What if one conversation could completely change how you advocate for your baby in the NICU? In this episode of the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast , NICU mom and Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Nicole Nyberg is joined by Dr. Melinda Elliott, neonatologist and Chief Medical Officer at Prolacta Bioscience. Together, they dive deep into the emotional and clinical realities of life in the NICU—highlighting the critical role that parents play in their baby’s care from day one. You’ll hear powerful insi...
Jul 10, 2025•49 min
What happens when the person trained to understand trauma suddenly becomes the one living it? In this powerful episode, Dr. Michael Hynan—clinical psychologist, author, and NICU father—shares his personal story of his son’s premature birth and NICU stay, and how that experience forever changed his life and professional path. With honesty and insight, he reflects on what it truly means to be a NICU parent, why no two journeys are the same, and how important it is for care teams to understand and ...
Jun 13, 2025•1 hr 6 min
What does intentional care really look like in the NICU—and how does it shape outcomes for both infants and families? In this episode, we explore the importance of safe feeding practices, trauma-informed communication, and consistent caregiver support with Casey Lewis, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, CNT, CLC, NTMTC, and Lisa Klein, MS, CCC-SLP, Director of Education at Dr. Brown’s Medical. Together, we unpack the clinical and cultural challenges NICUs face—from inconsistent feeding plans and overlooked bre...
May 09, 2025•55 min
In this powerful episode honoring HIE Awareness Month, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Jessica Fulton shares the raw and emotional story of her son Bo’s birth — a delivery marked by unexpected complications that led to a diagnosis of Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE). Jessica opens up about what it was like to watch her own son become a critical patient in the very NICU where she had worked for years — as her personal and professional worlds suddenly collided. She speaks candidly about the shock...
Apr 30, 2025•58 min
A Cerebral Palsy diagnosis can bring a wave of emotions—especially for families who have already been through the NICU. In honor of Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, this episode is dedicated to helping NICU parents feel more informed, supported, and empowered as they navigate the possibility or reality of CP. In this episode, we’ll talk through the different types of Cerebral Palsy, what can cause it, and why certain babies—especially those born prematurely or with conditions like IVH, PVL, or HI...
Mar 31, 2025•39 min
Jodie and Steve’s world shattered when they lost their son, Henry, while his twin, Adam, fought for survival in the NICU. Grieving in isolation due to COVID-19 restrictions, Jodie was separated from her husband, denied the comfort of loved ones, and forced to navigate unimaginable pain alone. In this raw and unfiltered episode, Jodie shares the agony of losing a child, the trauma of the NICU, and the impossible balance of mourning while mothering a newborn. Through heartbreak and resilience, she...
Feb 28, 2025•53 min
Torn apart by hospital restrictions, a family faced the unthinkable—choosing which baby to stay with, while knowing one might not survive. When Jodie and Steve Marks welcomed their twin boys in March 2020, they never imagined that hospital restrictions and a devastating diagnosis would force them to make an unthinkable choice—which baby they would each "choose" to stay with. What should have been a time of hope, love, and bonding was instead filled with separation, impossible decisions, and hear...
Jan 30, 2025•1 hr
In this heartfelt and eye-opening episode of the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast, host Nicole Nyberg dives deep into the profound and often unspoken challenges of prematurity. From the critical moments in the NICU to the lasting physical, emotional, and developmental impacts on children and their families, this episode sheds light on the full scope of the prematurity journey. Discover how preterm birth affects every organ system, why the NICU environment plays such a pivotal role, and how parent...
Dec 01, 2024•48 min
I’m honored to share a replay of my guest appearance on Mary Coughlin’s Care Outloud Podcast. Together, we dive deep into the personal and professional impact of my journey as a NICU parent after the premature birth of my son William at 23 weeks. We explore how that experience transformed my life, inspiring my dedication to family-centered care, trauma-informed care, and mental health support for NICU families.Throughout our heartfelt conversation, I also discuss my work as a Neonatal Nurse Prac...
Oct 23, 2024•49 min
In this episode, we sit down with Edward Steinhauser to discuss his son Cooper's 82-day journey in the NICU and how that experience inspired the creation of the Cooper Steinhauser Foundation. Edward shares the emotional challenges of NICU life, the importance of fathers taking an active role, and how he and his wife, Haley, turned their grief into a mission to support other NICU families. Discover how their foundation is making a difference through vital resources, support initiatives, and the u...
Sep 04, 2024•49 min
Join us for a deeply moving and heartfelt episode as we welcome Edward Steinhauser to share his extraordinary journey of parenthood. Edward and his wife Haley, are the proud parents of their daughter Scotty and their son Cooper. Their path to parenthood has been marked by immense love, resilience, and profound loss. In this episode, Edward opens up about the challenges they faced, from multiple rounds of fertility treatments to the emotional rollercoaster of NICU life. He shares the profound bon...
Jul 25, 2024•55 min
Listen to the Empowering NICU Parents' Podcast as we dive into the emotional challenges of having a baby in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). This episode explores the profound feelings of guilt, anxiety, and trauma that NICU parents face, and emphasizes the importance of seeking support. You will learn practical self-care strategies, hear expert insights, and find comfort in knowing you're not alone. Whether you're still in the NICU or have transitioned home, this episode provides valuab...
May 31, 2024•28 min
Dive into the inspiring journey of Deidre, a mom of twins, on the latest episode of the Empowering NICU Parents’ Podcast! 🎙️ Join us as we explore her path through infertility, the emotional highs and lows of carrying twins, and the challenges of the NICU journey. As we celebrate National Multiple Birth Awareness Month, Deidre's story shines a light on the resilience and strength of families facing unique challenges. Get ready for an empowering discussion that will uplift and inspire you. Tune ...
Apr 30, 2024•46 min
On the Empowering NICU Parents' Podcast, we are dedicated to supporting you through every step of your NICU journey. Hosted by NICU parent Nicole Nyberg, this episode is packed with essential tips and insights to ensure you're prepared each time you head into the NICU to spend time with your baby! Drawing from her own experience of spending three months in the NICU, Nicole shares a comprehensive guide on what to pack in your daily NICU bag. From self-care items like toothbrushes and lip balm to ...
Apr 15, 2024•21 min
In this insightful podcast episode, we explore the challenges faced by families with infants in the NICU. Your host, Nicole Nyberg is an experienced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner and NICU parent, who shares insights from her personal experience along with anecdotes from other NICU parents. Join us as we explore ways to offer unwavering support through practical gestures of kindness, from meal trains and transportation assistance to thoughtful gifts that cater to the unique needs of NICU parents. W...
Feb 19, 2024•33 min
🌟 Unveiling the Untold Story: Marijuana & Pregnancy Podcast 🌿✨ Your host is a Neontal Nurse Practitiction who dives deep into groundbreaking research on marijuana's impact during pregnancy and breastfeeding in this eye-opening podcast, proudly sponsored by Dr. Brown’s Medical. Whether you're an expecting mom, a dedicated healthcare professional, or a caring family member, this episode is your key to unlocking valuable insights. 🔍 What are the short and long-term effects on mothers, growin...
Jan 19, 2024•37 min
November is Prematurity Awareness Month! During the month of November, we reflect on all of the the premature infants born each and everyday, the clinicians who care for them, and the parents. Despite all of the latest technology and advances in healthcare, one in ten children are born prematurely in the United States. Additionally, infants born prematurely are more likely to have long-term academic difficulties, cognitive impairments, learning disabilities, and/or emotional and behavioral issue...
Nov 24, 2023•39 min
To close out Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, I sat down with Tasha Ruholl. Tasha was kind enough to openly share the losses and subsequent grief that she and her husband have endured. She speaks about how it was her grief that drove her to make a difference and help so many other families. Tasha wanted to give the gift of time to any other parents who have to endure the unimaginable path of losing a child by donating cuddle cots to 10 local hospitals. Additionally, she continues to ho...
Nov 01, 2023•42 min
There are some amazing organizations that help to support and provide valuable resources for bereaved and NICU families. Many parents who have had a child in the NICU as well as parents who have endured a pregnancy loss or the loss of an infant have felt led to give back to other families enduring the same experience. Using their personal experience, they have created a platform or organization to pay it forward so they can help other families. After our son William was home from the NICU, I fel...
Oct 25, 2023•37 min
For our 52nd podcast episode, I was joined by Dr. Jess Daigle. She is a board-certified pediatrician and neonatal/pediatric hospitalist. Additionally, she is the proud mother of two premature infants, Liam and Avery. Her son Liam, was born at 31 weeks’ gestation and spent 5 weeks in the NICU. After her family’s personal experience in the NICU, she founded and is the CEO of Mom & Me, LLC which focuses on helping both mothers and infants thrive during the postpartum journey and beyond. Dr. Jes...
Sep 25, 2023•50 min
For our 51st podcast episode, I discussed a contensious topic in the neonatal world, Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER) and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Although it is a common occurrence amongst all infants, the lack of updated, clear, and consistent diagnostic and management recommendations remains, especially for the NICU population. Due to my personal and professional experiences, it is difficult for me to have one solid stance on the topic. As a former NICU nurse, I saw so many infant...
Sep 08, 2023•37 min
To celebrate our 50th podcast episode, we wanted to honor and hear from our NICU heroes, the NICU graduates. You will hear from several NICU graduates with ages ranging from 5 years old, up to 36 years old. I was honored to be able to sit down with these amazing NICU graduates and learn their perspective, even from my very own NICU graduate as we debut our first official interview together. I spoke with NICU graduates that were born both term and preterm with a variety of diagnoses. It is so int...
Aug 17, 2023•1 hr 5 min
For the 49th episode on the Empowering NICU Parents’ Podcast, we review necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) which is a life-threatening newborn condition that involves ischemia and inflammation of the bowel. Necrotizing Enterocolitis is a complex disease that despite decades of research, is still not well understood. The evidence continues to support the concurrent presence of several factors that when combined with a trigger, may lead to a disruption of the normal intestinal bacterial flora followe...
May 26, 2023•35 min
Maternal human milk is the absolute best food for newborn nutrition that supports all of their accelerated growth in the first year. And although we have a basic understanding of the composition of human milk, every woman’s breast milk has a different complexity when it comes to the nutritional content. But, you may be wondering, what exactly is breast milk composed of? For our 48th podcast episode, I review the general composition of human breast milk and what the variations are between preterm...
Apr 13, 2023•28 min
For our 47th podcast episode, I review some of the general benefits of maternal breast milk and why it is so important for all infants, but especially those who are critically ill and in the NICU, to receive maternal milk. Human milk, often referred to as liquid gold, is considered the gold standard feeding plan for all infants. Maternal human milk provides many nutritional advantages for infants, but it is also advantageous in non nutritional aspects as well. Unfortunately, NICU mothers face ad...
Mar 03, 2023•25 min
Infants in the NICU, especially those born prematurely, encounter the challenge of effective bottle feeding and/or nursing due to their maturational development. Recently, to support their development, there has been a shift in the paradigm to move away from volume-driven feedings in the NICU to a cue-based approach. The practice of cue-based feedings, specifically the The Infant-Driven Feeding™ Program (IDF™), begins with a neurodevelopmental foundation and promotes positive feeding experiences...
Feb 06, 2023•41 min
For infants in the NICU, especially those born prematurely, breast or bottle feeding effectively can oftentimes be a challenge. Maturational and developmental issues impact a premature infant’s ability to adequately coordinate their sucking, swallowing, and breathing. Yet, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), attainment of adequate oral feedings that fully support growth without physiologic instability is a skill that needs to be fully established prior to an infant’s discharge...
Jan 12, 2023•25 min
For our most recent episode, I continued to summarize the updated recommendations for care of the preterm and low birthweight infant from the World Health Organization (WHO) that were just released on November 15, 2022. The World Health Organization reviews the most up-to-date research findings and they develop global guidelines that are meant to help end-users or clinicians make informed decisions on whether, when, and how to undertake specific actions such as clinical interventions, diagnostic...
Dec 27, 2022•32 min
Do you often wonder what helps to guide care and policies in healthcare? Guidelines for medical care are driven by research and what the evidence has shown, otherwise known as evidence-based practice. And there are organizations, like the World Health Organization, who review the most up-to-date research findings and develop global guidelines that are meant to help end-users or clinicians make informed decisions on whether, when, and how to undertake specific actions such as clinical interventio...
Dec 12, 2022•26 min
On November 15, 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) released some updated recommendations for care of the preterm or low birthweight infant. New up-to-date evidence has emerged regarding the most effective clinical interventions in caring for preterm or low birthweight infants so a group of diverse experts and stakeholders from six different regions were selected and began working on these guidelines back in 2020. The guidelines developed by the WHO are meant to help end-users or clinician...
Nov 25, 2022•31 min
