Unexpected Beginnings: The Neonatal Unit
17 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago -Having a baby on a neonatal ward is a traumatic experience no matter how well your baby is doing. The wires, the bleeps, the medical terminology can all add up to create an environment that can feel really isolating and worlds away from what you had expected when you first saw your baby on an ultrasound.
Through listening to other parents experiences and speaking to doctors, surgeons, mental health workers and everyone in-between, this podcast aims to make you feel less alone and more supported, signposting you to help and information along the way.
This podcast is recorded with the help and support of Leeds University Hospital NHS Trust and funded by Leeds Hospitals Charity. Unexpected Beginnings: The Neonatal Unit was created and produced by Under The Mast
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Episodes
S02 EP04 - Twins in Neonatal
March 18, 2024 02:00 - 17 minutes - 15.8 MBIn this episode we talk to Ashley Emmerson who is a Mum to twin girls who were born at just over 33 weeks. Ashley is in quite a unique position as not only has she spent time on a neonatal unit as a parent, she is also a Neonatal Sister at Leeds Children's Hospital. You can find out more about the Leeds Twins and Multiples Pregnancy Service here. *** This podcast has been funded by Leeds Hospitals Charity, the charity for Leeds Teaching Hospitals. Thanks to donations and Gifts in Wills, ...
S02 EP03: Coughs, colds and the lungs
February 18, 2024 02:00 - 17 minutes - 16.4 MBIn this episode we talk about the development of the lungs and why it is that so many babies who spend time on neonatal end up needing hospital support in their early years when they pick up coughs and colds. We speak to neonatal mum Charlotte Butterfield who talks about her experiences as well as Consultant Neonatologist Dr Liz McKechnie *** This podcast has been funded by Leeds Hospitals Charity, the charity for Leeds Teaching Hospitals. Thanks to donations and Gifts in Wills, they prov...
S02 EP02: Speaking up and giving feedback
January 18, 2024 01:00 - 25 minutes - 23.1 MBThis episode is about giving feedback. It can feel daunting when you're on the unit to speak up if you feel uncomfortable or unhappy about something but in actual fact, your voice is very much welcomed and key to making positive changes for parents and babies. Our guest this month is Karen Williams who is the parent and family engagement lead for the neonatal network and her job is about making sure that our voices as parents, carers and family members are being heard. In the episode she ta...
S02 EP01: Creating magical memories on neonates
December 18, 2023 02:00 - 23 minutes - 21.8 MBHaving a baby in neonates can often leave parents feeling stressed, overwhelmed and anxious. Lots of parents have spoken about how they felt robbed of the beautiful newborn period they had been dreaming of but whilst this stage might be different to how you had expected, there are still ways to create magical memories. In this episode Caroline and Kerry chat to parents and staff about different ways of marking milestones like Christmas, birthdays and anniversaries to create beautiful memori...
Series 2 Trailer
December 11, 2023 01:00 - 1 minute - 1.22 MBIn 2021 we created Unexpected Beginnings - the neonatal unit podcast. It was a world first that gave an insight into neonatal life from the perspective of the people who matter the most to the patients – their parents. Now thanks to funding from Leeds Hospitals Charity and the support of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust we’re back with a brand new season. It's hosted by Caroline Verdon and Kerry McCarthy who've both had babies on the neonatal unit and have first hand experience of some o...
S01 EP11: Dylan, Vicky and Ruby's story
November 17, 2021 01:50 - 28 minutes - 23.1 MBIn this episode we meet Dylan and Vicky whose daughter Ruby was taken to neonatal shortly after she was born and sadly never came home. Dylan and Vicky have shared their story in the hope that it can help others realise they are not alone. There are also some charitable organisations that can offer support including SANDS – Stillborn and neonatal death charity. Bliss – for baby’s born premature or sick Mind – for better mental health Views and experiences shared in this podcast belon...
S01 EP10: Mental health - getting help
November 17, 2021 01:45 - 22 minutes - 17.9 MBAfter spending time in neonatal it’s common for parents to struggle with their mental health but sometimes that struggle becomes invasive and it can begin to control and dominate your life. This episode looks at some of the more dominating struggles parents can have and at the support that is available There are also some charitable organisations that can be really helpful including Bliss – they offer advice for parents of premature and sick babies, including looking after your mental heal...
S01 EP09: Mental health - it's normal to struggle
November 17, 2021 01:40 - 24 minutes - 19.3 MBThis episode looks at how it’s almost expected for parents to struggle with their mental health when they have spent time in neonatal. The unit is traumatic and intense and parents can spend weeks feeling on edge and fearful and that is bound to have an impact. Here we look at some of the common mental health issues parents can have, at why they occur and at some of the support that is available. There are also some charitable organisations that can be really helpful including Bliss – the...
S01 EP08: Going Home
November 17, 2021 01:35 - 19 minutes - 15.9 MBGoing home is everyone’s goal and there is a sense of relief that theterrifying part of your baby’s life is over but often it’s not that simple and parents can find being out of a clinical environment challenging. In this episode we look at some of those challenges and how to tackle them There are some charitable organisations that can be really helpful including Bliss – they offer advice for parents of premature and sick babies, including looking after your mental health Mind – for bette...
S01 EP07: Settling into neonatal
November 17, 2021 01:30 - 18 minutes - 15.1 MBThis episode is about settling into neonatal. Everyone’s journey is different both in terms of the time a baby might spend in the unit and the obstacles they might face. Despite this there are a lot of common thoughts and feelings that parents share and we look at some of these in this episode There are also some charitable organisations that can be really helpful including Bliss – they offer advice for parents of premature and sick babies, including looking after your mental health Mind ...
S01 EP06: When your baby needs surgery
November 17, 2021 01:25 - 17 minutes - 14 MBIn this episode we meet Michelle and Tim whose daughter Freya was born at 25 weeks and at 26 weeks was diagnosed with necrotising enterocolitis (NEC). This episode looks at Freya’s surgery and the neonatal experience that went with it. You can find out more about NEC here There are also some charitable organisations that can be really helpful including Bliss – they offer advice for parents of premature and sick babies, including looking after your mental health Mind – for better mental ...
S01 EP05: Juggling Siblings
November 17, 2021 01:20 - 15 minutes - 12.5 MBThis episode looks at how hard it can be when you have children at home as well as in the neonatal unit. How can you even begin to include them? Should you include them? How can you split your time so that everyone feels loved and supported? There are also some charitable organisations that can be really helpful including Bliss – they offer advice for parents of premature and sick babies, including looking after your mental health Mind – for better mental health Views and experiences sha...
S01 EP04: Practical ways to bond with your child
November 17, 2021 01:15 - 9 minutes - 7.22 MBThis episode looks at practical ways of helping you to bond with your baby whilst remembering that it is hard on neonatal and it is common for things to feel difficult. There aresome charitable organisations that can be really helpful including Bliss – they offer advice for parents of premature and sick babies Mind – for better mental health Views and experiences shared in this podcast belong to the individuals, shared in the interests of helping others and do not constitute medical adv...
S01 EP03: Struggling to bond with your baby
November 17, 2021 01:10 - 21 minutes - 19.7 MBThis episode looks at how common it is to find it difficult to bond with your baby especially when your baby is on a neonatal unit. It looks at different parents experiences and the scientific and biological reasons why bonding can be hard. More information on this topic can be found here: There are also some charitable organisations that can be really helpful including Bliss – they offer advice for parents of premature and sick babies, including looking after your mental health Mind – fo...
S01 EP02: Meeting your baby for the first time
November 17, 2021 01:05 - 11 minutes - 10.7 MBThis episode looks at what it’s like meeting your baby for the first time when your baby has had to be taken to neonatal. They could be premature or fullterm and often don’t look how you imagined whether that’s because of their size, development or the wires and medical equipment they’re attached to. More information on the issues raised in this episode can be found by following these links Bliss – they offer advice for parents of premature and sick babies Mind – for better mental health...
S01 EP01: What is a neonatal unit?
November 17, 2021 01:00 - 11 minutes - 10.2 MBHaving a baby who has to go to neonatal can be scary. Whether your baby is premature or full term, it's not something we hope for and often can happen unexpectedly or with little notice. This episode looks at what the neonatal unit is, who it's for and what you can expect. More information on the issues raised in this episode can be found by following these links What is Neonatal care Leeds Children’s Hospital neonatal care There are also some charitable organisations that can be really ...
Unexpected Beginnings: The Neonatal Unit
November 02, 2021 01:00 - 1 minute - 1.05 MBThis podcast looks at the highs and the lows of life on the neonatal unit. Recorded with Leeds Children's Hospital and funded by Leeds Hospitals Charity, this podcast is hosted by Caroline Verdon and Kerry Bickerdike . They have both had babies on the neonatal unit and know first hand how hard it can be. The hope is that by sharing their stories and those of other parents, this podcast will be able to hold your hand at whatever point you are in the journey