Mama’s Gonna Make It – 21. How to Bee a Mom: From NICU to New Beginnings with Lily Rosene

She’s back! In our second conversation with author, educator, and mom Lily Rosene, we explore her resilient journey of becoming a mother- one that didn’t follow the script. From spontaneous pre-term labor at 30 weeks to supporting her baby in the NICU, Lily opens up about her real, raw experience navigating a different entry to motherhood than she planned for. We talk about those first weeks and how she coped with postpartum anxiety, PTSD, and the emotional rollercoaster that followed delivery.  Lily also shares how her love of literacy and creativity helped her reclaim her identity — not just as a mom, but as an artist and storyteller. Her children’s books, How to Bee a Friend and How to Bee polite (co-created with Allyson Watwood), invites kids to engage with stories in a new way by teaching literary concepts in a fun way and  leaving space for them to become illustrators themselves. Her creativity mirrors her motherhood journey as a powerful metaphor for resilience and imagination. We talk about: 👶 The NICU journey and supporting a 30-week preemie 💔 Letting go of the romanticized birth experience 🧠 Navigating mental health: PTSD & postpartum anxiety ⏳ Understanding milestones and adjusted age 💡 Reclaiming creativity as a form of healing and identity 🐝 Lily’s children’s books 🧑‍🎨 Fostering creativity in kids and ourselves 🚶‍♀️ Taking the next step even when imposter syndrome creeps in.  Whether you’re deep in the NICU chapter, feeling lost in the newborn fog, or trying to rediscover yourself through the chaos, we see you. You are not alone. 💛 Links & Resources Mentioned: A Week to Week Guide to Premature Babies (from Parents.com) Programs that Helped Lily Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama Ronald McDonald House 5K Ronald McDonald House Charities- Piedmont Triad March of Dimes – Birmingham Project NICU Postpartum Mental Health Resources Traumatic Events and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (from National Institute of Mental Health) Postpartum Anxiety (from Cleveland Clinic) ✨ Connect with Lily Rosene: Follow Lily’s journey, books, and upcoming events at www.literacywithlily.com. 📌 Follow/subscribe to Mama’s Gonna Make It (on Facebook and Insta @mamasgonnamakeit — and if today’s episode moved you, please share it with a friend or leave a review. It helps more fabulous humans find our village. 💕 Recorded in the Omniverus Studios at Liberty Plaza, we are produced by Tim Beeman for Such-N-Such Media.Theme Music by Doug Davis.