Empowering NICU Parents' Podcast

What if you could be incredibly grateful for how far your child has come, yet still struggle with everything it took to get there? Or find tremendous joy and fulfillment in caring for NICU babies and their families, while acknowledging that some days are emotionally and physically exhausting? And what if the emotions we rarely talk about are the very ones so many of us share? Two things can be true at the same time. And perhaps it's time we talked about them.

In this special NICU Awareness Month episode, Nicole gets personal, sharing her perspective as both a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner and the mom of a former 23-week preemie who is now twelve years old.

From the unexpected emotions that surface years after leaving the NICU to the complicated realities of parental presence, the bittersweet experience of discharge, and the emotional demands of caring for our tiniest patients, this episode explores the things NICU parents and clinicians often feel but don't always say out loud.

And for the friends and family members of NICU parents, there's an especially important message: A happy ending doesn't erase a difficult beginning.

Whether you're currently navigating the NICU, reflecting on an experience from years ago, caring for NICU families, or simply trying to better understand someone you love, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.Because sometimes, the greatest gift we can give someone is understanding that two things can be true at the same time. 💚

Dr. Brown’s Medical: https://www.drbrownsmedical.com   The Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program: https://www.infantdrivenfeeding.com/
 
Our NICU Roadmap: A Comprehensive NICU Journal: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicujournal/  

NICU Mama Hats: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/hats/  

NICU Milestone Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicuproducts/  

Newborn Holiday Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/  

Empowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shownotes/  

Episode 83 Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode83  

Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/

Empowering NICU Parents FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents  

Pinterest Page: https://pin.it/36MJjmH

Thank you for listening to the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review—it helps other families find us. We’re grateful to be part of this incredible community. Visit www.empoweringnicuparents.com for resources and support.

What if one of the greatest gifts we can give a baby in the NICU isn't something we give to the baby at all—but something we give to their parents?

In this episode of the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast, host Nicole Nyberg, MSN, APRN, NNP-BC, is joined by Lisa Kleinz, MA, CCC-SLP, Director of Education at Dr. Brown's Medical, and former NICU parent Liz Barker for an inspiring conversation about the Infant-Driven Feeding® (IDF) Program and how it transforms the NICU experience for babies, families, and care teams.

While feeding is at the center of the discussion, this episode is about so much more than breastfeeding or bottles. Lisa explains how the Infant-Driven Feeding® Program is an evidence-based, family-centered developmental care approach that teaches parents and clinicians to recognize and respond to each baby's unique cues, creating positive feeding experiences while promoting safer feeding practices, stronger parent-infant relationships, and improved outcomes.

Liz shares the remarkable story of her daughter, Lucy, who was born at just 28 weeks' gestation. She candidly discusses the fear, guilt, and uncertainty she experienced as a NICU parent, and how one nurse's intentional teaching—supported by a family-centered unit culture—helped her move from feeling like an observer to becoming an active, confident caregiver. By learning Lucy's cues, participating in her care from the very beginning, and focusing on positive feeding experiences rather than volume alone, Liz not only gained confidence as a parent but also went on to exclusively breastfeed Lucy after her discharge from the NICU until she was two years old.

Together, Nicole, Lisa, and Liz explore why intentionally educating and including parents from day one is one of the most powerful interventions in neonatal care—and why empowering parents ultimately benefits babies for a lifetime.

In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why the Infant-Driven Feeding® Program is about much more than feeding
• How cue-based, developmental care creates safer feeding experiences
• The importance of intentionally educating and empowering NICU parents
• Why a shared Infant-Driven Feeding® Program language creates consistency, trust, and parent confidence
• Why positive feeding experiences matter more than volume alone
• The evidence behind family-centered, cue-based feeding—including improved breastfeeding outcomes, greater parent confidence, and positive developmental outcomes
• One family's inspiring journey from uncertainty to confidence

This episode is sponsored by Dr. Brown's Medical, whose Infant-Driven Feeding® Program is helping NICUs create positive feeding experiences by partnering with families, following each baby's cues, and supporting evidence-based, family-centered developmental care from hospital to home.

Dr. Brown’s Medical: https://www.drbrownsmedical.com  

The Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program: https://www.infantdrivenfeeding.com/
 
Our NICU Roadmap: A Comprehensive NICU Journal: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicujournal/  

NICU Mama Hats: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/hats/  

NICU Milestone Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicuproducts/  

Newborn Holiday Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/  

Empowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shownotes/  

Episode 82 Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode82  

Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/ 

Empowering NICU Parents FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents  

Pinterest Page: https://pin.it/36MJjmH

Thank you for listening to the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review—it helps other families find us. We’re grateful to be part of this incredible community. Visit www.empoweringnicuparents.com for resources and support.

The Presence Study Toolkit is here—and it's more than a resource. It's a roadmap for transforming family-centered care in the NICU.

In this episode of the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast, Nicole Nyberg is joined by Fabiana Bacchini, Executive Director of the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation and internationally recognized family advocate, to share the remarkable story behind the Presence Study Toolkit.

Together, they discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic inspired the groundbreaking Presence Study, why its findings remain just as relevant today, and how a collaborative team of clinicians, researchers, and parent advocates transformed those recommendations into a practical implementation guide for NICUs around the world.

As two of the lead authors of the toolkit, Nicole and Fabiana take listeners behind the scenes of its development, sharing the passion, purpose, and collaboration that brought it to life. They also explore simple, practical ways NICUs can begin implementing meaningful change—one chapter, one recommendation, and one small step at a time.

Whether you're a NICU parent, nurse, physician, therapist, educator, quality improvement leader, or hospital administrator, this conversation will inspire you to rethink what family-centered care truly means and how small changes can have a lasting impact on babies and families.

In this episode, you'll learn:
• The story behind the Presence Study and why it still matters today.
• How the Presence Study Toolkit bridges the gap between research and practice.
• Why parents are essential caregivers—not visitors.
• Practical ways to begin creating meaningful, sustainable culture change in your NICU.
• The importance of remembering the why behind family-centered care.

🎧 Download the free Presence Study Toolkit on the Family-Centered Care Task Force website using the link in the show notes, and join us in helping create a future where every NICU family is informed, involved, and supported.

Dr. Brown’s Medical: https://www.drbrownsmedical.com  

The Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program: https://www.infantdrivenfeeding.com/
 
Our NICU Roadmap: A Comprehensive NICU Journal: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicujournal/  

NICU Mama Hats: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/hats/  

NICU Milestone Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicuproducts/  

Newborn Holiday Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/  

Empowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shownotes/  

Episode 81 Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode81  

Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/  

Empowering NICU Parents FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents  

Pinterest Page: https://pin.it/36MJjmH

Thank you for listening to the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review—it helps other families find us. We’re grateful to be part of this incredible community. Visit www.empoweringnicuparents.com for resources and support.

Beyond the NICU: How Small Moments Shape a Developing Brain
How early experiences and neuroprotective care shape brain development and long-term outcomes

What happens in the NICU does not end at discharge. In this episode, we take a deeper look at the lasting impact of NICU care and how early experiences shape a child’s brain development and long-term outcomes. While many are familiar with the major complications of prematurity, we explore the often less visible—and frequently underestimated—effects sometimes referred to as “minor" or co- morbidities, and why there is nothing minor about their impact.

We discuss how the premature brain is still developing, how stress and the NICU environment influence that development, and what happens when the stress response system develops under stress. More importantly, we walk through tangible, practical ways—core measures drawn from established models and frameworks—that support neuroprotective, family-centered, and developmentally supportive care in the NICU.

This episode is for both NICU parents and clinicians. If you are a current NICU parent, you’ll learn ways you can actively support your baby and feel more confident in your role. If your child is a NICU graduate, this episode may help explain some of the experiences and challenges you’ve seen—and remind you that you are not alone. And for clinicians, this is a powerful reminder of the impact you have every single day, and how small, intentional choices can shape the trajectory of a child’s life.

Because NICU care is not just about survival. It’s about how we help these children grow, develop, and thrive long after they go home.

Dr. Brown’s Medical: https://www.drbrownsmedical.com  

The Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program: https://www.infantdrivenfeeding.com/
 
Our NICU Roadmap: A Comprehensive NICU Journal: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicujournal/  

NICU Mama Hats: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/hats/  

NICU Milestone Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicuproducts/  

Newborn Holiday Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/  

Empowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shownotes/  

Episode 80 Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode80  

Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/  

Empowering NICU Parents FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents  

Pinterest Page: https://pin.it/36MJjmH

Thank you for listening to the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review—it helps other families find us. We’re grateful to be part of this incredible community. Visit www.empoweringnicuparents.com for resources and support.

In this episode, the roles are reversed. Nicole Nyberg steps out from behind the microphone and into the guest seat as she joins Martha Sharkey on the NICU Today Podcast to share the story behind Empowering NICU Parents — and the why that continues to guide her work.

What begins as a conversation about Nicole’s journey into nursing and the NICU evolves into a deeply personal reflection on what happens when professional knowledge meets lived experience. As a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Nicole believed she truly understood most things about the NICU — until her son, William, was born extremely premature and she found herself on the other side of the isolette.

In this honest and reflective conversation, Nicole shares what it was like to navigate the NICU as both a provider and a parent, how that experience reshaped her personally and professionally, and what she came to truly understand about the emotional weight families carry during a NICU stay.

This episode explores why family-centered care, parental presence, and meaningful parent education are not optional add-ons, but essential components of care that impact healing, confidence, and long-term outcomes for both babies and families.

Whether you are a NICU parent, a clinician, or someone walking alongside families during one of the most vulnerable seasons of their lives, this episode offers perspective, validation, and a powerful reminder that parents matter — and their presence belongs at the bedside.

Dr. Brown’s Medical: https://www.drbrownsmedical.com  

The Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program: https://www.infantdrivenfeeding.com/

Our NICU Roadmap: A Comprehensive NICU Journal: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicujournal/  

NICU Mama Hats: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/hats/  

NICU Milestone Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicuproducts/  

Newborn Holiday Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/  

Empowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shownotes/  

Episode 79 Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode79  

Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/  

Empowering NICU Parents FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents  

Pinterest Page: https://pin.it/36MJjmH

Thank you for listening to the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review—it helps other families find us. We’re grateful to be part of this incredible community. Visit www.empoweringnicuparents.com for resources and support.

An unexpected delivery at 23 weeks turned Martha Sharkey into a NICU parent overnight when her identical twin daughters were born far too soon. What followed was a journey through extreme prematurity, devastating loss, and the long road of uncertainty that reshaped her family forever.

In this deeply moving episode, Martha shares key takeaways from their NICU journey and from building Today Is a Good Day, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting NICU families. This conversation reflects on twins, grief, resilience, and how lived experience can grow into a mission to ensure not one single NICU parent walks alone.

Dr. Brown’s Medical: https://www.drbrownsmedical.com  

The Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program: https://www.infantdrivenfeeding.com/

Solly Baby: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/

Our NICU Roadmap: A Comprehensive NICU Journal: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicujournal/  

NICU Mama Hats: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/hats/  

NICU Milestone Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicuproducts/  

Newborn Holiday Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/  

Empowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shownotes/  

Episode 78 Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode78  

Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/  

Empowering NICU Parents FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents  

Pinterest Page: https://pin.it/36MJjmH

Thank you for listening to the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review—it helps other families find us. We’re grateful to be part of this incredible community. Visit www.empoweringnicuparents.com for resources and support.

Premature infants are incredibly resilient—but their journey can involve long-term health, developmental, and behavioral challenges that many parents aren’t told about. This episode explores these realities in depth, from respiratory and neurological risks to sensory and emotional impacts, along with the lasting effects the NICU can have on families. It’s a compassionate, empowering look at what life after the NICU truly means.

Dr. Brown’s Medical: https://www.drbrownsmedical.com  

The Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program: https://www.infantdrivenfeeding.com/
 
Our NICU Roadmap: A Comprehensive NICU Journal: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicujournal/  

NICU Mama Hats: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/hats/  

NICU Milestone Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicuproducts/  

Newborn Holiday Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/  

Empowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shownotes/  

Episode 77 Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode77  

Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/  

Empowering NICU Parents FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents  

Pinterest Page: https://pin.it/36MJjmH

Thank you for listening to the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review—it helps other families find us. We’re grateful to be part of this incredible community. Visit www.empoweringnicuparents.com for resources and support.

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month — a time to remember and honor the babies gone too soon and the families who carry their memory every day.

The loss of a child changes everything — the world feels darker, and healing can feel impossible. But with time, love, and support, light begins to return. In this moving episode, Nicole sits down with her dear friend and fellow Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Jamie Summers, whose journey through the loss of her daughter, Peyton, led her to help lift up other parents who have endured loss or are grieving — bringing light back into their eyes through her beautiful Wave of Light tribute.

What began as a simple act of remembrance for Peyton has blossomed into a radiant event that now honors more than 2,000 babies each year on Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. Together, Nicole and Jamie talk about the power of community, the beauty of hearing your baby’s name spoken aloud, and the ways we can all bring light to those walking through grief.

Whether you’ve experienced loss yourself or want to better understand how to support others, this episode will touch your heart and remind you that love continues — even after loss.

Dr. Brown’s Medical: https://www.drbrownsmedical.com  

The Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program: https://www.infantdrivenfeeding.com/
 
Our NICU Roadmap: A Comprehensive NICU Journal: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicujournal/  

NICU Mama Hats: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/hats/  

NICU Milestone Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicuproducts/  

Newborn Holiday Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/   

mpowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shownotes/  

Episode 76 Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode76  

Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/  

Empowering NICU Parents FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents  

Pinterest Page: https://pin.it/36MJjmH

Thank you for listening to the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review—it helps other families find us. We’re grateful to be part of this incredible community. Visit www.empoweringnicuparents.com for resources and support.

Born at 21 0/7 weeks’ gestation, Nash Keen is recognized as the youngest infant ever to survive. In this powerful follow-up to Episode 74, where his mother, Mollie, shared their family’s journey, listeners now hear from two of the neonatologists who cared for Nash at the University of Iowa’s Stead Family Children’s Hospital—Dr. Patrick McNamara and Dr. Amy Stanford.

The conversation explores what first inspired them to pursue neonatology, how the culture and belief within the walls of the NICU at the University of Iowa shape outcomes, and why their “small baby” program has become a model of consistency, teamwork, and hope. They reflect on the challenges Nash faced in his earliest days, the role of hemodynamics in guiding his care, and the profound meaning of seeing babies like Nash go home after months of critical illness.

This episode is a tribute not only to Nash and his courageous family but also to the dedicated NICU teams whose relentless commitment continues to redefine what’s possible for the tiniest and most fragile infants.

Dr. Brown’s Medical: https://www.drbrownsmedical.com  

The Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program: https://www.infantdrivenfeeding.com/
 
Our NICU Roadmap: A Comprehensive NICU Journal: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicujournal/  

NICU Mama Hats: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/hats/  

NICU Milestone Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicuproducts/  

Newborn Holiday Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/  

Empowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shownotes/  

Episode 75 Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode75  

Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/
 
Empowering NICU Parents FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents  

Pinterest Page: https://pin.it/36MJjmH

Thank you for listening to the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review—it helps other families find us. We’re grateful to be part of this incredible community. Visit www.empoweringnicuparents.com for resources and support.

Born at just 21 0/7 weeks and weighing only 285 grams, Nash Keen entered the world with odds that were essentially nonexistent. Yet from his very first breath, he showed a will to live that defied every expectation.

Refusing to give up on their son, Mollie Keen and her husband, Randall, made a life-changing decision to transfer to University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital—where an extraordinary team, rooted in a steadfast belief and culture of giving infants at his gestation a chance at life, stood ready to fight alongside them.

What followed was nothing short of remarkable. Against relentless setbacks, fragile moments, and months of intensive care, Nash’s determination only grew stronger. Mollie watched in awe as her tiny son—born smaller than a can of soda—met every challenge with quiet, unwavering strength. Today, Nash has been officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the most premature baby to survive.

In this special episode for NICU Awareness Month, Nicole Nyberg sits down with Mollie as she shares their family’s extraordinary journey—the heartbreak that came before, the terrifying and traumatic moments in the NICU, the small but mighty victories, and the resilience that continues to inspire everyone who meets him. This is more than a story about survival—it’s a powerful testament to hope, love, and the belief that even the smallest beginnings can rise into something extraordinary.

Dr. Brown’s Medical: https://www.drbrownsmedical.com  

The Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program: https://www.infantdrivenfeeding.com/
 
Our NICU Roadmap: A Comprehensive NICU Journal: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicujournal/  

NICU Mama Hats: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/hats/  

NICU Milestone Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicuproducts/  

Newborn Holiday Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/  

Empowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shownotes/  

Episode 74 Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode74  

Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/  

Empowering NICU Parents FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents  

Pinterest Page: https://pin.it/36MJjmH

Thank you for listening to the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review—it helps other families find us. We’re grateful to be part of this incredible community. Visit www.empoweringnicuparents.com for resources and support.