Dear NICU Mama, you’re not alone. M
By Melissa Davidson
oms never forget the feelings of anticipation and excitement pending the arrival of our little bundle (or bundles) of joy. But often, almost as if a precursor to how our brains will operate from here on out as we raise our little ones, it’s accompanied by an undercurrent of worry.
What if something goes wrong? What if my baby comes early? What if, what if, what if? For most moms, these thoughts never come to fruition. For others, they do. Being a mom with a baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit can be a lonely, scary and traumatic experience. But Ashley Ham and Martha Mink, founders of Dear NICU Mama, are using their own experiences to ensure NICU moms in our community have the unique support they need to get through even after they’ve come home.
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NICU mothers often don’t get to have maternity or newborn photoshoots, and this event gives them that opportunity to heal the wounds of trauma through community and provide validation and support for each woman’s individual journey. Ashley Ham
“I found a lot of articles regarding the ways in which I would struggle, but I didn’t find any articles that honored the NICU motherhood journey or the bravery that exists within each and every NICU mom. It’s one of the core reasons we founded Dear NICU Mama,” Ham said.
NICU Mamas from around the country and their
Dear NICU Mama is a nonprofit that connects and creates community among moms who have or currently have a baby in the NICU. The program provides a variety of support and advocacy resources through their website and social media pages, including their private Dear NICU Mama Facebook group. The organization’s podcast highlights stories of encouragement from other
NICU experiences.
ON THE MINDS OF MOMS | AUGUST • SEPTEMBER 2021
monthly support groups provide a touch base with moms from all walks of life. Dear NICU Mama also holds events, from guided meditations to an annual conference that features keynote speakers addressing mental health specific to
“When you’re in the NICU, the baby is the patient, not you, which can make you feel isolated. The biggest remedy for this is helping mothers out of isolation and into community,” Mink said. One of the more unique things Dear NICU Mama provides is their Celebration Photoshoots. The
