A bereaved mother whose daughter died after 5 months in the NICU talks about how her grief showed up in her body and how counseling helped her see she experienced trauma.

A bereaved mother learns self-compassion in reflecting on decisions to keep her daughter alive for five months in the NICU, hoping and hoping she could eventually come home. “I get peace from realizing I would do the same thing all over again. … You don’t know what you don’t know. … There’s no blueprint on what is the right or wrong decision.”

The mother of a daughter diagnosed with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia talks about how initially she felt anger but turned to hope and focused on what she had to be grateful for.

I did not have to do it by myself. There was so much love in that room… I could not have asked for a better ending for her… She was surrounded by people who loved her.

A NICU mom talks about her weekly schedule while her daughter was in the hospital, learning that she needed to make time to take care of herself, and finding companionship in her nursing team.

The mother of a daughter who spent five months in the NICU talks about the little things that could have made her feel more supported as a woman of color spending most of her time in the hospital.

The mother to a daughter who spent five months in the NICU talks about how her emotions were received in the hospital as a black woman and finding her voice with the medical team.

The mother of a daughter born with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia talks about learning her baby had CDH 12 weeks into the pregnancy and coping with the uncertainty of that diagnosis during the remainder of her pregnancy and after Crimson was born. “Baby girl went through a lot in those five months.”

A NICU mom speaks frankly that the question “how are you doing?” from clinicians is unhelpful and how parents answer to get people to leave them alone. She suggests some more authentic, helpful questions.

A mom of a child who spent 5 months in the NICU offers her advice to fellow parents, including learning what kind of advocate you want or need to be for your child; make sure your child’s care team is working for you; you are validating yourself; and you are getting the answers you need.