Dear NICU Mama

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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 NICU journey and also what it was like for Tiffany to split her time between both girls and her son at home. After 129 days in the NICU, Finley graduated from the NICU and came home on low flow oxygen. Because of some significant reflux, the transition home was difficult for Finely and Tiffany shares openly about how she not only advocated for her daughter’s pediatric care, but also how she began to build her bond with Finley.

We hope this episode affirms that there is no shame for not feeling an instant bond with your baby.  There is nothing wrong with you. <3

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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 for NICU mothers and women who have experienced trauma throughout their family building journey, exercise isn’t always that simple.

In this episode we cover:

• Why might exercise trigger a trauma response in our bodies?
• Why might “getting our body back” not be as simple for NICU mothers?
• When might a mama know that a form of exercise isn’t quite right or isn’t honoring her body’s stored trauma?
• What are some gentle forms of exercise that a mama could start with that would nourish her body if she is longing to take care of herself?

We hope this episode affirms the mamas in our sisterhood that your body is on your side. Most importantly? You are worthy and loved just as you are.

Parijat Deshpande is the leading integrative high-risk pregnancy specialist, somatic trauma professional and speaker and author who guides women to improve their pregnancy complications so they can reduce their risk of preterm birth. Her unique neurobiological approach has served hundreds of women to manage pregnancy complications and reclaim a safety and trust in their bodies that they thought was eroded forever. Parijat is the author of bestselling book Pregnancy Brain: A Mind-Body Approach to Stress Management During a High-Risk Pregnancy. She is also the host of the popular podcast Delivering Miracles®️, that discusses the real, raw side of family-building including infertility, loss, high-risk pregnancy, bed rest, prematurity and healing once baby comes home.

To get connected with Parijat Deshpande:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Delivering Miracles® Podcast

Parijat's Book, Pregnancy Brain - Available on Kindle and paperback on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. - https://parijatdeshpande.lpages.co/pregnancybrain/

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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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 | Martha Part 2

To listen to Ashley’s NICU journey:

S2 EP 18 | Ashley | A High-Risk Pregnancy & Silas’ NICU Journey

To listen to the physical therapist interview mentioned in the episode:

S3 EP 08 | Sex After NICU and/or Birth Trauma Part 2 with Jill Ehrmantraut

To get connected with DNM:
 Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

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

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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 this episode we not only have the opportunity to hear about how far we have come in how we advocate for mother to baby bonding, but Janet also shares about how she honors and remembers Kevin today, who Kelly has become and how he is thriving with a family of his own, and she offers words of love to the Angel loss mamas in our sisterhood.

** This episode does cover infant loss, and if that may be a trigger for you, we ask that you listen to this episode in an environment that you feel safe and/or at a time when you feel ready.

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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 history with preeclampsia, her pregnancy was high-risk from the start and she was monitored very closely throughout. Luke was born at 36 weeks + 4 days weighing 5lbs 12 oz due to severe preeclampsia as well, but he did not have a NICU stay. He is healthy and home soaking up all of the love from his sister!

Throughout this episode Lexxa share openly and honestly about how she advocated throughout Ali’s NICU stay and during both of her pregnancies, as well as what it was like to be pregnant again after having a preemie in the NICU. We hope that this episode affirms that mama trust your mom gut because you know your baby best!

To get connected with DNM:
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For this week’s episode, we are sharing a liturgy that Kayla Craig wrote specifically for NICU families back in October of 2020! For the mamas in our sisterhood that observe Easter and/or have a faith in Jesus, we wanted to offer this liturgy again to you.

Whether you are in or out of the NICU, you are never ever alone.

To listen to the episode we recorded with her about honest faith, you can listen here! 

Kayla Craigis a writer and podcast producer who believes in the power of story. She writes modern prayers for moms and dads at Liturgies for Parents and her book is forthcoming with Tyndale in 2021. Kayla co-founded and hosts Upside Down Podcast, a place for conversations on faith and justice. 

Kayla loves deep mugs of coffee, deeper belly laughs, and even deeper questions. She and her pastor-husband Jonny live in Iowa, where they’re raising four young kids who joined their family via birth and adoption. She has two fluffy dogs and spends too much time on Instagram.

Her most recent published essays are in This Is Motherhood: A Motherly Collection of Reflections + Practices and Rally: Litanies for the Lovers of Jesus and Justice and her new book is now available for pre-order!

To get connected with DNM:

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On this week’s episode we have the opportunity to have a conversation with the one and only Anese of The Breakthrough Mama! Not only is she a licensed maternal mental health specialist, but she is also a NICU mama herself who has dedicated her practice to serving and empowering high-risk pregnancy mamas and NICU mamas. Because safety and feeling grounded are necessary to begin the process of healing, this episode is dedicated to the topic of establishing safety within our bodies.

In this episode we cover:

• What are some ways that trauma can reveal itself in the body, and how can we listen to what our bodies are telling us?
• What does it mean to be grounded and how can we do this when we are feeling triggered or unsafe?
• What does it feel like to feel safe in the body? What does it feel like to not feel safe in the body? What is one way a mom can find safety in her body?
• How can a NICU mom seeking out therapy advocate and find a qualified provider in her area that is willing to do the hard inner work?

We hope this episode reminds you that you are not alone and also gently reminds you that just because something is common, doesn’t mean it has to be your standard. You are worthy of the time and investment it takes to heal.

Anese Barnett is a veteran NICU mama to a now rambunctious toddler who is the inspiration for her work and research. She is a perinatal mental health therapist and clinical psychology doctoral student who is passionate about improving mommy's mental health, especially for those experiencing high-risk pregnancy and the NICU. Anese uses her personal and professional experiences to help NICU mamas and women with high-risk pregnancy find the healing, peace, and joy they deserve. Her dream is to see every NICU in this country equipped with the necessary psychological resources to help parents journey through the unexpected. 

To get connected with Anese:
 Website | Instagram

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.

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

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On this week’s podcast episode, we have the opportunity to talk with Sally! Not only is Sally a mama to a fabulous toddler, but she also gave birth to quadruplets who spent a total of 7 weeks in the NICU. Throughout the episode we hear about her infertility journey with their firstborn, what her pregnancy, delivery, and NICU journey was like with the quads, and what life at home looks like for them today. We hope Sally’s joyful personality brings you joy wherever you are listening today!

To listen to Taylor’s episode mentioned in the episode, click here!

To listen to Kristi’s episode mentioned in the episode, click here for part 1 and here for part 2!

To get connected with Sally:
Fargo Quads Blog

To get connected with DNM:
 Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

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This week's episode is a very special episode! Not only do we have our beloved team member Vilma as a guest guest co-host, but this is also a Mamas Call In episode! At the end of this episode you will have the opportunity to hear from a couple of amazing NICU mamas on how they have grown throughout this past pandemic year.

We asked Vilma to share in this episode because as a NICU mama of a medically complex child, her and her family found themselves not only navigating the unknown waters of the pandemic, but also navigating how to protect their son. She shares openly and honestly about the triggers she faced, how they navigated therapies and appointments moving virtual, and also how this year also gave their family an opportunity to heal.

As we reflect on one year of this pandemic, we want to affirm again just how brave and courageous you are. This year has tested many of us in ways we could have never imagined or prepared for, and we are so very proud of this sisterhood for getting through it. Even in extreme measures of isolation - know that mama you are never alone.

To hear part 1 of Vilma's NICU journey:
S2 EP 09 | Vilma

To listen to Parijat Deshpande's interview mentioned in the episode:
S2 EP 03 | NICU Trauma in the Time of COVID-10 with Parijat Deshpande

To get connected with DNM:
Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/dearnicumama)

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

Support the show