Episode 25: Family Spotlight - Baby Sam. The baby is in control…always.
Hello everyone!
Thank you!
Thank you for following Mighty Littles.
Thank you for following the podcast.
Thank you to the parents who have trusted me to share their stories.
Can you believe it? We are here for Episode 25 of the Mighty Littles Podcast. For me, this is a huge milestone. When I started this new adventure into podcasting and blogging and writing a book back in March of 2020, I had no idea how it would go. I was filled with fear and anxiety. Nearly paralyzed by self-doubt and fear of failure. What if I fail? What if no one listens? What if I offend someone? What if I say the wrong thing? What if I don’t have enough to say? (ha — this is just not an issue, really). What if I suck?
I remember just thinking about all the reasons I shouldn’t do it. So I took a deep breath and started laying down the hoops. Just jump through one at a time, and eventually, you find yourself at episode 25! One interview leads to the next, and one podcast leads to the next. I am so proud of what this podcast is doing and I am incredibly grateful for everyone who was there cheering me on in the beginning and those of you who jumped on along the way. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Now that I’ve said thanks, let’s dive into today’s awesome episode. Sara England joins me for a conversation about her son Sam. He was born at 25 weeks with Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome). We touch on so many themes that there are too many to really count, but here are a couple of highlights.
Talking about miscarriage is becoming more normal, and is hugely important in the healing process. As moms, we fall in love with that baby the minute the pregnancy test is positive. And because we don’t talk about it, miscarriage can feel completely isolating.
Postpartum Depression and Anxiety can cause us to lose who we are as a person.
It is ok to feel two things at once. You can be grateful and angry at the same time, or joyful and overwhelmed at the same time. It is ok. Motherhood is hard sometimes. And we need to make it ok to talk about it. “I wanted this so much, and I need help” - this is a phrase that should be normal in every new mom’s conversations.
Discharge home from the NICU is not the end of your NICU Parenting journey. It is simply the first step in your journey as a parent of a NICU baby.
Never underestimate the importance of Mamas holding their baby in the delivery room - 25 weeks and intubated and all.
Grief is not linear. It is ok to choose the speed at which you dive into resources available to you.
It is ok to change providers or therapists if someone’s personality and biases don’t match up with your child’s needs.