We publish weekly hope-filled letters written by NICU mamas for NICU mamas on our blog and social media channels!

Letter Writing Tips

  • Visit Dear NICU Mama's Letter Page or search the hashtag #dearnicumamaletters on Instagram to get a feel for the types of letters we have published in the past.

  • Address the NICU mama reading your letter directly. Although you may not know the specific details of her situation, you can draw from the many experiences and feelings NICU mothers share. 

  • Save personal details from your own story for the story portion of your submission.

  • Allow for duality of emotion.

    • Instead of "Stay positive!" try "It's okay to feel both _____ and _____."

    • Instead of “Be grateful!” try “You may be so grateful for _____ and also grieve _____.”

  • Aim to affirm rather than reassure the NICU mama you are writing to.

    • Instead of "Don't worry." try "When/if you find yourself worrying, please remember _____."

    • Instead of “Everything will be OK.” try "The future may be uncertain, but you are _____."

  • Avoid giving advice.

  • Always offer hope, especially when acknowledging the more difficult parts of NICU motherhood.

    • Instead of "You will struggle." try "You may struggle, but _____."

  • Make sure your submission is complete! A complete submission includes a letter, brief summary of your story, and photos. For step-by-step instructions, head to our “Write A Letter” page!

What We Look for in a Letter

  • All of the letters we publish begin with a prompt we provide. The prompt we are currently using can be found above. These change monthly, so check back regularly!

    • Submissions open for two weeks each month with a new letter prompt. Head here for our current prompt and submission window.

  • We welcome letters in a variety of lengths. Due to the limitations of Instagram captioning, letters are limited to 2200 characters or less.

  • Letters should be free of grammar and spelling errors.

  • Dear NICU Mama's tone is gentle and affirming. We value:

    • Inclusivity of sisterhood

    • Duality of emotion

    • HOPE

Letter Selection Process

Each month Dear NICU Mama’s Editorial Team reviews letter submissions and selects 4-5 letters for publication. Letters are reviewed for quality, uniqueness, representation and fit within our editorial calendar. If your letter is selected for publication, you will receive an email from us within 3-4 weeks. Our Editorial Team edits each letter for clarity, punctuation, grammar, and spelling as well as to meet our style and tone guidelines listed above. We occasionally work with mamas on more substantial revisions. Authors retain rights to their letter, story, and photos. Please credit us as the original publisher if shared again elsewhere.

Many of the mothers who submit to us say they find value in writing a letter, even if it isn't selected for publication. If you do not hear from us, we encourage you to check back for the next month's letter prompt and consider revising and resubmitting. We are so grateful for the overwhelming interest in letter submissions and want to encourage you to keep writing! 

Join the Movement.

Dear NICU Mama is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization  designed to connect, encourage, and create community with past and present NICU moms.