The NICU is an overwhelming, scary place that feels like a world away from the rest of the world. Whether you're expecting to spend time in the NICU or it came as a surprise, it takes time to adjust to the pace and the life of the parenting in the NICU. On this episode, I share some of the items that were essential for me to keep my sanity and help me through our 109 day NICU stay. Plus, I share with you ideas for gifts to give loved ones who have a baby in the NICU.

96:  Essential Gifts for NICU Parents

Parijat Deshpande, high-risk pregnancy expert, clinically trained therapist and former high-risk mom, explores the real, raw side of family building. From getting infertility, high-risk pregnancy, bed rest and prematurity to healing after baby comes home, the Delivering Miracles® Podcast with Parijat is an entertaining, inspirational, informative show that gives you the tools to have a healthy pregnancy so you can give your baby a strong start to life.

Alternative Health

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Medicine

Science & Medicine

Health & Fitness

With the technology boom, patients and clients now have access to the same information as medical professionals. As beneficial as technology can be, the drawback is that we find conflicting messages that don’t help us when we are scared and overwhelmed with caring for our child. Join me for this final episode of the Delivering Miracles podcast as we discuss stress, the nervous system, and the necessity of rest and repair.    Show Highlights:    A quote on social media about stress and infertility--and why it makes my blood boil [4:50] Stress is a set of physiological chain reactions when your brain and nervous system perceive a threat [8:20] We are far more stressed out than our ancestors were, and we stay in survival mode without opportunities for the necessary rest and repair [14:05] The whole point of the body’s stress response system is to keep you alive [18:50] Stress doesn’t cause infertility, but it is a huge piece of the puzzle [28:11] Delivering Miracles, Episode 1, began with The Power of Fear [31:51] I want to end the podcast by emphasizing The Power of YOU [32:38] When we get in rest and repair mode, our body starts to work again [35:07] This is not goodbye; there is still much work to be done in spreading the message to empower and inspire women! [39:11] Final words of hope: “The very body that feels broken is the very body that holds the key to the power of your health and healing. It’s right there. Reach out and claim it.” [44:24]    Resources:   www.parijetdeshpande.com/deliveringmiracles     Work With Me: http://bit.ly/wwmdmep136   Modern Approach to Grief & Trauma Release Free Webinar http://bit.ly/modappweb   Why Nervous System Regulation is Essential for Optimal Pregnancy and Postpartum Health: http://bit.ly/dmep134   The Power of Fear: http://bit.ly/dmep001

137: The Power of You - The Final Episode

Statistics show that approximately 6% of women experience anxiety during pregnancy, but I suspect that the percentage is actually much higher than that. This episode covers pregnancy anxiety, which is something I see a lot in my practice. Many women have questions about this topic, especially since it’s something that is frequently waved off and disregarded by healthcare providers. It’s a topic that’s close to my heart because I see a lot of outdated tools and techniques touted as the solution. The truth is that your physical body holds the key. Let’s jump into pregnancy anxiety together!

136: What Women Need to Know About Pregnancy Anxiety

Parenting after loss is a topic that comes up frequently in the Delivering Miracles community. People ask what they should do and how they should go on loving the child they have while still feeling the previous loss. This unique kind of grief presents a conundrum in how to handle the intricacies of parenting, and societal pressure certainly plays into how we THINK we should feel. There is most definitely not just ONE right way to navigate this grief into your role as a parent, but there are principles to follow to get through the basics of grief and loss. Let’s talk about it.    Show Highlights:    Talking about loss brings up many issues around grief, which is a topic that our society doesn’t know how to approach [1:23] Are you STUCK in grief if you find it difficult to move on? [4:28] Your grief doesn’t disappear with another pregnancy or another baby [8:16] If you don’t release the grief, it sits in the body and freezes your nervous system [10:09] When you are parenting through grief, it is the time to call on your support group for help [20:33] Allow your body to do what it needs to do to feel the grief and then release it [25:50] Know your grief triggers and avoid them until you know you can allow the waves of grief to complete [27:54] Your grief experience is a great learning opportunity for your children to develop emotional intelligence and empathy (Don’t shield them from grief!) [30:13] There is no ONE right way to honor your lost baby, but you must address the underlying fear and do what brings you a sense of peace [33:09] Your grief can teach your children about the nuances of life; it’s YOUR choice how to let them experience grief [40:32] You don’t have to figure it all out right now, but you have to lead with what brings you peace, so just start there [43:59] When you’ve experienced a loss and have anxiety about losing your living children, this is trauma encoded in your body [45:33] The key is to thaw your nervous system and let the waves of grief come--then you’ll find peace [47:14] When we do the healing work, we heal the whole family, so make your healing a priority [50:21] You WILL heal, which means remembering those babies without pain and with choice [51:54]    Resources:   Modern Approach to Grief & Trauma Release Free Webinar http://bit.ly/modappweb   Healing from Grief - http://bit.ly/dmep128   Coping with the loss of a child - http://bit.ly/013dm   Join us in Healing Hearts http://bit.ly/healheartblog

135: Parenting After Loss

I’m asked frequently why I like to focus on bodywork and nervous system regulation. The simple answer is that I want to know (and I want you to know) not just how to cope, but how to not be affected by the anxiety that comes with life. When you’re affected by trauma, the truth is that not everything gets better with time. Many people misunderstand nervous system regulation, so let’s talk about how this works and how this information can help you in the long run.   Show Highlights:    The truth is that time does NOT heal all wounds [3:57] My goal is to counter the false beliefs that women are made to believe [6:24] How the nervous system is the connection between all other systems in the body [6:55] Why nervous system regulation is necessary in addition to all the other things you’re trying [16:40] Body-based work is based on recent research and the understanding of neurobiology regarding stress [18:55] How the things that are possible when you regulate your nervous system feel “like magic” [21:28[ Don’t stop at just coping, but learn to harness the power of your body to relieve the symptoms you have [23:59] Nervous system regulation: what it is and what it isn’t [24:23] Being able to regulate your nervous system is especially important in going through infertility, high-risk pregnancy, and preterm delivery [28:22] Getting started with nervous system regulation means having an awareness of being in your body [33:10] Biologically, when we have nervous system dysregulation, we cut off what we’re feeling inside [36:40] We can teach our nervous system to handle stress by being aware of our sensations, being present with them, and allowing them to dissipate [38:35]      Resources:   Modern Approach to Grief & Trauma Release Free Webinar http://bit.ly/modappweb   How the Mind-Body Connection Can Help You Stay Pregnant (a client story) - http://bit.ly/rimahrp   Join us in Healing Hearts http://bit.ly/healheartblog   Work with Me: http://bit.ly/wwmbloghrp

134: Why Nervous System Regulation is Essential During Fertility Treatment, a High-Risk Pregnancy and Postpartum

The topic of trauma has hit home for me and our DM community. Stress, anxiety, and maternal mental health issues all have their roots in unresolved trauma. Trauma is simply a nervous system frozen in a state of danger, and it’s not tied to a specific event, but in how that event is encoded in your body. Let’s dive deeper! Show Highlights:  Why it’s easy to minimize trauma, which has nothing to do with what you went through; it’s a nervous system frozen in a state of danger (1:12) The crux of the trauma problem: When the nervous system is stuck, we cannot make conscious choices until it’s unfrozen (7:50) Three stages of how we function when an event has been encoded as trauma: (12:15)   Survival Coping Thriving   Your body can’t heal if it doesn’t feel safe, which is the key to reclaiming life and health (19:10) We have to make changes in order to unfreeze our nervous system (25:54) You deserve healing! ((30:50) Questions from event participants about therapist training, Healing Hearts membership, coping and trying again, and more (32:14)  Resources: 5 Myths About Trauma http://bit.ly/5traumamyths  Modern Approach to Grief & Trauma Release Free Webinar http://bit.ly/modappweb Join us in Healing Hearts http://bit.ly/healheartblog

96: Essential Gifts for NICU Parents

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