“Dear NICU Mama, You may not know it now, but one day, you will be a walking letter of hope for the NICU mom who has fears about their baby’s future.
You have empathy for other NICU moms that not everyone understands. You may still be holding onto some lingering fears yourself that you never expected to have before the birth of your baby. Will a NICU stay affect the bond I have with my baby? Will I be able to reach my breastfeeding goals? Will my baby have the quality of life that I want them to have? How will I ever move on from this experience? You and your baby are living proof that the NICU experience does not hinder motherhood, but it helps transform you into the mother and woman you have always been meant to be!
Regardless of the length of stay or degree of health complexities that required your stay, the NICU experience has shaped the way you approach motherhood for the rest of your life. Know that your feelings of fear, anger, and perhaps resentment towards other mothers’ birth experiences are valid. It’s okay to mourn the birth you may have spent months envisioning and dreaming about. Once you come out of the NICU and newborn haze, you may find new strength to use your experience to encourage others who are going through hard times. You are the best mother your baby could ever have, and you are an inspiration to other NICU moms.”
Love,
Alyssa
More of Our Journey:
“Over Labor Day weekend 2025 when I was about 33 weeks along, I started getting some lower back pain. At first I brushed it off as normal pregnancy pain, but it got to the point that I was in pretty severe pain. After 2 trips to labor and delivery, where the same OB both times said I was just dehydrated and constipated, I still hadn’t found relief. At my 34 week appointment my blood pressure spiked and I was transferred to the larger hospital in St. Cloud, MN. I was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia and ended up having to deliver via c-section at 34.5 weeks. Our beautiful baby girl entered the NICU to work on feeding, weight gain, and temperature control. Thankfully after only 12 days we got to take her home and she is now a thriving 9 month old!”