The NICU Space by Miracle Moon Miracle Moon

It's final episode of Season 2 and we're delving into what it's like to be spending Christmas in a neonatal intensive care unit.



Katie's daughter was born five days before Christmas, 13 weeks early. Christmas Day was a particularly difficult time for the family as they watched their little girl battling for her life. She fought hard and came home ten weeks later.



Katie found the run up to her daughter's first Christmas at home particularly tough and talks to us about how she got through it and how she is feeling this year.



The episode is full of hope and ends with a special thank you to our listeners for joining us for season 2. Season 3 is coming soon!



We love engaging with our listeners! 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.

If this episode resonates with you or if you have questions, reach out to us on Instagram or shoot us an email at hello@miraclemoon.co.uk. You can also find us on our website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.miraclemoon.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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

Music: Moments by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

This week on the Miracle Moon podcast, we talk to Catriona, the Founder of The Smallest Things, a UK premature baby charity that supports families in their journey after neonatal care and seeks to improve the long term outcomes of children born prematurely. 

Catriona, who is also a paediatric Occupational Therapist with over twenty years experience working with children, young people and families, founded The Smallest Things in September 2014 following the premature birth of both her sons. She volunteers her time for the charity and is passionate about making the world a better place for children born prematurely and their families. 

We discuss: 


Catriona's own experience with her sons' premature births at 29 weeks.


The emotional toll of NICU stays and the struggle of returning to work too soon.


The charity's efforts and success to extend parental leave and the importance of employer support.


How people can talk to their workplace about supporting NICU parents now, and become an “employer with heart”. 


How the charity is supporting children born prematurely in their educational journey.


The Prem Aware Award Scheme and free teacher training for supporting premature children


Understanding the subtle learning difficulties of prematurely born children.


The vision of the smallest things and how they want to work closely with health visitors to increase understanding of NICU.



Find out more about what the smallest things are doing on their instagram @thesmallestthingscharity or on their website: www.thesmallestthings.org

We love engaging with our listeners! 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.

If this episode resonates with you or if you have questions, reach out to us on Instagram or shoot us an email at hello@miraclemoon.co.uk. You can also find us on our website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.miraclemoon.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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

Music: Moments by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

In this informative episode, we speak with Katie Sabin, a dedicated PhD student at King's College London, who leads the 'EXPAND Study' (Exploring Parental Emotional Support Needs After NICU Discharge). Katie's research sheds light on the emotional support needs of NICU parents, addressing important gaps in support. We delve into her findings and their potential impact on NICU parental support.

**Our Conversation Topics Include:**

- The 'EXPAND Study': Understanding Emotional Support Needs of NICU Parents

- The Importance of This Research: Filling Gaps in NICU Parental Support

- Key Findings: Uncovering the Emotional Impact of NICU Experiences

- Potential Impact: Enhancing Post-Discharge Support and Awareness

- Necessary Changes: Transforming the Landscape of NICU Parental Support

- Getting Involved: Contributing to the Research and Support

Join us as we discuss the critical need for improved emotional support for NICU parents and the potential for positive change through Katie's research.



Follow the EXPAND study here to find out more and get involved.



We love engaging with our listeners! 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.

If this episode resonates with you or if you have questions, reach out to us on Instagram or shoot us an email at hello@miraclemoon.co.uk. You can also find us on our website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.miraclemoon.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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

Music: Moments by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

This week on the podcast, we talk to Lorna. Lorna is a NICU mum and the co-founder of ⁠SuperDinky⁠/⁠@superdinkyuk⁠ a clothing brand which makes super soft organic cotton vests for tiny babies. 

She has a background in fashion design and started the brand with a neonatal nurse (Beth, who has already been on the podcast) following her own NICU experience. The brand has two aims, to make the world's best NICU baby clothes and to support the mental health of NICU parents.

Lorna says she believes that NICU parents do not get sufficient mental health support so she sees SuperDinky as a way to connect parents, build community and bring them a moment of joy during a potentially traumatic experience.

Earlier this year Lorna had an unexpected home birth at 37 weeks with her second baby after live blogging her pregnancy. She is here to talk about her NICU experience with her first baby, her mental health journey, SuperDinky and about having a full term baby after NICU.

Thank you for sharing Lorna!



We love engaging with our listeners! 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.

If this episode resonates with you or if you have questions, reach out to us on Instagram or shoot us an email at hello@miraclemoon.co.uk. You can also find us on our website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.miraclemoon.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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

Music: Moments by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Today we are absolutely honored to be talking with Lady Sarra Hoy. Lady Sarra gave birth to her son Callum 11 weeks early due to HELLP syndrome and was thrown into NICU life.



In this episode, Lady Sarra tells us all about her time in NICU, how she coped with her baby being in a hospital far away from home and how all of this has driven her to become a Bliss Ambassador. Lady Sarra dedicates her time to raising awareness of and improving neonatal care.



This is such a profound episode of our podcast and we really hope you enjoy listening to Lady Sarra and feel inspired by her reminders that you are not alone.



Find Lady Sarra here: ⁠@sarra.hoy



We love engaging with our listeners! 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.

If this episode resonates with you or if you have questions, reach out to us on Instagram or shoot us an email at hello@miraclemoon.co.uk. You can also find us on our website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.miraclemoon.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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

Music: Moments by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com

Today we are talking to Sophie Burch, Nurture You. Sophie has had three babies in NICU and years of experience working with parents to help them bolster their mental health.



In this episode, Sophie tells us about her son and twins who all required a NICU stay and gives advice to parents on how to navigate NICU whilst being aware of their mental wellbeing.



Sophie runs “Beyond Birth” which is a program that builds awareness of perinatal mental health, it is a gentle introduction to looking after yourself and Sophie normalises mental wellbeing practices in a very accessible way. She has a book for parents called the Beyond Birth Guide and leads practitioner training to run parent support groups. Sophie has embarked on a new venture called 'Nurture You', which empowers people to build their resilience, confidence and self-awareness.



Find Sophie here: @sophie_nurtureyou



We love engaging with our listeners! 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.

If this episode resonates with you or if you have questions, reach out to us on Instagram or shoot us an email at hello@miraclemoon.co.uk. You can also find us on our website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.miraclemoon.co.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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

Music: Moments by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com