Our NICU Story In 2019, we were excited to be expecting our first child. We were looking forward to all of the things that young parents picture when they imagine pregnancy: a cute announcement, ultrasounds, nursery decorating, picking a name… We did not anticipate how dramatically different Sloane’s birth would be from what we’d been taught to expect. At 29 weeks, my pregnancy went from normal to life-threatening in less than 3 days. Instead of flying to Denver for our baby shower, we checked into Greenville Memorial Hospital. My blood pressure skyrocketed, my organs started to shut down, and, suddenly, all of the plans we had made changed. Sloane was born at exactly 30 weeks, the day before her baby shower was supposed to take place and 2 days before Mother’s Day. Sloane spent 74 days in the NICU. Todd and I had to learn a million new medical acronyms, understand her diagnoses, her prognosis, and her future needs, even as I was struggling to recover from a complex c-section and to get my blood pressure back to normal, and Todd was doing his best to work so Sloane’s insurance would remain active. Sloane’s and my health have been forever impacted by her dramatic entry into the world and, as her lungs grow stronger and she works hard to catch up to her “typical” peers, we have had to shift our perspective on our lifestyle, future family planning, and our priorities moving forward. Throughout this journey, the Dear NICU Mama community became a tremendous source of comfort and hope for me. During the long, often lonely hours in the hospital, the Dear NICU Mama podcast was my constant companion, reminding me that I was not alone and that there were other mothers who understood exactly what I was feeling. In the years since Sloane’s NICU stay, this community has continued to support me through the unique challenges of parenting a NICU graduate. It has been my honor to give back by serving on the Dear NICU Mama Editorial Team since 2021, helping to share stories and resources that remind other NICU moms that they, too, are seen, loved, and never alone.