The NICU Space by Miracle Moon

In this episode, I’m joined by Helena Morais, bereaved mother, writer, speaker and founder of Maila’s Present. Helena shares the story of her daughter Maila, who died just before birth at 36 weeks and 5 days following undiagnosed pre-eclampsia and stillbirth.

We talk about the trauma and shock of baby loss, navigating grief after stillbirth, and the importance of helping parents feel connected to their baby after death. Helena also shares how her experience led her to create Maila’s Present, alongside her work advocating for better bereavement care, greater awareness around Black maternal health, and more compassionate support for grieving families.

In this episode, we talk about:
Stillbirth at 36 weeks and the trauma of losing a baby before birth
Pre-eclampsia, maternity care and Black maternal health disparities
Grief, detachment and bonding after baby loss
The importance of memory making and bereavement support after stillbirth
Parenting after loss, spirituality, and keeping a connection with your baby

Resources & links mentioned in this episode:
The NICU Space Community⁠⁠
An online support space for NICU parents at all stages of their journey. Inside you’ll find specialist resources, coping tools and connection with parents who understand what this experience can feel like.

Maila’s Present
Personalised storybooks and resources created to help families honour and remember their babies after loss.

Legacy of Leo
Support for LGBTQ+ families experiencing baby loss.

Ebony Bonds Bereavement Support
Support for Black families experiencing baby loss and bereavement.

Muslim Bereavement Support Service
Bereavement support for Muslim families.

Stay connected
Instagram: ⁠⁠@miraclemoonuk⁠⁠
Website: ⁠⁠⁠miraclemoon.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠
The NICU Space community: ⁠The NICU Space⁠⁠⁠

Connect with our guest, Helena Morais
Instagram: ⁠@mailaspresent⁠
LinkedIn: Helena Morais

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In this episode, I’m joined by Naomi, who shares her deeply personal journey through pregnancy loss, losing twins, and later giving birth to triplets who required neonatal care. We talk about the emotional complexity of grieving while still being pregnant, and what it’s like stepping into the NICU after such a layered experience.

Naomi opens up about navigating fear, hope, and survival mode all at once, and how her journey has shaped her as a mother. We also explore the lasting impact of loss alongside neonatal care, and why so many parents feel caught between grief and gratitude.

In this episode, we talk about:
Pregnancy loss and the experience of losing twins
Navigating pregnancy after loss and the emotional toll it brings
Giving birth to triplets and entering the NICU
The complex mix of grief, gratitude, and survival mode
How loss and neonatal care can shape identity and motherhood

Resources & links mentioned in this episode:

The NICU Space Community⁠⁠
An online support space for NICU parents at all stages of their journey. Inside you’ll find specialist resources, coping tools and connection with parents who understand what this experience can feel like.

Tommy’s Research on C-section scars & premature births
https://www.tommys.org/about-us/news-views/new-research-reveals-clues-about-link-between-some-c-section-scars-and

Stay connected
Instagram: ⁠⁠@miraclemoonuk⁠⁠
Website: ⁠⁠⁠miraclemoon.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠The NICU Space community: ⁠The NICU Space⁠⁠⁠

Connect with our guest, Naomi
Instagram: @fenfamfitnessandtriplets

One last thing! Help us spread the word by leaving a review and subscribing...that way, you won't miss a single episode. ⭐️

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Julianne Boutaleb, a perinatal psychologist specialising in fertility, reproductive trauma, and perinatal mental health. We explore the often-overlooked emotional impact of fertility struggles, IVF, pregnancy loss, and how these experiences can intersect with neonatal care (NICU).

We talk about reproductive trauma, disenfranchised grief, and the concept of the “reproductive story” and why so many parents feel stuck in survival mode long after their baby is here. This conversation explores identity, shame, and the layered impact of fertility and NICU experiences on mental health and parenthood.

In this episode, we talk about:
What reproductive trauma is and how fertility, IVF and NICU experiences build over time
Pregnancy loss, miscarriage and disenfranchised grief
The “reproductive story” and disrupted expectations of parenthood
Why many parents feel stuck in survival mode after NICU
Identity, shame and the long-term mental health impact of fertility journeys

Resources & links mentioned in this episode:

⁠⁠The NICU Space Community⁠⁠
An online support space for NICU parents at all stages of their journey. Inside you’ll find specialist resources, coping tools and connection with parents who understand what this experience can feel like.

Make Birth Better Article- Is My Baby Affected by Birth Trauma and What Can I Do to Help? https://www.makebirthbetter.org/blog/is-my-baby-affected-by-birth-trauma

Rescripted Article: Parenting After Infertility: Do We Ever Truly Move on from Fertility Trauma?https://rescripted.com/posts/parenting-after-infertility-do-we-ever-truly-move-on-from-fertility-trauma

Stay connected
Instagram: ⁠⁠@miraclemoonuk⁠⁠
Website: ⁠⁠⁠miraclemoon.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
The NICU Space community: ⁠The NICU Space

Connect with our guest, Dr. Julianne Boutaleb
Instagram: @parenthoodinmind

One last thing! Help us spread the word by leaving a review and subscribing...that way, you won't miss a single episode. ⭐️

In this episode, Danielle joins me to share her journey through infertility, pregnancy with triplets, vanishing twin syndrome, and the premature birth of her twin girls during COVID.

We talk about the trauma of unexpected early labour, being separated from her babies after birth, and the emotional reality of navigating NICU life with twins. Danielle also opens up about how the experience impacted her relationship, led to single motherhood, and how she now manages the ongoing stress of raising three children while navigating a recent Type 1 diabetes diagnosis for one of her daughters.

In this episode, we talk about:
Infertility, pregnancy with triplets, and vanishing twin syndrome
The premature birth of twins during COVID and NICU separation trauma
How NICU experiences can impact relationships and identity
The realities of single motherhood after neonatal care
Living in survival mode while parenting three young children
Navigating a new Type 1 diabetes diagnosis after NICU trauma

Resources & links mentioned in this episode:
The NICU Space Community: An online support space for NICU parents at all stages of their journey. Inside you’ll find specialist resources, coping tools and connection with parents who understand what this experience can feel like.

Stay connected
Instagram:⁠ ⁠@miraclemoonuk⁠⁠
Website: ⁠⁠⁠miraclemoon.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠The NICU Space community: ⁠The NICU Space⁠⁠⁠

Connect with our guest, Danielle
Instagram: @Surthrivalmode 

One last thing! Help us spread the word by leaving a review and subscribing...that way, you won't miss a single episode. ⭐️

In this episode, I’m joined by Lottie from Leo’s Neonatal and NICU Neuroscience to explore what happens in the brain and body during and after neonatal care.

We talk about the NICU nervous system response, what survival mode actually means, and why hyper vigilance, snapping, overthinking, and the inability to switch off make so much sense after trauma. We also explore matrescence, the neuroscience of becoming a parent, and how neonatal care can shape identity, stress responses, and long-term wellbeing.

Lottie and I discuss why so many NICU parents feel stuck in survival mode long after discharge, how trauma can show up physically in the body, and the powerful role of validation, community, and nervous system support in healing.

In this episode, we talk about:

⁠The NICU Space Community⁠An online support space for NICU parents at all stages of their journey. Inside you’ll find specialist resources, coping tools and connection with parents who understand what this experience can feel like.
The NICU Parent Handbook A new resource I’ve created to help parents make sense of the thoughts and feelings that often follow neonatal care. It explores common experiences like guilt, grief, hypervigilance and anxiety, alongside practical tools to help parents cope. Coming soon.

Stay connected
Instagram: ⁠@miraclemoonuk⁠
Website: ⁠⁠miraclemoon.co.uk⁠⁠⁠
The NICU Space community: ⁠The NICU Space⁠⁠

@nicu_neuroscience

One last thing! Help us spread the word by leaving a review and subscribing...that way, you won't miss a single episode. ⭐️