Walking Letter of Hope Day is THIS SUNDAY, July 28th! And to celebrate, we have the honor of sharing Daniela’s NICU journey with her full-term son Mateo. She shares openly about her unexpected complications during labor that lead to an extended NICU stay, what it was like to deliver and navigate the NICU during the pandemic, and how she found the courage to grow her family again. We also chat about what being a #walkingletterofhope means to her and how she found hope and healing after the NICU.

We hope that as you listen to Daniela’s story you feel seen and validated, and are reminded that no matter the differences in each of our journeys there is a through line that connects us all. You are never alone!

To join us this Walking Letter of Hope Day and to help raise crucial funds for Dear NICU Mama’s programs and services like this podcast, head to dearnicumama.com/hope. Thank you to Gate City Bank for being a sponsor for this year’s Walking Letter of Hope Day!

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Three years after Ashley’s first son, Vinson, was born at 21 weeks gestation and passed away shortly afterward, she welcomed her second son, Kolin, at 25 weeks gestation via emergency c-section. Just days after his birth, Kolin was diagnosed with bilateral brain bleeds. During his stay he also developed hydrocephalus and required a shunt, not to mention the PVLs. Despite being told of all the things Kolin might never do, he defied the odds. After 183 days, Kolin was discharged and finally went home.

In this episode, Ashley shared vulnerably about her experience of navigating grief amidst a series of challenging hardships. She discusses managing countless appointments and assessments upon returning home, and sheds light on the journey of advocating for herself and Kolin as he grows. Despite the difficult path they've traveled, Ashley reflects on the beauty and healing of their story.

We hope Ashley and Kolin's story offers a beacon of hope to this sisterhood, reminding you that you're not alone and that there is goodness ahead.

To connect more with Ashley:

Instagram | Website

To get connected with DNM:

Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

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What if indecisiveness is a result of our birth and NICU trauma? On today’s podcast episode, we have speaker and somatic trauma consultant Parijat Deshpande on the podcast and we have an insightful conversation all about indecisiveness how we can identify it as a signal rather than a problem to be fixed.

Throughout this episode we talk about:

• The different types of “threat state patterns” and a quiz to identify them

• How identifying our threat patterns can help us move through indecisiveness

• Gentle practices a NICU mom can utilize to make decisions and not feel “stuck”

• Encouragement for NICU mamas feeling discouraged by their lack of ability to make quick decisions after birth and NICU trauma

Our hope is that NICU mamas listening who are feeling discouraged by feeling like they are in a state of indecisiveness feel empowered and encouraged throughout this episode. You are not alone!

For the month of July, members of the Dear NICU Mama community have access to The Ruvelle Experience for 25% off using the code “RUVELLEDNM2024”!

To connect with Parijat and her work at Ruvelle: Website | Instagram

About Parijat:

Parijat Deshpande is a founder of Ruvelle, the only truly trauma-informed company specifically dedicated to improving high-risk pregnancy outcomes, reducing preterm birth, and supporting parents on the entire high-risk pregnancy journey. On a mission to end the high-risk pregnancy crisis, she has served and supported thousands of clients through her live events, one-on-one work, Ruvelle’s private members’ club, her bestselling book, Pregnancy Brain: A Mind-Body Approach to Stress Management During a High-Risk Pregnancy, and the Body Language Journal.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.