Dear NICU Mama

Welcome to Episode 2 of our Baby Showers Mini Series!

This week, we’re diving into the experience of attending a baby shower while your baby is in the NICU—a reality that many NICU moms never expected to face.

For some, baby showers are filled with excitement and joy. But for those navigating a NICU journey, they can bring complex emotions, unexpected grief, and even difficult decisions about whether to attend, postpone, or celebrate in a different way. In this roundtable conversation, hosts Ashley and Aisha sit down with Dear NICU Mama team members Lindsay and Kirsten to share their personal experiences of having a baby shower while their babies were in the NICU due to premature deliveries.

Together, they open up about:
 • The emotional toll of attending a shower while your baby is in the NICU
 • Navigating well-meaning but difficult questions from guests
 • Allowing yourself to grieve the baby shower you envisioned while also embracing gratitude for the one that became part of your story
 • Words of encouragement for NICU moms making these tough decisions

No matter where you are in your healing journey—whether you're grieving the shower you longed for or finding gratitude in the one that became part of your story—you are not alone, NICU mama. Stay tuned for the next episode in this series!
 

Resources & Links:
Baby Showers Mini Series Ep 1

To get connected with Dear NICU Mama:
Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

To Give to the Mission of Dear NICU Mama: dearnicumama.com/give

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Welcome to Episode 1 of our Baby Showers Mini Series! This week, we are diving into the emotional side of planning (or not planning) a baby shower while navigating a high-risk pregnancy.

For many, baby showers are a moment of joy and celebration—but for NICU moms and those with high-risk pregnancies, they can bring complex emotions, uncertainty, and grief. In this roundtable conversation, hosts Ashley and Aisha sit down with returning guests Jamie and Kamille to discuss their personal experiences and the unique challenges they faced when it came to planning, or now planning, their own baby showers after their pregnancies became high-risk.

Together, they open up about:
 • Balancing hope and fear when planning a shower
 • The grief of missing out on traditional celebrations
 • Protecting your heart while making space for joy
 • Words of encouragement for NICU moms and high-risk pregnancy parents

If you’ve ever felt conflicted about celebrating your baby in the midst of medical uncertainty, this episode is for you. You are not alone, NICU mama. Stay tuned for the next episode in this series!

Resources & Links:
Jamie’s Podcast Episode | Kamille’s Podcast Episode
To get connected with Dear NICU Mama:
Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram
To Give to the Mission of Dear NICU Mama: dearnicumama.com/give

Support the show

In this week’s special teaser episode, Ashley and Aisha introduce an exciting new mini-series all about baby showers—a topic that brings up a mix of emotions for many NICU moms. Whether you’ve attended a shower after a traumatic birth, celebrated while your baby was still in the NICU, or never had one at all, this series will explore the deeply personal and varied experiences of baby showers in the NICU community.

Ashley and Aisha share their own stories, reflect on the complexities of navigating baby showers after a NICU stay, and discuss how this milestone can bring both joy and grief. The series will include roundtable discussions with other NICU moms and insights from a specialist on how to prepare your heart for attending (or hosting) a baby shower post-NICU.

Plus, they introduce an exciting idea: a live podcast event where the Dear NICU Mama community can come together in real-time!

Stay tuned for the first episode in this heartfelt series, and be sure to connect with us on Instagram or our private Facebook group to share your thoughts and experiences.

Have ideas or topics you'd like us to cover? Email us at [email protected]

To get connected with Dear NICU Mama:
Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

To Give to the Mission of Dear NICU Mama: dearnicumama.com/give

Support the show

In this episode, we sit down with NICU mom and Joy of Creative Play founder, Lauren, as she shares her extraordinary story of navigating a high-risk pregnancy, in-utero procedures, and the overwhelming uncertainty of a rare diagnosis. Lauren opens up about the realities of facing the unknown, the power of advocating for her daughter’s care, and the unexpected ways joy and hope showed up along the way.

She also reflects on the challenges of bonding after a traumatic birth, the emotional toll of the NICU journey, and how her experience inspired her to create resources that bring connection and creativity into everyday moments with children.

For any NICU mom who has ever felt lost in the uncertainty of the journey, Lauren’s story is a powerful reminder that your voice matters, your presence is enough, and you are never alone.

To get connected with Lauren: Instagram

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

Support the show

Happy Valentines Day, NICU mamas! In this episode, we are honored to welcome Ashton, a well-known Enneagram expert, content creator, and fellow NICU mama, as she shares her unexpected journey into the NICU.

Ashton’s pregnancy with her second child, Evans, seemed routine, until an unexpected bleed at 33 weeks changed everything. What started as a quick check-in at the hospital turned into an urgent C-section, leaving Ashton to process the whirlwind of emotions that followed. She opens up about the shock of an early delivery, the challenges of navigating life with a toddler at home while her newborn remained in the NICU, and the emotional weight of not having clear answers about why her pregnancy took this sudden turn.

She vulnerably shares about Evans’ NICU stay, the highs and lows of his breathing struggles, and the unexpected complexities of having a "big" NICU baby. Ashton also reflects on the realities of healing, both physically and emotionally, after a premature birth, how relationships shifted in the wake of trauma, and the importance of asking for help.

As you listen to Ashton’s story, we hope that other NICU moms, especially those navigating the dual role of caring for a baby in the NICU while balancing life at home, feel seen, validated, and reminded that you are never alone.

Also, we’re so excited to celebrate Giving Hearts Day this week! This 24-hour day of radical generosity is a vital fundraiser that helps fuel the work of Dear NICU Mama, allowing us to continue offering support groups, outreach initiatives, and resources for NICU mothers. If you’d like to support our mission, visit dearnicumama.com/give to make a donation. Every gift, no matter the size, helps us reach more NICU moms with hope and community!

To get connected with Ashton: Website | Instagram | Free Enneagram Guide

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

Support the show

We are excited to be back on the podcast with this sisterhood! To kick off our return, we are honored to share Jamie's story.

Jamie, a labor and delivery nurse, never expected to find herself on the other side of care, but at 20 weeks, unexpected complications changed everything. She opens up about the emotional toll of bed rest, the moment she realized she wouldn’t be leaving the hospital until her daughter was born, and the heartbreaking reality of delivering at just 26 weeks.

Jamie vulnerably reflects on the highs and lows of their NICU experience, from hearing her daughter’s heartbeat slow on the monitor to facing diagnoses like IUGR, a PDA, and a grade three brain bleed. She shares how she found strength in her faith, family, and the unwavering love for her daughter, Nala, as they navigated the unknowns of prematurity and long hospital stays.

As you listen to Jamie’s story, we hope that other NICU moms, especially those facing high-risk pregnancies and early deliveries, feel seen, supported, and reminded that you are never alone.

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

Support the show

The holiday season is often filled with joy, but for families in the NICU, it can also bring a unique set of challenges and emotions. In this roundtable episode, Aisha is joined by fellow NICU moms Kamille and Taylor, who share their experiences of spending the holidays in the NICU with their babies!

Together, they share what it’s like to navigate the holiday season while balancing the realities of a NICU stay, the grief of missing milestones, and the beauty of creating meaningful moments even in difficult circumstances. Kamille and Taylor reflect on the moments of joy and heartache they experienced, how they honored their emotions, and the traditions they’ve carried forward to celebrate their NICU journeys today.

Whether you are spending this holiday season in the NICU or processing memories of past holidays spent there, we hope this episode reminds you that your feelings are valid and that you are never alone.

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

Support the show

In this episode, we sit down with Rachell Dumas, founder of A Light After Nine, to hear her journey through loss, resilience, and advocacy. Rachell shares her experiences of multiple pregnancy losses, advocating for herself and her babies, and finally welcoming her son after an incredibly challenging journey. She opens up vulnerably about her path to bonding with her son and offers encouragement to other NICU moms who didn’t or don’t feel an immediate bond with their babies.

We also explore medical advocacy, the complexities of bonding after loss or a NICU experience, and the power of support and community. Through her nonprofit, A Light After Nine, Rachell provides resources, mentorship, and advocacy to moms facing similar challenges!

We hope this episode reminds you that no matter where you are on your healing journey, you are seen and loved.

To get connected with A Light After Nine:
Website | Instagram

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

Support the show

We are excited to be back after the Thanksgiving break! On today’s episode, we have the opportunity to hear Serenity’s NICU journey with her daughter Amirah. Serenity opens up about her unexpected high-risk pregnancy and her daughter Amirah’s premature birth at 25 weeks.

Through her story, she reflects on the challenges of balancing life as a NICU mom and a full-time student, the difficult decisions she faced along the way, and the moments of hope and healing that have shaped her into the fierce advocate and loving mother she is today.

Now thriving as a social work graduate, Serenity shares her passion for advocating for Black maternal health and how her NICU journey has fueled her mission to support mothers and families. We also discuss the recent Bundle Up Commute Kits project we collaborated on to provide practical support for rural NICU families during harsh winters!

To get connected with DNM:

Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

Support the show

This week’s podcast episode is a replay of an episode from season 3 with Natalie Reiter of 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 a very gentle Thanksgiving. We will be back first week of December!

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Oh, boundaries. We all know we need them, but setting and defining them can feel really complicated! Especially when we are setting boundaries with the people we love most in our lives.

As we approach another holiday, we wanted to sure to have an open and honest conversation about boundaries that not only offers insight into what healthy boundaries can look like, but also offers helpful tools on how to implement these boundaries. We couldn't think of a better guest and teacher to have share about this on our podcast than the one and only Natalie Reiter with Prairieland Counseling!

In this episode we cover:

• What a healthy boundary is and how do define what a healthy boundary is for your family
• How to define and set these boundaries with loved ones without damaging the relationship
• How to navigate boundaries when your partner's boundaries may differ
• Conversational examples of how to verbally have the discussion about boundaries with family and close friends

Whether you are new to setting boundaries or have been doing this for years, we hope that this podcast affirms you and gives you courage as you define what a healthy boundary is for your family!

Natalie specializes in reproductive mental health which includes peri-natal, post-partum, infertility, infant loss, paternal mental health, and the impact on couples. She has received specialized training in perinatal and post-partum mental health from Postpartum Support International, and was recently selected as the 2019 Outstanding Mental Health Counselor by the North Dakota Mental Health Counseling Association for my work with reproductive mental health. Her work as a child birth educator and her two children have sparked her passion of working with reproductive mental health!

To get connected with Natalie:
Website | Instagram | Facebook

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

Support the show