Claim OwnershipDear NICU Mama
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© 2026 Dear NICU Mama
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The DNM Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by NICU mamas and team members of Dear NICU Mama, Ashley + Aisha! By hosting interviews with trauma-informed medical and maternal mental health experts and sharing vulnerable interviews with NICU mamas around the world, our hope is that you feel like you’re sitting across the table from another NICU sister and feel seen and validated in your experience. No matter where you are on your healing journey, this podcast is here to remind you that you are not alone. Welcome to the sisterhood!
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197 Episodes
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It’s time for another Mamas Call In episode! Our call-in episodes are some of our favorites because it gives us the chance to hear from this remarkable sisterhood. This month’s prompt was: “What would you tell a NICU mama who just received a new diagnosis for her baby or NICU grad? What is something you would want her to know?” From reminders that you are not alone, to giving yourself grace in the unknown, to taking things one heartbeat at a time, this episode is filled with the words s...
In this week’s episode, in honor of Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, we’re hosting a powerful roundtable conversation sharing real, honest stories from NICU moms navigating this diagnosis with their NICU miracles. Melissa, Vilma, Andrea, and Aisha together share about what it’s like to hear the words Cerebral Palsy for the first time, why it can feel so heavy, and how that understanding shifts over time. We unpack the reality that CP is a spectrum and that no two children and no two journeys l...
In this week’s podcast episode, we continue Emilee’s story as she shares what life looked like after Oakley’s diagnosis and their transition home from the NICU. Emilee opens up about navigating the unknowns of Oakley’s rare genetic deletion, making decisions about medical interventions like a G-tube and hearing devices, and adjusting to life at home with a medically complex baby. She also reflects on the learning curve of advocating for her son, finding confidence in her voice as a mom, and t...
In this week’s podcast episode, Emilee shares Part 1 of her son Oakley’s unexpected NICU journey, a story marked by emergency decisions, a rare genetic diagnosis, and a powerful full-circle moment within her own family. After a healthy pregnancy, Emilee delivered Oakley six weeks early via emergency C-section when she noticed decreased movement in the middle of the night. What began as low blood sugar and a short NICU stay in their small Colorado town quickly turned into a transfer to Childre...
It’s time for another Mamas Call In episode! Our call-in episodes are some of our favorites because it gives us the chance to hear from this remarkable sisterhood. This month’s prompt was: “If you could go back in time and share a word of love with yourself while you were fresh in the NICU, what would you tell her?” From reminders to breathe, to choosing patience, to giving yourself permission to rest, cry, and not have it all figured out, this episode is filled with the words we all needed t...
In this week’s podcast episode, Jessica shares the remarkable story of becoming a NICU mom through adoption. She opens up about her and her husband’s journey through foster care, infertility, and the unexpected call that would introduce them to their son, Noah. Just weeks before his birth, they learned he had a complex congenital heart defect, along with other medical concerns that left doctors unsure if he would survive. Jessica vulnerably walks us through Noah’s early arrival, his emergency...
In this week’s podcast episode, we’re sharing a 2026 refresh of one of our most requested and revisited conversations, originally recorded in 2021. We’re joined by pelvic floor physical therapist Jill Ehrmantraut of Apex Therapy for an honest and affirming discussion about pelvic floor health, physical healing, and sex after the NICU and birth trauma. Jill helps us understand how birth, trauma, and chronic stress impact the body, the nervous system, and the pelvic floor. Together, we talk abo...
We are back!!! In this week’s podcast episode, we’re sharing a 2026 update and re-release of a conversation originally recorded in 2020, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day. We’re joined by maternal mental health therapist Natalie Reiter for an honest and compassionate discussion about sex and intimacy after the NICU and birth trauma. Natalie explores how trauma impacts our nervous systems, why intimacy and sex are not the same thing, and how fear, pressure, and survival mode can affect connecti...
In this week’s episode, Ashley and Aisha sit down for a cozy end-of-year conversation to close out the 2025 podcast season. Together, they reflect on the stories, experts, and full-circle moments that shaped this year’s episodes, and share how the Dear NICU Mama sisterhood continues to impact their own healing journeys. They also introduce something brand new to the community: our Right On Time Holiday Book Drive. After receiving more than 130 nominations from NICU moms across the country, si...
In this week’s episode, Ashley and Aisha sit down with two very special guests: Allie, a PA who cared for Ashley’s son during his NICU stay, and her husband, Troy—the illustrator of Right On Time, Dear NICU Mama’s first children’s board book. Together they share the full-circle story of how their NICU connection led to creating a book that honors and represents the diverse journeys of NICU families! Ali reflects on her years in the NICU and her work in pediatric rehab, and Troy shares what it...
On this week’s episode, we welcome Dr. KC from Milestones & Motherhood — a pediatric physical therapist, early intervention specialist, and trusted guide for parents navigating developmental milestones. KC shares her own experience with late-preterm babies and how it shaped the compassionate, parent-centered approach she brings to her work. We talk about what early intervention really is, why adjusted age matters, how to navigate comparison, and the power of celebrating the “mini-stones” ...
In this week’s podcast episode, Ashley and Aisha sit down with Dear NICU Mama co-founder Martha for a vulnerable and joy-filled conversation about the early days of the sisterhood and how it all began! From the first coffee date and color-coded binder to the launch of the podcast and the years of growth that followed, Ashley and Martha reflect on what it was like to build something so meaningful together. They share openly about the pivots, challenges, and sacred moments that shaped Dear NICU...
In this week’s podcast episode, Ashley and Aisha sit down with their husbands, Ryan and Andy, for an intentional conversation about their experiences as NICU dads! Ryan and Andy share vulnerably about the moments that shaped their journeys, from emergency deliveries and hospital stays to navigating grief, helplessness, and healing years later. They reflect on what it was like to support their partners through trauma, learn to surrender control, and find small ways to show up when so much felt...
In this week’s podcast episode, Ashley and Aisha sit down with NICU mamas Vilma and Sam for a vulnerable roundtable conversation about feeding journeys after the NICU, and what it’s like when a G-tube becomes part of your story. They share vulnerably about the emotions that come with this transition, from the relief of finally going home, to the surrender that often follows. Together, they share about the realities of adjusting expectations, redefining milestones, and learning that every feed...
In this week’s podcast episode, we share the audio from our recent Walking Letter of Hope Day virtual event featuring licensed therapist and birth trauma survivor Kayleigh Summers, known as The Birth Trauma Mama! Kayleigh joins us to talk about the lasting impact of birth and NICU trauma, what healing can look like, and the hope that comes from sharing our stories in community. She offers gentle, trauma-informed insight into understanding trauma as a neurobiological response, navigating feeli...
In this week’s podcast episode, Ashley and former and beloved podcast co-host Martha revisit an important conversation for our NICU sisterhood: understanding IEPs and how to advocate for your child in school. This replay episode features special education expert Catherine Whitcher, founder of Master IEP Coach, who shares practical guidance on navigating the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process, partnering with your child’s school, and finding hope and empowerment in every step. Cath...
In Part 2 of Kristen’s story, Ashley and Aisha dive deeper into the unique “right on time” milestones that marked her and Amelia’s 11-month NICU journey! Kristen shares about the courage it took to face a trach and heart procedure, and how Amelia’s progress has unfolded through what she calls “inchstones.” She opens up about the challenges of coming home with medical complexity, the bittersweet transition away from daily NICU staff, and the healing process that began after discharge. Throug...
In this week’s episode, Ashley and Aisha are joined by Kristen, a NICU mom whose journey spans 11 months in the NICU, hospital transfers, heart surgery, and eventually a trach for her daughter, Amelia. Kristen vulnerably shares about her water breaking at 23 weeks, the unexpected 11 weeks of hospital bedrest, and Amelia’s birth at 35 weeks. She describes the whirlwind of those first moments in the NICU, the grief of missed milestones, and the overwhelming emotions of watching her daughter fi...
In this week’s episode, Ashley and Aisha are joined once again by their dear friend Carrie for the long-awaited part two of her family’s story. In part one, Carrie shared about her daughter Hattie’s unexpected NICU stay after being born full term. In this follow-up episode, Carrie opens up about life beyond the NICU: the years of waiting for the possibility of heart surgery, navigating the unknowns, and preparing Hattie for the big questions and procedures that lay ahead. She vulnerably...
In this week’s episode, Ashley and Aisha are joined by their dear friend and DNM team member, Kamille, for a heartfelt conversation about kindergarten milestones and what it means to parent COVID NICU babies now entering school. Kamille and Aisha vulnerably share their journeys of navigating the NICU during the earliest days of the pandemic, balancing therapies and virtual care, and the emotions of sending their miracles off to kindergarten. Together, they reflect on the unique challenges of ...
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