Episodios

  • The Why Behind Empowering NICU Parents

    The Why Behind Empowering NICU Parents
    Feb 26 2026
    In this episode, the roles are reversed. Nicole Nyberg steps out from behind the microphone and into the guest seat as she joins Martha Sharkey on the NICU Today Podcast to share the story behind Empowering NICU Parents — and the why that continues to guide her work.

    What begins as a conversation about Nicole’s journey into nursing and the NICU evolves into a deeply personal reflection on what happens when professional knowledge meets lived experience. As a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Nicole believed she truly understood most things about the NICU — until her son, William, was born extremely premature and she found herself on the other side of the isolette.

    In this honest and reflective conversation, Nicole shares what it was like to navigate the NICU as both a provider and a parent, how that experience reshaped her personally and professionally, and what she came to truly understand about the emotional weight families carry during a NICU stay.

    This episode explores why family-centered care, parental presence, and meaningful parent education are not optional add-ons, but essential components of care that impact healing, confidence, and long-term outcomes for both babies and families.

    Whether you are a NICU parent, a clinician, or someone walking alongside families during one of the most vulnerable seasons of their lives, this episode offers perspective, validation, and a powerful reminder that parents matter — and their presence belongs at the bedside.

    Dr. Brown’s Medical: https://www.drbrownsmedical.com

    The Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program: https://www.infantdrivenfeeding.com/

    Our NICU Roadmap: A Comprehensive NICU Journal: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicujournal/

    NICU Mama Hats: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/hats/

    NICU Milestone Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicuproducts/

    Newborn Holiday Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/

    Empowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shownotes/

    Episode 79 Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode79

    Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/

    Empowering NICU Parents FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents

    Pinterest Page: https://pin.it/36MJjmH

    Thank you for listening to the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review—it helps other families find us. We’re grateful to be part of this incredible community. Visit www.empoweringnicuparents.com for resources and support.
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    40 m
  • From NICU Experience to Nonprofit Mission: A Family’s Journey to Today Is a Good Day

    From NICU Experience to Nonprofit Mission: A Family’s Journey to Today Is a Good Day
    Jan 30 2026
    An unexpected delivery at 23 weeks turned Martha Sharkey into a NICU parent overnight when her identical twin daughters were born far too soon. What followed was a journey through extreme prematurity, devastating loss, and the long road of uncertainty that reshaped her family forever.

    In this deeply moving episode, Martha shares key takeaways from their NICU journey and from building Today Is a Good Day, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting NICU families. This conversation reflects on twins, grief, resilience, and how lived experience can grow into a mission to ensure not one single NICU parent walks alone.

    Dr. Brown’s Medical: https://www.drbrownsmedical.com

    The Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program: https://www.infantdrivenfeeding.com/

    Solly Baby: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/

    Our NICU Roadmap: A Comprehensive NICU Journal: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicujournal/

    NICU Mama Hats: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/hats/

    NICU Milestone Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicuproducts/

    Newborn Holiday Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/

    Empowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shownotes/

    Episode 78 Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode78

    Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/

    Empowering NICU Parents FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents

    Pinterest Page: https://pin.it/36MJjmH

    Thank you for listening to the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review—it helps other families find us. We’re grateful to be part of this incredible community. Visit www.empoweringnicuparents.com for resources and support.
    Más Menos
    55 m
  • The Lifelong Journey and Impact of Premature Birth: What Families Should Know

    The Lifelong Journey and Impact of Premature Birth: What Families Should Know
    Nov 18 2025
    Premature infants are incredibly resilient—but their journey can involve long-term health, developmental, and behavioral challenges that many parents aren’t told about. This episode explores these realities in depth, from respiratory and neurological risks to sensory and emotional impacts, along with the lasting effects the NICU can have on families. It’s a compassionate, empowering look at what life after the NICU truly means.

    Dr. Brown’s Medical: https://www.drbrownsmedical.com

    The Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program: https://www.infantdrivenfeeding.com/

    Our NICU Roadmap: A Comprehensive NICU Journal: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicujournal/

    NICU Mama Hats: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/hats/

    NICU Milestone Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicuproducts/

    Newborn Holiday Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/

    Empowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shownotes/

    Episode 77 Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode77

    Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/

    Empowering NICU Parents FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents

    Pinterest Page: https://pin.it/36MJjmH

    Thank you for listening to the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review—it helps other families find us. We’re grateful to be part of this incredible community. Visit www.empoweringnicuparents.com for resources and support.
    Más Menos
    47 m
  • Wave of Light: Finding Light After Loss

    Wave of Light: Finding Light After Loss
    Oct 10 2025
    October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month — a time to remember and honor the babies gone too soon and the families who carry their memory every day.

    The loss of a child changes everything — the world feels darker, and healing can feel impossible. But with time, love, and support, light begins to return. In this moving episode, Nicole sits down with her dear friend and fellow Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Jamie Summers, whose journey through the loss of her daughter, Peyton, led her to help lift up other parents who have endured loss or are grieving — bringing light back into their eyes through her beautiful Wave of Light tribute.

    What began as a simple act of remembrance for Peyton has blossomed into a radiant event that now honors more than 2,000 babies each year on Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. Together, Nicole and Jamie talk about the power of community, the beauty of hearing your baby’s name spoken aloud, and the ways we can all bring light to those walking through grief.

    Whether you’ve experienced loss yourself or want to better understand how to support others, this episode will touch your heart and remind you that love continues — even after loss.

    Dr. Brown’s Medical: https://www.drbrownsmedical.com

    The Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program: https://www.infantdrivenfeeding.com/

    Our NICU Roadmap: A Comprehensive NICU Journal: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicujournal/

    NICU Mama Hats: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/hats/

    NICU Milestone Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicuproducts/

    Newborn Holiday Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/

    mpowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shownotes/

    Episode 76 Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode76

    Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/

    Empowering NICU Parents FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents

    Pinterest Page: https://pin.it/36MJjmH

    Thank you for listening to the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review—it helps other families find us. We’re grateful to be part of this incredible community. Visit www.empoweringnicuparents.com for resources and support.
    Más Menos
    37 m
  • Culture, Belief, and a Committed Team: The University of Iowa NICU Redefines What’s Possible

    Culture, Belief, and a Committed Team: The University of Iowa NICU Redefines What’s Possible
    Sep 30 2025
    Born at 21 0/7 weeks’ gestation, Nash Keen is recognized as the youngest infant ever to survive. In this powerful follow-up to Episode 74, where his mother, Mollie, shared their family’s journey, listeners now hear from two of the neonatologists who cared for Nash at the University of Iowa’s Stead Family Children’s Hospital—Dr. Patrick McNamara and Dr. Amy Stanford.

    The conversation explores what first inspired them to pursue neonatology, how the culture and belief within the walls of the NICU at the University of Iowa shape outcomes, and why their “small baby” program has become a model of consistency, teamwork, and hope. They reflect on the challenges Nash faced in his earliest days, the role of hemodynamics in guiding his care, and the profound meaning of seeing babies like Nash go home after months of critical illness.

    This episode is a tribute not only to Nash and his courageous family but also to the dedicated NICU teams whose relentless commitment continues to redefine what’s possible for the tiniest and most fragile infants.

    Dr. Brown’s Medical: https://www.drbrownsmedical.com

    The Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program: https://www.infantdrivenfeeding.com/

    Our NICU Roadmap: A Comprehensive NICU Journal: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicujournal/

    NICU Mama Hats: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/hats/

    NICU Milestone Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicuproducts/

    Newborn Holiday Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/

    Empowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shownotes/

    Episode 75 Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode75

    Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/

    Empowering NICU Parents FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents

    Pinterest Page: https://pin.it/36MJjmH

    Thank you for listening to the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review—it helps other families find us. We’re grateful to be part of this incredible community. Visit www.empoweringnicuparents.com for resources and support.
    Más Menos
    50 m
  • Hope Against All Odds: Nash Keen’s Journey as the Most Premature Infant to Survive

    Hope Against All Odds: Nash Keen’s Journey as the Most Premature Infant to Survive
    Sep 18 2025
    Born at just 21 0/7 weeks and weighing only 285 grams, Nash Keen entered the world with odds that were essentially nonexistent. Yet from his very first breath, he showed a will to live that defied every expectation.

    Refusing to give up on their son, Mollie Keen and her husband, Randall, made a life-changing decision to transfer to University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital—where an extraordinary team, rooted in a steadfast belief and culture of giving infants at his gestation a chance at life, stood ready to fight alongside them.

    What followed was nothing short of remarkable. Against relentless setbacks, fragile moments, and months of intensive care, Nash’s determination only grew stronger. Mollie watched in awe as her tiny son—born smaller than a can of soda—met every challenge with quiet, unwavering strength. Today, Nash has been officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the most premature baby to survive.

    In this special episode for NICU Awareness Month, Nicole Nyberg sits down with Mollie as she shares their family’s extraordinary journey—the heartbreak that came before, the terrifying and traumatic moments in the NICU, the small but mighty victories, and the resilience that continues to inspire everyone who meets him. This is more than a story about survival—it’s a powerful testament to hope, love, and the belief that even the smallest beginnings can rise into something extraordinary.

    Dr. Brown’s Medical: https://www.drbrownsmedical.com

    The Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program: https://www.infantdrivenfeeding.com/

    Our NICU Roadmap: A Comprehensive NICU Journal: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicujournal/

    NICU Mama Hats: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/hats/

    NICU Milestone Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicuproducts/

    Newborn Holiday Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/

    Empowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shownotes/

    Episode 74 Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode74

    Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/

    Empowering NICU Parents FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents

    Pinterest Page: https://pin.it/36MJjmH

    Thank you for listening to the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review—it helps other families find us. We’re grateful to be part of this incredible community. Visit www.empoweringnicuparents.com for resources and support.
    Más Menos
    47 m
  • Feeding with Confidence: Practical Strategies to Support Families in the Hospital and Beyond

    Feeding with Confidence: Practical Strategies to Support Families in the Hospital and Beyond
    Aug 29 2025
    In this episode of Empowering NICU Parents' Podcast, Elisa Doherty and Lisa Kleinz share practical strategies that care teams can use to promote breastfeeding during the “breastfeeding window”—along with ideas any hospital can adopt to better support families, even if they have not implemented the Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program.

    We then explore the powerful role of the Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program in supporting breastfeeding and empowering families in the NICU. We discuss new research that demonstrated how a hospital system that has implemented IDF™ not only improved breastfeeding success rates in the NICU, but they also had an increase in sustained breastfeeding rates after discharge.

    Elisa also reflects on the lessons learned and the rewards of building a successful feeding clinic, offering inspiration for other clinicians who may want to create something similar in their own communities.

    This episode is filled with practical strategies and heartfelt perspectives from clinicians dedicated to providing a holistic, family-centered approach to infant feeding—making it an essential listen for both NICU parents and clinicians committed to empowering families and improving outcomes.

    Dr. Brown’s Medical: https://www.drbrownsmedical.com

    The Infant-Driven Feeding™ (IDF) Program: https://www.infantdrivenfeeding.com/

    Our NICU Roadmap: A Comprehensive NICU Journal: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicujournal/

    NICU Mama Hats: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/hats/

    NICU Milestone Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicuproducts/

    Newborn Holiday Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/

    Empowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shownotes/

    Episode 73 Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode73

    Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/

    Empowering NICU Parents FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents

    Pinterest Page: https://pin.it/36MJjmH

    Thank you for listening to the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review—it helps other families find us. We’re grateful to be part of this incredible community. Visit www.empoweringnicuparents.com for resources and support.
    Más Menos
    41 m
  • Bridging Gaps, Building Connections: The Infant Feeding Journey

    Bridging Gaps, Building Connections: The Infant Feeding Journey
    Aug 21 2025
    In this episode of Empowering NICU Parents, we dive into the critical role of infant feeding with Elisa Doherty and Lisa Kleinz. We explore the importance of truly listening to families about their feeding goals and the challenges of breastfeeding—even with healthy, full-term infants.

    Hear how Elisa’s innovative work led to the creation of a successful Infant Feeding Clinic, bridging the gap between hospital discharge and those first few formative months when families need extra support, guidance, and encouragement.

    We also discuss how the Infant-Driven Feeding program has evolved to incorporate breastfeeding throughout its content, and you’ll discover practical ways parents can be involved from day one in the NICU—building connection, bonding, and confidence while fostering a family-centered care approach.

    Whether you’re a clinician seeking to improve feeding practices or a parent navigating the early days at home, this episode is packed with insights, strategies, and inspiration to support meaningful and personalized feeding journeys.

    Dr. Brown’s Medical: https://www.drbrownsmedical.com

    Our NICU Roadmap: A Comprehensive NICU Journal: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicujournal/

    NICU Mama Hats: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/hats/

    NICU Milestone Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/nicuproducts/

    Newborn Holiday Cards: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shop/

    Empowering NICU Parents Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/shownotes/

    Episode 72 Show Notes: https://empoweringnicuparents.com/episode72

    Empowering NICU Parents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empoweringnicuparents/

    Empowering NICU Parents FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/empoweringnicuparents

    Pinterest Page: https://pin.it/36MJjmH

    Thank you for listening to the Empowering NICU Parents Podcast. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review—it helps other families find us. We’re grateful to be part of this incredible community. Visit www.empoweringnicuparents.com for resources and support.
    Más Menos
    49 m