#022 - What Happens When Nobody Tells You What to Expect in the NICU?

Victoria Varela-Hefty, director of programs at ICU Baby and mother of James, a 28-weeker born in 2024, shares her NICU journey with honesty and grace. From a high-risk pregnancy complicated by Sjögren's syndrome and preeclampsia to an emergency classical C-section, inadequate postoperative pain management, and a cardiac complication that kept her hospitalized for eight days — Victoria reflects on what it felt like to navigate her own medical crisis while her son was down the hall in the NICU. She speaks powerfully about what was missing: not heroic interventions, but simple things — someone acknowledging her feelings, preparing her for what was coming, and reminding her that asking for help was allowed. She also shares how James is thriving today, and what she would want every NICU family to know about the power of pausing. Support the showAs always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: [email protected]. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.Enjoy!