Story Sanctuary

Often times, parents who have made it through a long-term NICU stay feel the call to help other families who are in the trenches. My guest this week is a lovely example of that. On today’s episode, Ashley traces her son Bode’s 4 month NICU journey, then shares how that experience inspired her to become a postpartum doula, specifically for moms facing NICU stays. ⁣

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𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘴𝘪𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩, 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘐𝘊𝘜.⁣

Around the 12 week gestation period, a baby’s developing abdominal contents get sealed in their belly and a belly button forms. In rare cases, the organs get trapped in the umbilical chord on the outside of the baby’s abdomen in a sac. 13 weeks into her pregnancy, Teresa and her husband Michael discovered that their daughter Teigan was one of these rare cases. On today’s episode, Teresa traces her pregnancy and birth journey after her daughter was diagnosed with an omphalocele and shares how she kept her head above water during their 7 1/2 month NICU stay.⁣

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𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴, 𝘱𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘐𝘊𝘜.

After years of infertility and loss, Ebony and her husband were surprised to find out they were expecting a baby girl in 2018. However, their initial joy was cut short when Ebony developed HELLP syndrome and Reign swiftly came into the world at 26 weeks. On today’s episode, Ebony shares her pregnancy and birth journey, along with the realities of confronting illness outside of the NICU. ⁣

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𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩, 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘴𝘪𝘢, 𝘏𝘌𝘓𝘓𝘗 𝘴𝘺𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘴.⁣

In February of 2019, Jake and Cayla received devastating news during their 20 week anatomy scan. On today’s episode, this husband and wife duo share the story of their daughter Parker’s birth at 34 weeks and her arthrogryposis amyoplasia diagnosis, then take us on their NICU journey. We also discuss in-home nursing, adaptive sign language and finding joy despite difficult circumstances.

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺’𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦, 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘺𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘹 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘢 (𝘈𝘔𝘊) 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘐𝘊𝘜.

⁣When Priscilla found out her amniotic sac was bulging at 21 weeks, she was told she would like end up miscarrying her daughter. On today’s episode, Priscilla traces how she went from that moment to dancing at home to TikTok videos with a toddler today. ⁣

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Priscilla and I also discuss being trach moms and finding community in and outside of the NICU.⁣

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𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩, 𝘕𝘐𝘊𝘜 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘩.

Erika Mendence (host of Story Sanctuary) was recently interviewed for Women’s Issues, Women’s Voices on 89.5 FM KOPN. Join her as she and Em discuss self-care, the power of storytelling and Erika's birth story.

On today’s episode, Rebeca shares the story of her son Jeremiah’s birth and NICU stay. ⁣

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Jeremiah was born at 22 weeks and spent 9 1/2 months inpatient before joining his family at home. He is the definition of a miracle and is a spirited little fighter. ⁣

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𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘕𝘐𝘊𝘜 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘴. ⁣

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*𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲* We experienced a technical issue in the recording of this episode, but with some creative editing, the interview was able to be salvaged. The content is well worth the bumps in the recording. Enjoy Rebeca and Jeremiah’s episode!

On today’s episode, Shamire shares the story of her son Julian’s birth and her family’s NICU journey. ⁣

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Julian was born at 26 weeks. At 29 weeks he developed NEC (a devastating intestinal disease) and had to be airlifted to a children’s hospital an hour away. He and his family spent the next 110 days at this hospital before settling at home. ⁣

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𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘩, 𝘕𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘴 (𝘕𝘌𝘊) 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘐𝘊𝘜.

A brief intro to Story Sanctuary!