EP 25 | Emma – Two Premature Babies, Life in NICU, Pregnancy Loss & Finding Strength in Motherhood

In this episode, Emma shares her experiences of premature birth, pregnancy loss, NICU and navigating two incredibly challenging postpartum seasons.

We discuss:

• Developing severe preeclampsia during Emma’s first pregnancy
• Her son being born unexpectedly at 32 weeks
• An emergency caesarean under general anaesthetic
• Waiting 19 hours to meet her baby for the first time
• Navigating NICU and special care during COVID restrictions
• The isolation of being separated from her support network
• Pumping, tube feeding, nipple shields and establishing breastfeeding with a premature baby
• The emotional rollercoaster of NICU milestones and setbacks
• Bringing a premature baby home and the anxiety surrounding illness during COVID
• Experiencing two pregnancy losses between Emma’s children
• Pregnancy after loss and the anxiety of another high-risk pregnancy
• Emma’s daughter being born at 34 weeks and five days after experiencing preeclampsia again
• Returning to special care for a second time
• The difference the Ronald McDonald room made during their second experience
• Navigating a special care stay while also having an older child at home
• Emma’s son experiencing anaphylaxis shortly after her daughter came home
• Her newborn daughter becoming critically unwell with meningitis and being admitted to PICU
• Trying to recover from an emergency caesarean while both children needed significant care
• The impact of stress and sleep deprivation on breastfeeding
• The physical, mental, emotional and financial toll of prolonged hospital experiences
• Finding support through family, friends, church, medical teams and other NICU parents
• Why connecting with parents going through similar experiences can be so valuable
• Using social media and sharing her story as a way of processing what happened

You can find Emma on Instagram at @by.emmamae.

This weeks sponsor is Rest in the Postpartum Season - guided yoga nidra practices created for mothers. 

If you’re looking for a simple way to slow down, rest and take a little time for yourself, you can find practices ranging from five to fifteen minutes at www.thepostpartumseason.com.

And if you would like to buy a Postpartum Season cap, click this link below:

https://www.thepostpartumseason.com/store/p/the-postpartum-season-cap

Thank you for supporting the podcast!

As mentioned in the episode, here are some postpartum support resources. Please reach out if you need help.

Australia

• PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia)
  Helpline: 1300 726 306
  Website: https://www.panda.org.au
• Lifeline Australia
  13 11 14 (24/7)
  Website: https://www.lifeline.org.au
• Beyond Blue
  1300 22 4636
  Website: https://www.beyondblue.org.au

New Zealand

• PlunketLine
  0800 933 922 (24/7)
• Healthline New Zealand
  0800 611 116 (24/7)
• 1737 Need to talk?
  Call or text 1737 (24/7)

Thank you for listening. Take care x