NICU Mom Birth Story: From Hospital to Home with a Preemie | 282

November is Prematurity Awareness Month, and Trish is joined by Jodi Klaristenfeld, a NICU and preemie parent expert, coach, and founder of FLRRiSH, the premier resource for NICU families working through the unexpected journey from hospital to home and the years beyond.

Jodi’s own journey started at 28 weeks and 4 days, when she went from shopping for baby furniture to an emergency C-section in a matter of hours. A bloody nose that wouldn’t stop, orange urine, sudden weight gain, and double vision all turned out to be signs of severe preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. She met her daughter Jenna three days later.

Jodi shares her full birth story, the fear and disconnection she felt when she first met her baby, and why coming home was even harder than the NICU stay. That experience is exactly why she created FLRRiSH, built by a preemie parent for preemie parents. Through coaching, resources, and programs, Jodi helps moms reclaim their strength and reframe their mindset through it all. That includes deciding when to take maternity leave, facing a forced career pause, choosing the right education and support for their child, and learning to travel the road less traveled. She’s also launching The Steady Circle, a community helping NICU moms build confidence as their child’s advocate.

⚠️ A heads-up from Trish: This is a rare but very hard birth story. If you’re currently pregnant, you’re welcome to skip this one or come back to it later. You never have to listen to the hard stories while you’re expecting.

In this episode, Trish and Jodi talk about:

• The warning signs of preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome that Jodi didn’t recognize until it was nearly too late
• Waking up after an emergency C-section under general anesthesia, and meeting her daughter three days later
• What life in the NICU really looks like, from asking permission to hold your own baby to the desats and bradys
• Why the transition home is often harder than the NICU stay
• Grieving the motherhood you expected so you can embrace the one you have
• Separating fact from fear, and learning to trust your mother’s intuition again
• Why Jodi doesn’t believe in “wait and see” when it comes to early intervention
• Jodi’s 3 tips for any mom in the NICU right now or just heading home

Connect with Jodi Klaristenfeld:

www.flrrish.com

Follow her on Instagram , TikTok , & FaceBook : @FLRRiSH

Helpful Timestamps:

• 00:00 Prematurity Awareness
• 02:14 Trigger Warning: Hard Birth Story
• 03:11 Symptoms and Red Flags
• 06:00 OB Visit and Emergency Transfer
• 08:56 Emergency C-Section and Aftermath
• 11:32 Meeting Baby in the NICU
• 16:06 What Flourish Offers Families
• 18:28 Life After the NICU Mindset
• 23:18 Three Tips for NICU Moms

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Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast Services