Beyond Beeps & Hums

Anandé Ferreira
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Parenting
  • Updated weekly

Beyond Beeps & Hums is a podcast created to support and empower families on their NICU journey — and in the life that follows. Hosted by Anandé Ferreira, a two-time preemie NICU mama and pediatric occupational therapist from @playmoreot. Each episode explores the complexities of life in and beyond NICU doors. You’ll hear conversations that validate, inform, and connect — helping parents and professionals find understanding, hope, and healing. Launching 2026. No NICU journey should be faced alone.

  1. 6 days ago

    When Matrescence Meets the NICU The maternal brain, trauma and becoming a mother in intensive care

    We spend a great deal of time discussing the vulnerability of babies born prematurely or admitted to the NICU and rightly so. But far less is said about the mother whose brain, body, identity and relationships are also undergoing an enormous transition. In this episode, Anandé is joined by Lottie King, a NICU and baby-loss mother, nervous-system educator, charity founder and CEO, and master’s student at King’s College London studying the neuroscience and psychology of mental health. Together, they explore what happens when matrescence, the developmental transition into motherhood, unfolds in the context of trauma, uncertainty and intensive care.  In this episode, we explore What matrescence means and why mothers deserve to know about itHow the maternal brain changes during pregnancy and early motherhoodWhy “mum brain” is an inadequate description of profound neurobiological reorganisationHow the maternal brain may adapt differently across first and subsequent pregnanciesWhat happens when early motherhood unfolds alongside NICU, medical complexity, trauma or lossHow separation and altered sensory cues can affect the caregiving experienceWhy NICU parents may rely heavily on monitors, charts and medical informationWhy NICU parents should not be expected to seek out all their own support while operating in survival modeWhat more compassionate, preventative and family-centred NICU care could look like About Lottie King Lottie King is a NICU and baby-loss mother, nervous-system educator, charity founder and CEO, and a master’s student at King’s College London studying the neuroscience and psychology of mental health. Her work brings together neuroscience, nervous-system education, professional learning and lived experience to deepen understanding of what NICU families endure. You can follow Lottie’s educational work on Instagram at @nicu_neuroscience. Families and professionals in the northeast of England can also find Leo’s Neonatal on Instagram and Facebook.  Closing note This episode offers a different lens on NICU care: one that recognises that while a baby’s development requires careful protection, the mother is also moving through a vulnerable and transformative developmental period. When we understand both, we can begin to care for the whole family differently.

    When Matrescence Meets the NICU The maternal brain, trauma and becoming a mother in intensive care

  2. 21 Jul

    Hospital Corridors and Missed Playdates

    In this short reflective episode, we explore the invisible emotional load of medical parenting and why repeated hospital visits, uncertainty and constant decision-making ask so much of a parent’s nervous system. And while there can be enormous gratitude for the care our children receive, there can also be grief for an experience that unfolded differently than we imagined. In this episode we explore: Why medical parenting carries an invisible cognitive and emotional loadHow hospital appointments can reactivate stress and uncertaintyThe hidden impact of ongoing medical care on a parent’s nervous systemHolding gratitude and grief at the same timeWhy struggling to access play or presence doesn’t mean you’re failing Whether your child spent time in NICU, has ongoing medical needs, or you’ve found yourself carrying more than most people can see, this episode is a gentle reminder that invisible work is still work. @beyondbeepsandhums with Anandé Ferreira

    Hospital Corridors and Missed Playdates

  3. 7 Jul

    Survival Mode Was Never Meant to Be Permanent

    What if the exhaustion, overwhelm and constant feeling of falling behind aren’t signs that you’re failing? What if they’re signs of a nervous system that has simply been carrying too much for too long? In this episode we explore: Why survival mode is designed to protect us during difficult seasonsThe hidden load many parents continue to carryWhy compassion is often more helpful than criticismHow understanding your nervous system can become the first step toward healing @beyondbeepsandhums

    Survival Mode Was Never Meant to Be Permanent

  4. 23 Jun

    When Play Feels Hard

    “I thought I’d be more playful.” “I thought I’d enjoy this more.” “I thought I’d be more patient.” These are some of the most common reflections I hear from parents. In this short reflective episode, I explore an often-overlooked piece of the parenting conversation: Play requires capacity. While social media often focuses on play ideas, activities and developmental support, many parents are carrying mental overload, sleep deprivation, sensory overwhelm, emotional labour, stress and trauma. When the nervous system is operating in survival mode, creativity, flexibility, patience and play can become harder to access. In this episode we explore: • Why play is more than a parenting strategy • The relationship between nervous system regulation and playfulness • How stress, overwhelm and sensory overload affect parenting capacity • Why many parents feel they are not parenting in the way they imagined • The hidden impact of trauma and survival mode on connection • Why supporting the nervous system often comes before supporting play Whether you’re a NICU parent, a new parent, or simply feeling overwhelmed by the demands of modern parenting, this episode offers a compassionate reminder: Struggling to access play does not mean you’re failing. It may simply mean your nervous system needs support too. @beyondbeepsandhums

    When Play Feels Hard

  5. 9 Jun

    Why Are We Coping So Differently? Understanding NICU Trauma Responses - with Dr Frankie Harrison

    One parent wants to talk. One shuts down. One becomes hypervigilant. One throws themselves into work. One feels the need to control everything. One seems emotionally distant. In this episode, I’m joined by clinical psychologist, NICU parent, and founder of Miracle Moon, Dr Frankie Harrison, to explore the nervous system responses that emerge during and after a NICU admission. Together we unpack the fight, flight, freeze and fawn responses and discuss what these survival patterns can look like for parents navigating NICU and life beyond its doors. We discuss: • Why trauma responses are automatic, unconscious survival responses • What fight, flight, freeze and fawn can look like in the NICU environment and at home • Why parents often experience conflict when their nervous systems respond differently • Why many parents blame themselves for how they coped • How trauma therapy can help parents move from surviving to more joyful living • Parenting in the way you want to parent, rather than parenting from fear and survival   Whether you’re currently in NICU, recently discharged, or years beyond your NICU journey, this episode offers a compassionate reminder: The ways you coped were not a reflection of how much you loved your baby. They were your nervous system’s attempt to keep you safe. Resources This episode features Dr Frankie Harrison, Clinical Psychologist, NICU Parent and Founder of  Miracle Moon You can learn more about Dr Frankie and her support services, resources, courses and community through Miracle Moon below: Miracle MoonFollow Dr Frankie @miraclemoonuk The NICU Space Podcast

    Why Are We Coping So Differently? Understanding NICU Trauma Responses - with Dr Frankie Harrison

  6. 26 May

    Trauma, Sensory Overload and Parenting After NICU

    Leaving NICU doesn’t mean your nervous system automatically feels safe again. In this episode of Beyond Beeps & Hums, we shift the focus onto parents — exploring how trauma, chronic stress, sleep deprivation, sensory overload, and survival mode can continue long after discharge. We talk about: What sensory overload actually isWhy parents often feel more reactive, snappy, emotional, or overwhelmed after NICUHow trauma impacts capacity and nervous system regulationWhy seemingly “small” things can suddenly feel impossiblePractical sensory strategies to support regulation in daily lifeThis episode also explores the different sensory systems including sound, touch, movement, proprioception, taste, smell, vision, and interoception and how understanding your own sensory needs can help support your regulation. Because regulation is not about perfection, it’s about understanding what your nervous system has been carrying. Please note: This episode is intended for educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical or mental health support. If this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with another NICU parent who may need it.

    Trauma, Sensory Overload and Parenting After NICU

  7. 12 May

    Life After NICU: How to Support Your Baby’s Nervous System at Home

    Discharge from NICU is often seen as the finish line, but for your baby’s nervous system, and for yours, it’s a transition, not an endpoint. In the womb, babies develop in a carefully buffered environment, dim light, filtered sound, rhythmic movement, and constant containment. In NICU, that sensory environment shifts. If you’ve felt the pressure to “catch up” after NICU, this episode offers a different lens. One that shifts the focus to regulation and supports your baby’s nervous system as it settles into life beyond the NICU. What we cover in this episode What to consider in the shift from NICU to the home environmentHow touch experiences in NICU may impact their regulationHow stationary NICU experiences may impact their movement sensory systemHow everyday environments (light, noise, smell) can impact your baby more than expectedPractical ways to support your baby to feel regulated, safe and settledWhy the urge to “catch up” can overwhelm a stressed nervous system @beyondbeepsandhums

    Life After NICU: How to Support Your Baby’s Nervous System at Home

  8. 5 May

    Holding It Together in NICU (When You're Falling Apart Inside)

    This is a short, reflective episode for Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week. In NICU, there is often an unspoken pressure to be okay, to look calm, to hold it together, to be strong. Behind that, many mothers are navigating postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression, PTSD and one of the most vulnerable transitions of their lives, matrescence, inside a highly medical environment. In this episode, I reflect on: Post Partum Anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress DisorderThe quiet pressure to “look fine” while everything feels uncertainHow that survival mode can stay in the body long after dischargeThis episode isn’t about solutions, it’s about naming what so many NICU parents carry. In the next two episodes, we shift into what happens when you go home and how to support both your baby’s and your own nervous system in that transition. If this resonated, share it with someone who might need to hear it too. @beyondbeepsandhums

    Holding It Together in NICU (When You're Falling Apart Inside)
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Beyond Beeps & Hums is a podcast created to support and empower families on their NICU journey — and in the life that follows. Hosted by Anandé Ferreira, a two-time preemie NICU mama and pediatric occupational therapist from @playmoreot. Each episode explores the complexities of life in and beyond NICU doors. You’ll hear conversations that validate, inform, and connect — helping parents and professionals find understanding, hope, and healing. Launching 2026. No NICU journey should be faced alone.

Information

  • Creator
    Anandé Ferreira
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Anandé Ferreira
  • Show Website
    Beyond Beeps & Hums