Dr. Anna Zimmermann, a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) doctor, talks about life in the NICU with parents, authors, and others. If you or someone you know is heading to a NICU, you are not alone, hear the stories of others that have been through it too.
Madeline joins Dr. Zimmermannn on the podcast to discuss her preterm delivery at 25 weeks, her NICU journey, and ultimate diagnosis of "incompetent cervix". She is on a mission to change medical language from "incompetent cervix" to "early cervical opening" - removing the language of guilt on the mother.
Dr. Zimmermann talks about how medical terminology has historically placed blame and shame on women through their medical diagnoses.
We finish my conversation with Gretchen, talking about her son Alex who was born weighing 580g at 23 weeks.
Listening to birth stories is a way to feel empowered for your own birth, as well as to heal from a traumatic birth. Gretchen talks about her emergent delivery by C-section of her son Alex, born at 23 weeks.
Dr. Zimmermann outlines who you can expect to see caring for your baby while they are in the NICU.
For more information, check out these resources:www.marchofdimes.orgwww.accretafoundation.orgwww.donate4mothers.org
The Mighty Littles Podcast is back with new episodes starting in September. Join us for NICU Awareness in September, a discussion of words and labels in October, and Prematurity Awareness Month in November.
Dr. Joanna Parga-Belinkie and Dr. Anna Zimmermann talk about baby heads and why infants may have funny-shaped heads. We discuss both craniosynostosis (early fusion of the bones) and positional plagiocephaly.More information and education can be found on Instagram @mightylittles. My favorite Instagram account dedicated specifically to positional plagiocephaly is @babybegin.
You can find Carl at https://premdad.co.uk and on Instagram @premdad_uk
I new report this past week brought new attention to the issue of heavy metals in processed baby food. In this podcast we talk about the data presented in the report, the science and background of heavy metals and baby food, as well as recommendations and take aways.
Heather carried quadruplets to 32 weeks. She discusses her pregnancy, NICU experience, and the logistics of taking home 4 babies.
Apnea of Prematurity is a common problem in the NICU. In this episode we discuss definitions, physiology, treatment and review some common case scenarios.
Words are Powerful. They have the power to heal and the power to humiliate. Words can become labels which, while sometimes difficult to swallow, can also bring services.
Abigail joins me to discuss her journey with having triplets at 24 weeks.
www.tinabryson.comwww.thecenterforconnection.org
Kim Walls, founder of BEB Organic, joins the Mighty Littles podcast for part 2 of our Focus on Touch in the NICU Series. We tackle Kangaroo Care in the NICU, also known as skin-to-skin care.
Sam was born at 25 weeks with Trisomy 21. Sara and I have a great conversation about life in the NICU.
A candid conversation between Brittany Bergman, author of Expecting Wonder: The Transformative Experience of Becoming a Mother, and Dr. Anna Zimmermann about pregnancy and motherhood.
Dr. Zimmermann and Dr. Parga-Belinkie focus on Respiratory Distress Syndrome, discussion the cause, pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment.
In part one of our series on touch, you will meet Kim and find out a little bit about her background and passions. We talk about how Rose Oil can decrease water loss from the skin as well as why it is important to avoid hormonal disruptors in your products.We move on to talk about practical tips for how parents can interact with their infants in the NICU. What type of touch do preemies need? How can you best interact with your baby? When can you touch and interact with your baby? And how to give hand hugs to your baby. I have included a couple of videos here to show some initial touches in the NICU.
Lizzie comes on the podcast to talk about her daughter Faith, born at 23 weeks, and their NICU stay.
In honor of NICU awareness month, Neonatologist Anna Zimmermann and 2X Nicu Mom, Taryn Argue chat about 10 important things to know about the NICU. While our experiences and roles within the NICU are very different, we both believe that the NICU is such an incredibly special place, and are so grateful for it. In this episode, we cover everything from who is involved in taking care of NICU babies, what your baby needs to accomplish in order to head home, how to feel supported while you navigate the hospital stay and everything in between! This joint episode is brought to you by Mighty Littles Podcast and The Messy Mama Podcast.
Marquita had an uncomplicated pregnancy up until she went into preterm labor at 22-weeks. Kas was born weighing 440g. Being born at the edge of viability, she was given the option to “go with it or not” - you don't have time to think about it - you just have to make a decision. Marquita and her family decided to see what Kas would do. He had his misbehaving moments, but it was clear to the family that he was fighting, so they kept fighting for him.How do you survive an 8 month NICU stay with your baby:Nurses - they are a combination of your best friend, your favorite teacher, and your therapist.Reading - Read, read read.Connecting with your baby when you visit can keep you going and fighting for another day.Find them on Instagram @Kas_Kares17
www.mightylittles.com
Emily is an occupational therapist who had two babies in the NICU. Her first baby was born at 33 weeks and her second baby was born at 23 weeks. Her biggest advice for families in the NICU:Do your research. You know your child best, and you can work with the physicians to make better decisions for your baby. As a neonatologist, I strongly believe that parents know their children best, and should feel comfortable asking questions and advocating for their child.Do not isolate yourself. Especially for Mamas of micro-preemies. Seek out online support groups or Mamas who have similar experiences so you are not isolated.Do not compare your journey and your baby to someone else’s. Comparison is the thief of joy.Take it 1 hour at a time and get out of the hospital. Get a bite to eat or take a walk.
Ebony had every symptom of Pre-Eclampsia and HELLP, yet there was a delay in recognizing it. During this podcast, we talk about Ebony’s work with the March of Dimes and the #It’sNotFine Campain. Despite it being the year 2020 Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native women are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women (CDC, 2019).I’ll be honest. This is a hard conversation. It is an uncomfortable conversation. But it is a conversation that we have got to have. It is simply Not Ok. We need to do better. We MUST do better. And here are a few ways to get moving in the right direction:Slow down and listen. Ignore pre-conceived notions. Do not make clinical assumptions before you have really listened to the patient. When health care providers really listen to patients, they find the information they need to provide good care.Patients need to educate themselves prior to showing up to a hospital or clinic. Know your symptoms, do a little research when you can, and come armed with information to advocate for yourselves.It is unfortunate that black women almost have to become the stereotype of the aggressive woman they are unfairly portrayed as in order to get the health care system to listen to them.You can follow Reign’s story on Instagram @andsheshallreign.
A few of the many quotes I love from this podcast:The day I went home, I wasn’t prepared for how empty I would feel not pregnant and not with my baby. That night was the hardest night that I had.Just because you are grieving what you wanted, doesn’t mean you aren’t grateful for what you have.There is no right way to react to having a baby in the NICU.The NICU is an experience in the juxtaposition of emotions.As time has passed, instead of thinking things went wrong and my body failed, MAYBE, I’m living the best-case scenario of an alternative outcome that would have been devastating - and that would have been losing our baby at 20 weeks. In that world, the NICU would have been my dream scenario.I didn’t feel strong when I was going through the NICU. But I was strong. And if I could tell preemie moms anything, it would be that they are strong. And their baby is strong.You are not alone.
Taryn is the creator and voice of the Messy Mama Podcast. She interviews and talks to moms who want to feel both connected and supported in their mama journey. She also had two premature infants in the NICU. Listen: www.anchor.fm/the-messy-mama-podcastInstagram: @themessymamapodcast
Katie's first son Tim was born with a Giant Omphalocele. Now, they are several years out of the NICU and Katie give great information to parents facing a NICU stay.
Dr. Zimmermann discusses the updated AAP Guidelines regarding Caring for Infants Born to COVID-19 Positive or Suspected Mothers
From infertility to social media to shame and guilt over having a baby in the NICU, we discuss motherhood and all the messages we get about how we are doing it wrong.
As NICU physicians, we know that babies born at 23 weeks can face a multitude of issues, many life-threatening, and Liam and Wyatt experienced many of those complications. Fighting pulmonary hemorrhage, intestinal perforation, infection/sepsis, complications from central lines, and unfortunately the loss of Wyatt. Moving forward with the remainder of the NICU stay with Liam, they encountered more complications with retinopathy of prematurity, aspiration pneumonia, and ultimately a G-tube.Ashley and Time courageously talk about their NICU experience and balancing love and loss in the NICU. Feeling split loyalty between grieving for Wyatt and celebrating Liam turned out to be one of the most difficult aspects of their NICU stay.Since this was recorded just before Father’s Day, we talk a little bit about Dad’s role in the NICU as well.
Savannah from @thesmallestfight joins Mighty Littles to talk about protecting our kids from COVID while still participating in live.
Ella was born at 28 weeks. She made her dramatic entry in a hospital bed, stuck in a hallway trying to get mom to the delivery room. Mom maintained hope throughout her pregnancy, evan against all odds.
For Episode 7, Julie Cullen joins me to talk about trauma. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has her own private practice in Massachusetts.When we talk about trauma, we typically think about specific events. A death, a robbery, a car crash. Looking at developmental and complex trauma, this is really looking at the way complex environments affect us as we develop. This could be medical events, divorce, pandemics - all of these events can have an impact on us. Trauma feels heavy. But we all struggle with something and this discussion of trauma can be applied to any struggle we have in life.For something to be traumatic, there really need to be 2 key elements:-The event must be perceived as life-threatening.-The person needs to feel a loss of control. These are the thoughts of “how it is supposed to be” vs. “how it actually is”.For families going through trauma, whether it is NICU or divorce or pandemic, things can absolutely be hard and overwhelming, but there are positives as well. Two things are true at once. If you get stuck thinking about and wishing for “ how it is supposed to be”, you can not move forward and live life now, as it is. We discuss a few concrete actions you can take to ensure you don’t get stuck in “How it was supposed to be”:-While you don’t have control of the situation, you do have control over how you react to the situation-Use social media wisely. Use it to support you, not bring you down.-Building relationships is key. It allows you to trust those how are supporting you.-Self-care. Not luxurious care, just self-care. Self-care gives you the energy to respond to things thoughtfully, not react to events emotionally.Here are a few resources Julie recommends to families.The Body Keeps The Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der KolkThe Highly Sensitive Child by Elaine N. AronThe Explosive Child by Ross GreenBeyond Behaviors by Mona DeLaHooke. www.monadelahooke.comWe hope you enjoy this podcast. If you do, please find us on iTunes, subscribe, and leave a review. It helps immensely with others being able to find us!
For six minutes before he was born, Clayton’s heartbeat was too low. After birth, he required help breathing and his body showed evidence of stress and a lack of oxygen. In this podcast, his mom joins us to tell their NICU story, describing their stay and how they managed to enjoy their baby even with the chaos, uncertainty, and stress around them.
Mighty Littles interviews Robin Rosenberger, founder of Tiny SuperHeroes. Tiny Superheroes provides capes to kids who are overcoming hardship or disability as a way to empower them. These capes represent courage and strength and invite connections with other people.
Cori details her pregnancy complications that led to the delivery of her son at 24 weeks.
Bailey Thoman joins me to discuss her daughter Chandler, who was born weighing 530g and spent 85 days in the NICU.
Christie delivered her baby William prematurely at just over 1 pound. Through this honest and emotional podcast, Christie clearly articulates the fear, hope, strength, and love that remain ever-present in the NICU.
Dr Z introduces the podcast and explains what to expect out of future episodes.
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