In this episode of the Dear NICU Mama podcast, we're joined once again by the remarkable Kayleigh Summers, also known as The Birth Trauma Mama, for a heartfelt conversation about how friendships shift in the wake of birth trauma and NICU experiences.

Together, Ashley, Aisha, and Kayleigh open up about the grief of changing relationships, the identity shifts that happen after trauma, and the surprising ways connection can still be found. From feeling misunderstood to discovering unexpected community, this episode offers validation, insight, and encouragement for any NICU or loss mom navigating friendships during their healing journey.

Whether you’re in the thick of it or years removed, this conversation reminds us: you are allowed to change, and you are worthy of being loved exactly as you are!

Kayleigh Summers is a licensed therapist, writer, and content expert in perinatal trauma. She uses her training as a licensed therapist and her lived experience as an Amniotic Fluid Embolism survivor to support families experiencing perinatal trauma. Kayleigh has also created thriving support communities through Instagram and Tik Tok, as well as her podcast, where she provides connection, story sharing, and resources to support those experiencing birth and other trauma. You can find her @thebirthtrauma_mama.

To get connected with Kayleigh:
Website | Instagram | TikTok

This podcast episode is not an attempt to practice medicine or provide medical advice. All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis or treatment.

To get connected with DNM:

Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

To Give to the Mission of Dear NICU Mama: dearnicumama.com/give

Support the show

In this week’s episode, we continue part 2 of Sam’s remarkable motherhood journey as she opens up about the emotional and physical toll of life after a traumatic birth and the journey of becoming a NICU and medical mama.

Sam shares vulnerably about her daughter’s fragile start after being born at 24 weeks, the devastating reality of an MDR E-Coli diagnosis at just five days old, and the long road to recovery in the NICU—including respiratory setbacks, feeding challenges, and two unexpected surgeries. She also offers insight into navigating life after discharge with a G-tube, and how she's embraced her role as a medical mama with courage and resilience.

Whether you’re in the NICU now or adjusting to life at home, Sam’s story is a powerful reminder that you are not alone—and that you are braver than you feel. Her honesty, wisdom, and strength will leave you feeling seen, validated, and supported.

To listen to part 1, listen here!

To get connected with DNM:

Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

Support the show

Support the show

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Sarah Hogan, a courageous NICU mom and military spouse, whose story embodies the truth that the NICU is a marathon, not a sprint. Sarah shares her high-risk pregnancy and the traumatic sequence of events that led to her daughter Sadie’s premature birth at 28 weeks—beginning with a seizure while driving with her sons and her husband deployed on a submarine.

Sarah vulnerably walks us through the emotional weight of parenting two young boys during a months-long NICU stay, navigating a four-hour daily commute, and adapting to life after Sadie’s multiple surgeries, including a G-tube placement. From delayed bonding to the strength of community and the complexity of military family life, Sarah’s journey is one of healing and hope.

As you listen, we hope you feel reminded that even in the chaos and constant adaptation of the NICU journey, you are not alone—and it’s okay if your story looks different than you expected.

To listen, you can find us on iTunes , Spotify, or by clicking the link below!

To get connected with DNM:

Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

Support the show

Support the show

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Sam, a remarkable NICU mom and valued member of the Dear NICU Mama team and sisterhood. Sam vulnerably shares part 1 of her motherhood journey with the story of her family-building journey—navigating infertility, a PCOS diagnosis, and the heartbreak of unexpected complications during pregnancy.

At just 21 weeks pregnant, Sam’s water broke. With brave vulnerability, Sam walks us through the tender moments of hospitalization, difficult conversations with providers, and the delivery of her daughter’s early birth at 24 weeks and 4 days.

Join us the first week of June for Part 2, where we dive into their NICU stay together and life at home. As always, this sisterhood hopes you feel seen, supported, and reminded that you are never alone!

To get connected with DNM:

Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

Support the show

In this special episode, we’re holding space for the complicated emotions that can come with Mother’s Day after a NICU experience.

This conversation is close to our hearts—it’s a live recording from our recent Dear NICU Mama Virtual Live Podcast Event, where we gathered with NICU moms from across the country to connect, reflect, and honor the duality of this season!

In this roundtable discussion, hosts Ashley and Martha sit down with members of the Dear NICU Mama team to talk about what it means to celebrate Mother’s Day after the NICU—where joy and grief often coexist.

Together, they chat about:

• The bittersweet emotions Mother’s Day can bring for NICU moms
• Navigating celebration while honoring loss, trauma, and unmet expectations
• How healing, time, and support can soften the holiday experience
• The power of being seen, validated, and supported by community

Whether this is your first Mother’s Day or your fifth, whether you're in the NICU or years into life at home—this conversation is for you. However this season feels, you are never, ever alone.

To get connected with DNM:
Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

To Give to the Mission of Dear NICU Mama: dearnicumama.com/give

Support the show

In this week's roundtable replay, Co-Founders Ashley and Martha are joined by Dear NICU Mama editorial team member Lindsay for an honest conversation all about bonding with our NICU babies. Together, they reflect on the tender, complicated, and deeply personal journey of building a bond in the NICU—what it looked like for them, how they navigated grief, fear, and comparison, and how bonding continued to grow once they were home.

Whether your bond felt instant, delayed, or still evolving, this episode is a reminder that your baby knows your love, and your bond is more than felt—it's built, nurtured, and deeply real.

Plus, we’re sharing a special announcement about our 2025 Mother’s Day campaign and how you can celebrate a NICU mom in your life by sending her a personalized card—while supporting the mission of Dear NICU Mama. Visit dearnicumama.com/give to honor her today!

You are never, ever alone. Welcome to the sisterhood.

To get connected with DNM:
Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

Support the show

In this episode, we continue with part two of NICU mom Rebekah and her son Elias. After a traumatic birth and critical early days in the NICU, Rebekah shares what came next—the challenges of feeding, navigating a brain injury diagnosis, and the emotional weight of waiting for answers.

Rebekah opens up about the realities of parenting a medically complex child, the grief of letting go of her original feeding goals, and the healing that came when she embraced Elias’s unique path. She shares honestly about life at home post-discharge, the process of receiving a cerebral palsy diagnosis, and the deep joy of watching Elias grow into the strong, vibrant boy he is today!

For any NICU or medical mama walking a path that feels uncertain, Rebekah’s story is a reminder that even when life looks different that we had envisioned, it can still be beautiful and full of life.

To listen to part 1 of Rebekah's story, listen here! To get connected with Rebekah: Instagram

To get connected with DNM:

Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

Support the show

In this week’s episode, we sit down with NICU mom and fierce advocate Rebekah, who vulnerably shares the extraordinary story of her son Elias’s birth and beginning of life. Rebekah walks us through her story of a sudden placental abruption at 28 weeks, an emergency C-section during the early days of COVID-19, and the hours that followed when Elias was flown by helicopter to a Level IV NICU in critical condition.

With immense amounts of vulnerability, Rebekah opens up about the terrifying uncertainty of those first days, and the powerful moment of hope when Elias took his first breath. She reflects on what it means to parent through trauma, the deep grief of losing control over her birth experience, and the fierce strength NICU moms carry when all they can do is hold on and hope.

If you’ve ever felt frozen in fear or unsure how to keep going, Rebekah’s story is a reminder that our babies are strong, your voice matters, and you are never alone.

Stay tuned for part 2 next week!

To get connected with Rebekah: Instagram

To get connected with DNM:
Website | Private Facebook Group | Instagram

Support the show