The NICU Space by Miracle Moon

• Neurodiversity, Birth Trauma & NICU: Untangling the Overlap with Jo & Lauren | S3E42

  “Is this ADHD? Is this autism? Or is this just trauma?” If you’ve ever asked yourself that question since NICU or birth trauma, you’re NOT alone.Maybe NICU and parenting have made your neurodivergence feel louder than ever. Maybe the sensory overload, emotional dysregulation, or executive dysfunction has hit a whole new level. Or maybe you’re just starting to piece things together, realising that what you thought was “just anxiety” or “just trauma” might actually be something more.Either way, you’re not imagining it. And you’re not the only one.We hear this all the time in The NICU Space, so we brought in the experts. Dr. Jo Mueller and Dr. Lauren Breese from The Neurodiversity Practice help untangle it all.Whether you’ve always known you’re neurodivergent or you’re only just putting the pieces together, this conversation will help you feel a little less alone in it all.In this episode, we’re diving into:- Why NICU & birth trauma can make neurodivergence feel louder, harder to manage, or more obvious- The overlap between ADHD, autism & trauma and how to make sense of it- How neurodivergence may show up in NICU and in life after- How masking can make diagnosis tricky and what to do if you’re worried about misdiagnosis- The reality of neurodivergence (beyond the “it’s a superpower” narrative)- How to set boundaries that actually work for you as a neurodivergent parent- Supporting a neurodivergent partner while still holding space for your own needs- Handling family and friends who just don’t get the way you parent💌 Check out the full show notes for this episode here, where you can find timestamps, a transcript and any links or resources we think are relevant to this episode. If this episode resonates with you or if you have questions, reach out to us on Instagram or shoot us an email at [email protected].🎧 We love engaging with our listeners! Share a screenshot of this episode and don't forget to tag us on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@miraclemoonuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ when you're tuning in.⭐️ Help us spread the word by leaving a review and subscribing...that way, you won't miss a single episode.🙏 A huge thank you to Emma at Cover My Bubble for supporting our podcast - you can find out more about all that Cover My Bubble offer at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.covermybubble.co.uk

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• Full-term babies in NICU: Kate & Joanne’s stories of HIE & feeling “out of place” | S3E41

  In recognition of February being Full-Term Awareness Month, Kate and Joanne are joining us to share the unique experience of having a full-term baby in neonatal care, why it can provide different challenges to having a pre-term baby there, and advice on how they handled invalidation and minimisation from others.We hope this episode helps you to realise that whatever has led you and your baby to NICU, you’re not alone and are always welcome in The NICU Space.In this episode, we’re chatting about:- The HIE events that led to Kate & Joanne’s full-term babies needing NICU stays- Developmental milestone worries- Challenges that come with having a full-term baby in NICU- How to handle people minimising your experience- Kate & Joanne’s advice for other full-term NICU parents💌 Check out the full show notes for this episode here, where you can find timestamps, a transcript and any links or resources we think are relevant to this episode. If this episode resonates with you or if you have questions, reach out to us on Instagram or shoot us an email at [email protected].🎧 We love engaging with our listeners! Share a screenshot of this episode and don't forget to tag us on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@miraclemoonuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ when you're tuning in.⭐️ Help us spread the word by leaving a review and subscribing...that way, you won't miss a single episode.🙏 A huge thank you to Emma at Cover My Bubble for supporting our podcast - you can find out more about all that Cover My Bubble offer at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.covermybubble.co.uk

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• Feeling disconnected from your partner: Intimacy, sex and connection after birth trauma or NICU | S3E40

  Talking about sex and intimacy after NICU isn’t really a done thing – but it’s a topic we really want to start normalising. So many people have experienced that loss of connection with their partner after a NICU stay and so if you’re going through it too, you really aren’t alone. You might have already discussed this with your friends or with your partner, but if you haven’t discussed with with anyone at all – that’s okay too. It’s such a difficult thing to talk about, but the key here is really to start small and we hope that this episode helps you to take the first step. We’re also doing a deep-dive webinar into this topic on 28th February 2025, so if it’s something you’d like further support with, you can find the link in the show notes.In this episode, we’re chatting about:- How a NICU stay or birth trauma can impact intimacy in your relationship- The reasons that trauma with often lead to disconnection in your relationships- Why it’s normal for NICU parents to experience exhaustion and feeling “touched out”- What “tokophobia” is and why past birth trauma can cause it- How you can rebuild your relationship with your partner beyond just sex and why it’s important to start small💌 Check out the full show notes forthis episode here, where you can find timestamps, a transcript and any links or resources we think are relevant to this episode. If this episode resonates with you or if you have questions, reach out to us onInstagram or shoot us an email at [email protected].🎧 We love engaging with our listeners! Share a screenshot of this episode and don't forget to tag us on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@miraclemoonuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ when you're tuning in.⭐️ Help us spread the word by leaving a review and subscribing...that way, you won't miss a single episode.🙏 A huge thank you to Emma at Cover My Bubble for supporting our podcast - you can find out more about all that Cover My Bubble offer at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.covermybubble.co.uk

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• Losing one twin and raising the other with medical complexities: Danielle’s story | S3E39

  Danielle Madden, and her daughter Aleigha spent nine months in NICU, followed by rehab and PICU, too, and sadly, Aleigha’s twin, Madelyn, passed away after one month in NICU. Danielle wanted to join me on the podcast to share all about their experience, how they adapted to life at home with a child with hearing loss and other disabilities, what life after NICU looks like years down the line and how you can look after yourself during your child’s NICU stay. In this episode, we’re chatting about: - Danielle’s NICU & PICU experiences and delivering her twins at 23 weeks and 5 days - The loss of Madelyn - How Danielle and her family adjusted to having a child with medical complexities at home - Looking after yourself during your child’s NICU stay - What going back to work looked like for Danielle  - What Aleigha’s life looks like now, years after NICU 💌 Check out the full show notes for this episode here, where you can find timestamps, a transcript and any links or resources we think are relevant to this episode. If this episode resonates with you or if you have questions, reach out to us on Instagram or shoot us an email at [email protected]. 🎧 We love engaging with our listeners! Share a screenshot of this episode and don't forget to tag us on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@miraclemoonuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ when you're tuning in. ⭐️ Help us spread the word by leaving a review and subscribing...that way, you won't miss a single episode. 🙏 A huge thank you to Emma at Cover My Bubble for supporting our podcast - you can find out more about all that Cover My Bubble offer at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.covermybubble.co.uk

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• Recovering from burnout after a NICU stay with Dr. Claire Plumbly | S3E38

  Going through burnout after a NICU stay is incredibly common, and when you feel like you can’t just have a break from life, how are you supposed to recover? Joining us to discuss all things burnout is Dr. Claire Plumbly, the Director of Good Therapy Ltd and also an experienced HCPC-Registered Clinical Psychologist and EMDR consultant supervisor. As well as 1-1 therapy, she runs regular workshops on burnout; boundaries; anxiety and overthinking and is the author of Burnout: How to Manage Your Nervous System Before It Manages You. You’ll be sure to find some nuggets in this episode that you can try straight away that will hopefully help with your levels of stress.  In this episode, we’re chatting about: What burnout actually is The role the nervous system plays in your body and how to recognise when you’re in the “amber” fight or flight response and the “red” shutdown response How to transition between different activities like your to-do list and putting your child to bed without stress Finding a person you feel safe to open up to and how to ask for (and accept!) help The three types of compassion and especially how you can improve your compassion with yourself 💌 Check out the full show notes for this episode here, where you can find timestamps, a transcript and any links or resources we think are relevant to this episode. If this episode resonates with you or if you have questions, reach out to us on Instagram or shoot us an email at [email protected]. 🎧 We love engaging with our listeners! Share a screenshot of this episode and don't forget to tag us on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@miraclemoonuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ when you're tuning in. ⭐️ Help us spread the word by leaving a review and subscribing...that way, you won't miss a single episode. 🙏 A huge thank you to Emma at Cover My Bubble for supporting our podcast - you can find out more about all that Cover My Bubble offer at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.covermybubble.co.uk

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