NICU Babies Parent Support

Latest Episodes:

Episode 53: Super Scar - How a NICU Mom Used Humor to Share Her Story Dec 15, 2022

Show notes

Guest: Lauren Aboulafia

Lauren is a writer, actor, director, and animator. Lauren most recently animated and directed an animated comedy-drama called "Super Scar", based on her own traumatic birth experience and NICU story.

Hear more about Lauren's story, and what motivated her to create Super Scar, an animated comedy-drama about a new moms' support group where Lauren, an aspiring superstar, describes her experience of giving birth 3 months early, and her struggle to stay sane amidst the madness of the NICU.

- The NICU is hard. We're here to help.

Hand to Hold® is a national nonprofit dedicated to providing neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents with personalized emotional support, educational resources and community before, during and after their baby's NICU stay. NICU support is available at no cost to NICU parents in English & Spanish.

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold:

facebook.com/HANDtoHOLD

Instagram: @handtohold

Twitter: @NICUHandtoHold

Episode 52: Stitched With Your Color - Love & Loss in the NICU Nov 21, 2022

Show notes

Guest: Anissa Scholes

In this episode:

Anissa discusses her pregnancy with Elisabeth and finding out she has Trisomy 18
What is Trisomy 18, and what are the typical symptoms?
What was it like at home for a baby with Trisomy 18?
How grief is a singular experience
Why it's important to believe the griever
Grieving a child when you have other children at home

Content Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topics that may bring up emotions or take you back to some difficult memories. If at any time it becomes too much, please make sure to step away, take some deep breaths, go outside, or have some quiet time alone.

- The NICU is hard. We're here to help.

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold:

facebook.com/HANDtoHOLD

Instagram: @handtohold

Twitter: @NICUHandtoHold

Episode 51: The Risk of PPD After a NICU Stay Nov 18, 2022

Show notes

Guest: Catherine Tate, bereaved parent and Hand to Hold Peer Mentor In this episode:

Catherine discusses the experience of losing her first child and having a high-risk pregnancy with her second.
She discusses her NICU experience and how that affected her emotionally.
What are PPD symptoms?
How can you seek help if you realize you're having these symptoms?
How does a NICU stay make moms more susceptible to PPD?

- The NICU is hard. We're here to help.

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold:

facebook.com/HANDtoHOLD

Instagram: @handtohold

Twitter: @NICUHandtoHold

Episode 50: Experiencing Preeclampsia & Postpartum Depression Nov 17, 2022

Show notes

Guest: Rhiannon Giles In this episode:

Rhiannon discusses her preeclampsia and how that led to the premature birth of her son
She describes her NICU experience and how that led to her postpartum depression diagnosis
How is someone diagnosed with postpartum depression?
Rhiannon gives advice to NICU medical professionals how to speak to women who exhibit symptoms of postpartum depression

- The NICU is hard. We're here to help.

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold:

facebook.com/HANDtoHOLD

Instagram: @handtohold

Twitter: @NICUHandtoHold

Episode 49: Live Big, Love Bigger Oct 26, 2022

Show notes

Guest: Kathryn Whitaker, author and NICU mom In this episode:

Kathryn discusses her son Luke's premature birth and diagnosis with NEC
How Kathryn found her way to Hand to Hold
Luke's feeding journey and feeding therapy
How to handle your preemie's medical journey, when much of it is out of your control
How Kathryn used her NICU journey to write her book, Live Big, Love Bigger

- The NICU is hard. We're here to help.

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold:

facebook.com/HANDtoHOLD

Instagram: @handtohold

Twitter: @NICUHandtoHold

Episode 48: Immeasurable Love - Loss in the NICU Oct 21, 2022

Show notes

Guest: Keira Sorrells

- Keira talks about her infertility issues and experience getting pregnant with quintuplets, then reducing the pregnancy to triplets
- Keira talks about the birth of her daughters, Avery, Lily and Zoe, and her experience in the NICU
- Keira discusses the journey grief after losing Zoe and still having Avery and Lily at home
- How the loss of a child affects marriages differently
- What led Keira to found the Zoe Rose Foundation
- How grief changes over time and how to process that change
- What is the difference between shame and guilt?

- The NICU is hard. We're here to help.

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold:

facebook.com/HANDtoHOLD

Instagram: @handtohold

Twitter: @NICUHandtoHold

Episode 47: Intentional Motherhood - Bringing Home Your NICU Baby With Other Children at Home Oct 18, 2022

Show notes

Guest: Lee Cordon of Do Say Give

Lee discusses her diagnosis of PPROM and the premature birth of two of her daughters.
How she handled bringing home NICU babies with other children at home
Intentional motherhood
The importance of reading, especially to preemies
How to set a routine that works for your family
A note on breastfeeding

- The NICU is hard. We're here to help.

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold:

facebook.com/HANDtoHOLD

Instagram: @handtohold

Twitter: @NICUHandtoHold

Episode 46: Self Care and Postpartum Depression Oct 07, 2022

Show notes

Guest: Shifra Mehl

Shifra describes her own experience with postpartum depression
She discusses how this experience led her to begin Eim Leah
What Eim Leah does to support new moms
The importance of self-care for new moms
Self-care techniques

- The NICU is hard. We're here to help.

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold:

facebook.com/HANDtoHOLD

Instagram: @handtohold

Twitter: @NICUHandtoHold

Episode 45: Grief's Tasks Sep 27, 2022

Show notes

Guest: Becca Van Tassel, LCSW

Why Becca decided to specialize in grief and loss in her career as a counselor
Why is processing the pain of grief so difficult?
The difference between depression and grief
What can couples do in order to move through the grief process together?
How can parents help their children process grief?
How can we memorialize those we have lost?
How to deal with the guilt associated with grief

Content Warning: This episode may cover sensitive topics that may bring up emotions or take you back to some difficult memories. If at any time it becomes too much, please make sure to step away, take some deep breaths, go outside, or have some quiet time alone.

- The NICU is hard. We're here to help.

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold:

facebook.com/HANDtoHOLD

Instagram: @handtohold

Twitter: @NICUHandtoHold

Episode 44: Returning to Work After a NICU Stay Sep 20, 2022

Show notes

Guest: Mia Durairaj, MSc, NICU mom and founder of Mindful Return

Mia discusses her own NICU experience
The emotions surrounding going back to work
How to be transparent at work and in the NICU
Importance of practicing self-care
How the NICU trains you to be an advocate and leader

After we recorded this interview, we received news that Mia's daughter lost her battle with congestive heart failure and passed away at just two years, seven months. Mia's family has set up an endowment fund in their daughter's name to support research at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego, California. Click here to visit the endowment fund.

- The NICU is hard. We're here to help.

Learn more or get support at handtohold.org

Follow Hand to Hold:

facebook.com/HANDtoHOLD

Instagram: @handtohold

Twitter: @NICUHandtoHold