Dear NICU Mom, We Know It’s Hard

Dear NICU Mom, 

Please know that you are not alone.

When you leave the NICU without your baby for the first time, overwhelmed and heartbroken, you aren’t alone.

I know how it feels to send updates to friends and family, fighting for words that make you sound confident, all the while feeling helpless and lost.

I see you wanting so badly to hold your child, but you can’t for the wires and the monitors in your way. I know that these barriers feel like they’ll be there forever. When this saddens you, remember, you aren’t alone.

And, when you cry on your way home from a long day of sitting by your child’s bedside, you may feel so.very.alone. But, please know you aren’t. 

When you feel guilty about doing anything “normal,” you definitely aren’t alone.

I see you praying…begging for this nightmare to be reconciled. Asking the same questions to different doctors, each day hoping for improvement and keeping it together when there’s a setback.

I also know what it’s like for well-meaning friends to tell you, “It could be worse,” and feel mixed emotions inside because, for you…this is as bad as it gets. It’s a living hell. This wasn’t planned. This wasn’t what you’d imagined your first few hours, days or weeks with your child would be like. At times like that, know you’re not alone.

When you have a breakdown, when things seem impossibly tough, find comfort in knowing you aren’t alone. Your trials, although uniquely yours, have brought about similar emotions amongst countless parents who have made that daily walk through the NICU doors.

I know too well that these days are tough. They’re near impossible to get through. But, you can. You will. You are stronger than you know and you are never alone

We’re all with you – all of us moms who have experienced NICU life firsthand. We never forget what it’s like. We’re praying, hoping and thinking of you. 

I hope now you know you are truly never alone.

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Leigh Ann
Hailing from a small west Texas town, Leigh Ann came to Oklahoma for college and now happily calls the state her home. She and her husband, Conner, met in college, were best friends for three and a half years before dating, and the rest is history. The couple now has two Australian shepherds and a new baby boy! Leigh Ann holds a bachelor’s degree in communications, with a minor in music, as well as a master’s degree in marketing. She enjoys being outdoors, traveling, spending time with family/friends, staying active and cheering on her favorite sports teams.

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