationships or facing difficult feelings. Licensed therapist Regina Boyd shares how to determine if, and when, therapy can help.

In this episode, we chat about:

• What does a therapist do / not do?

• What's the difference between a therapist and a licensed therapist?

• What are some signs you might benefit from seeing a therapist?

• How do you find a good therapist?

• The NICU often leaves parents with PTSD, anxiety, depression and unresolved grief, how can a therapist help?

• Should you do individual or couples therapy?

• If your spouse doesn't want to go, or is reluctant, how do you work through that?

• How often should you go?

• How do you know if therapy is hurting or helping your healing?

• How does someone deal with the stigma from friends or family that sometimes surrounds therapy?

• What's your best advice for someone considering therapy?

Regina Boyd is the Founder of Boyd Counseling Services, a mental health & coaching practice that provides in-person and virtual services for couples and individuals. She works with clients who are experiencing stress, life changes, desire healthy emotional connection, and seek to develop problem solving strategies within their relationships. Regina is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. She is also a featured contributor to the Hallow app, and lives in Orlando, Florida with her husband and their beautiful daughter.

Connect with Regina:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boydcounselingservices

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reginaboydLHMC/

Website: www.reginaboyd.com

The NICU is hard. We’re here to help.

Hand to Hold is a national nonprofit dedicated to providing neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents with personalized emotional support, educational resources and community before, during and after their baby’s NICU stay. NICU support is available at no cost to NICU parents in English and Spanish.

Connect with Hand to Hold:

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handtohold

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handtohold/  

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/NICUHandtoHold

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HandtoHold 

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Thriving Together [Full version] by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10332-thriving-together-full-version

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Bright Colors Of Life by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7855-bright-colors-of-life

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Traveling with a medically-complex child can be stressful, overwhelming and daunting. Christy Wilkens, a mom of six, including a special needs child, shares how her family has conquered plane trips overseas and domestically, as well as road trips with their children in tow.

In this episode, we chat about:

• When did you feel safe and secure enough to embark on travel with a special needs child?

• What things did you do, or specialists did you consult to make you feel that way?

• How do you balance safety for your child with the well-being of your family to travel?

• Airplane or car tips you use to make travel easier?

• For flying, what are things you communicate to the gate agent and flight attendants to ensure a smooth flight?

• What helped make your overseas trip with a special needs child a positive, less stressful experience?

• What are your must-have travel items?

• For those traveling this summer who see a family with a special needs child, is there anything they can do to encourage that family, or something that might be of assistance?

• What’s your best advice to a parent wanting to travel with their medically complex child?

Christy Wilkens is a mom to medically complex kids and a NICU nurse in training. She is the author of Awakening at Lourdes: How an Unanswered Prayer Healed Our Family and Restored Our Faith and writes and speaks about disability, faith, and the power of community. She lives near Austin, Texas with her husband Todd and their six children.

Helpful products:

• Safe Place Travel Bed. Inflatable bed for kids who have outgrown portable cribs. Can use it on top of a bed, but we use it on the floor with a foam mattress topper, or an inflatable mattress pad for airplane trips. Super affordable (by special needs equipment standards). Ours is four years old and going strong.

• Special Tomato EIO Pushchair or Jogger. Foldable stroller with extra positioning support (for kids up to 90 pounds/50 inches).

• CARES Child Aviation Restraint System. Provides additional chest harness to be used in-flight, in addition to the lap belt. Designed for kids 22-44 pounds but can be approved for larger children, with prior FAA notice. (This link includes info about how to get approval, and example letter templates to file your request.)

• Ride Safer Travel Vest. For kids who need mild to moderate support, this wearable child restraint system can take the place of a car seat. Harness connects directly to the car's seat belt and provides additional security.

• Seat Belt Medical Alert. Has a pocket inside to tuck a one-page document offering EMS (or anyone else!) a quick reference about identifying info, diagnoses, medical needs, and providers.

• Medication Organizer. Keeps pills in their original containers which can help smooth things over through TSA security.

Connect with Christy:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/csawilkens

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/faithfulnotsuccessful

Website: https://www.christywilkens.com

Buy her book:

Awakening at Lourdes

The NICU is hard. We’re here to help.

Hand to Hold is a national nonprofit dedicated to providing neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents with personalized emotional support, educational resources and community before, during and after their baby’s NICU stay. NICU support is available at no cost to NICU parents in English and Spanish.

Connect with Hand to Hold:

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handtohold

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handtohold/  

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/NICUHandtoHold

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HandtoHold

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Thriving Together [Full version] by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10332-thriving-together-full-version

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Bright Colors Of Life by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7855-bright-colors-of-life

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Your diagnosis doesn’t have to determine your outcome. As we conclude our four-part series on pre-eclampsia, Parijat Deshpande, a somatic trauma professional, shares how to heal from trauma.

In this episode, we chat about:

• What is a somatic trauma professional and what led you to that profession?

• How does your book, Pregnancy Brain, empower parents, especially those who are high-risk or find themselves in the NICU?

• If a woman finds herself in a high-risk pregnancy, is there anything she can do to minimize the trauma she may endure either during delivery, or post-birth?

• Why are you so passionate about serving the BIPOC community?

• You've said you want pregnant women to know they aren't at the mercy of statistics. Those statistics can often feel overwhelming and limiting to a NICU mom, particularly one who has been diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. How can a mom process those emotions, address them and move forward in her pregnancy?

• If a woman suspects she has pre-eclampsia or is diagnosed with it, what should she be asking her doctor?

• Many women fear a pregnancy post- pre-eclampsia. Two part question: 1) if she chooses not to have another baby, how can she heal from the trauma her first pregnancy may have triggered? and 2) if she chooses to move forward with another pregnancy how does she do it without being debilitated by fear and anxiety?

• What's your best advice to a woman diagnosed with a high-risk pregnancy, like pre-eclampsia?

Parijat Deshpande is an author, speaker and the CEO of a global, boutique company dedicated to reducing pregnancy complications and ending preterm birth. On a mission to end the high-risk pregnancy crisis, she has served and supported hundreds of women through her programs, one-on-one work and bestselling book, Pregnancy Brain: A Mind-Body Approach to Stress Management During a High-Risk Pregnancy.

Buy Parijat’s book:

https://parijatdeshpande.lpages.co/pregnancybrain/

Connect with Parijat:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthy.highriskpregnancy/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParijatDesh/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/parijatdesh

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCS-y3p6DfELaZd3Fp7nYtA

Website: https://www.parijatdeshpande.com/

The NICU is hard. We’re here to help.

Hand to Hold is a national nonprofit dedicated to providing neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents with personalized emotional support, educational resources and community before, during and after their baby’s NICU stay. NICU support is available at no cost to NICU parents in English and Spanish.

Connect with Hand to Hold:

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handtohold

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handtohold/  

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/NICUHandtoHold

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HandtoHold   

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Thriving Together [Full version] by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10332-thriving-together-full-version

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Bright Colors Of Life by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7855-bright-colors-of-life

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

As we continue our four-part series on pre-eclampsia, this couple’s story about infertility, guilt, grief and healing will touch you, particularly NICU dads who often feel unseen in their loss.

In this episode, we chat about:

• Was your pregnancy considered high-risk from the beginning?

• When were you given a preeclampsia diagnosis?

• What do you want people to know about your experience with preeclampsia?

• How do you honor the life of your baby?

• As a couple, what did you learn about your marriage through this experience?

• Steve, what message do you have for NICU dads who might find themselves in a similar situation?

• What's your best advice to a couple who has received a preeclampsia diagnosis or suffered infant loss?

Steve and Kelly Gurvis have been married for 24 years and have three sons: two living and one beautiful angel baby, Liam Anthony. They run their own businesses and stay active honoring Liam in every way possible. Steve and Kelly reside just outside of Chicago.

Resources mentioned:

https://www.mollybears.org

https://faithslodge.org

Connect with Steve and Kelly:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@liamslovedesigns

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelly.gurvis

Website: https://etsy.me/3pALhvZ

The NICU is hard. We’re here to help.

Hand to Hold is a national nonprofit dedicated to providing neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents with personalized emotional support, educational resources and community before, during and after their baby’s NICU stay. NICU support is available at no cost to NICU parents in English and Spanish.

Connect with Hand to Hold:

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handtohold

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handtohold/  

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/NICUHandtoHold

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HandtoHold 

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Thriving Together [Full version] by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10332-thriving-together-full-version

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Bright Colors Of Life by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7855-bright-colors-of-life

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

As we continue our four-part series on pre-eclampsia, this mom’s story of fear, survival and resilience will both empower and encourage you.

In this episode, we chat about:

• Was your pregnancy considered high-risk from the beginning?

• When were you given a pre-eclampsia diagnosis?

• What was your relationship like with your OB/GYN and maternal fetal medicine doctor?

• What do you want people to know about your experience with pre-eclampsia?

• What were some of the challenges you experienced as a mom in the NICU? What about your baby, both in the NICU and beyond?

• What's your best advice to a woman diagnosed with pre-eclampsia?

Dana Adams is currently a Benefits Analyst for the University of California. After the birth of her daughter Kyra, she started a non-profit, 11Eleven45FortyFive. Its mission is to help NICU moms and dads handle any of their disability paperwork which includes but is not limited to calling the doctor’s offices while the parents are tending to the essentials.

Connect with Dana:

Email: [email protected] 

The NICU is hard. We’re here to help.

Hand to Hold is a national nonprofit dedicated to providing neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents with personalized emotional support, educational resources and community before, during and after their baby’s NICU stay. NICU support is available at no cost to NICU parents in English and Spanish.

Connect with Hand to Hold:

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handtohold

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handtohold/  

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/NICUHandtoHold

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HandtoHold

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Thriving Together [Full version] by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10332-thriving-together-full-version

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Bright Colors Of Life by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7855-bright-colors-of-life

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Pre-eclampsia affects more than 200,000 pregnancies every year, just in the US alone. Dr. David Berry, a maternal fetal medicine doctor, helps us kick off the first of a four-part series where we dive into the intricacies of this disease by sharing symptoms, signs and treatment options.

In this episode, we chat about:

• What is pre-eclampsia and how is it diagnosed?

• As a Maternal Fetal Medicine doctor, what percentage of your patients are affected by pre-eclampsia? How does that compare nationally?

• Why do we see more women of color, particularly black women, affected at a higher rate than others?

• In 2022 The New Yorker published a story about the rise of pre-eclampsia cases during and post-COVID. How much of that is due to better testing/diagnostics and how much is it really rising? And what does that mean for moms-to-be?

• What is HELLP syndrome? How difficult is it to accurately diagnose? What should women and their doctors be on the lookout for in the third trimester and after birth?

• What are the treatment options for pre-eclampsia?

• If a woman suspects she has pre-eclampsia or is diagnosed with it, what should she be asking her doctor?

• What's your best advice to a woman diagnosed with pre-eclampsia?

Dr. Berry is a specialist in maternal-fetal medicine, a branch of obstetrics that manages and treats complicated and high-risk pregnancies. He is a native Texan and moved to Austin in 1978. He graduated from the University of Texas followed by his medical training in Galveston, Ft. Worth and Houston. He was the founder of Austin Perinatal Associates in 1997 and has served the women of central Texas with complex pregnancies since that time. He is an expert in pre-eclampsia, critical care obstetrics, cancer in pregnancy and cervical cerclage, and currently is employed under Texas Children’s Hospital as they expand their footprint into central Texas.

New Yorker article:

https://www.newyorker.com/science/annals-of-medicine/why-a-life-threatening-pregnancy-complication-is-on-the-rise

Connect with Dr. Berry:

Website: https://women.texaschildrens.org/program/maternal-fetal-medicine/locations

The NICU is hard. We’re here to help.

Hand to Hold is a national nonprofit dedicated to providing neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents with personalized emotional support, educational resources and community before, during and after their baby’s NICU stay. NICU support is available at no cost to NICU parents in English and Spanish.

Connect with Hand to Hold:

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handtohold

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handtohold/  

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/NICUHandtoHold

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HandtoHold

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Thriving Together [Full version] by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10332-thriving-together-full-version

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Bright Colors Of Life by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7855-bright-colors-of-life

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

It might look like child’s play, but child life specialists work with parents in hospitals and other settings to help children cope with the challenges of illness, hospitalization and disability.

In this episode, we chat about:

• What led her to pursue a career as a child life specialist?

• How do child life specialists serve babies and children in the hospital or in a specialized doctor's office?

• How do you gain confidence and speak up in rounds and with the care team?

• How can you support preemies during painful procedures?

• How can you integrate siblings into long hospitalizations?

• What are some of the activities or strategies a child life specialist might employ with a child and his/her family in the hospital?

• What inspired you to start Child Life on Call and what are some of the features and how can it help NICU parents?

• What's your best advice to a parent who has a child that's struggling with a procedure or pending surgery?

Katie Taylor is the co-founder and CEO of Child Life On Call, a digital platform designed to provide parents, kids, and the care team with access to child life services tools and resources. She is a certified child life specialist with over 12 years of experience working in various pediatric healthcare settings. Katie is the author of the children's book, and has presented on the topics of child life and entrepreneurship, psychosocial care in the hospital, and supporting caregivers in the NICU setting both nationally and internationally. She is also the creator and host of the Child Life On Call Podcast which focuses on the essential role of child life services to empower caregivers at and beyond the bedside.

Resources:

https://childlifeoncall.com/comfort-positioning-guide/

https://childlifeoncall.com/parents/

Connect with Katie:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/childlifeoncall

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/childlifeoncall

Website: https://childlifeoncall.com/

The NICU is hard. We’re here to help.

Hand to Hold is a national nonprofit dedicated to providing neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents with personalized emotional support, educational resources and community before, during and after their baby’s NICU stay. NICU support is available at no cost to NICU parents in English and Spanish.

Connect with Hand to Hold:

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handtohold

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handtohold/  

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/NICUHandtoHold

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HandtoHold   

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Thriving Together [Full version] by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10332-thriving-together-full-version

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Bright Colors Of Life by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7855-bright-colors-of-life

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

The truth is, home and career balance look different for every NICU family. Kelly Ferguson, NICU mom and business owner, shares her honest struggle about finding the right balance for her family in her particular season.

In this episode, we chat about:

• How and why did you start Kelly Wynne handbags?

• After you gave birth to your first daughter, how did you adjust to being a mom and running your own business?

• How did your second birth differ from your first?

• When you found yourself in the NICU, what priorities changed for you?

• What changed for you, professionally, after Faith's NICU stay and subsequent therapies?

• How did you decide what to keep and what to give up with your business and your personal life?

• What things, or people, helped you make that decision?

• What's your best advice to a parent who is trying to discern the best work/life balance for his/her family?

Kelly Wynne Ferguson is a mom, entrepreneur and founder of Kelly Wynne, a lifestyle handbag brand that's been energizing women's wardrobes for the past decade. Following the birth of her second daughter and a subsequent 42-day NICU stay, Kelly made an announcement that she is winding the business down in order to give her family her best self in this season of her life. 

Connect with Kelly:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellywynneferguson

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopkellywynne

Website: https://kellywynne.com/

The NICU is hard. We’re here to help.

Hand to Hold is a national nonprofit dedicated to providing neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents with personalized emotional support, educational resources and community before, during and after their baby’s NICU stay. NICU support is available at no cost to NICU parents in English and Spanish.

Connect with Hand to Hold:

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/handtohold

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handtohold/  

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/NICUHandtoHold

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HandtoHold   

The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Thriving Together [Full version] by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/10332-thriving-together-full-version

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Music: Bright Colors Of Life by MusicLFiles

Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7855-bright-colors-of-life

License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license