When your child needs so much care, it’s easy to lose yourself. The days feel heavy. Your thoughts spin around your baby, your hopes, your fears. And sometimes, in the middle of all this, you forget about you. But you matter, too. Your heart, your breath, your body — they matter.
Taking care of yourself is not selfish. It is the quiet strength that keeps you standing so you can keep showing up for your child, day after day. Your care for yourself is also care for your child.
Why your care matters
- Your child needs you, not only today but for the many tomorrows ahead.
- Rest is not a luxury. Your body and heart need space to breathe.
- Small moments of care can help you hold on to hope, even in the hardest days.
- You deserve gentleness, too.
Gentle reminders for your journey
- Breathe. Take three slow breaths while standing by your baby’s bedside. Let yourself arrive in the moment.
- Take small steps. A short walk in the hallway, a warm cup of tea, a few pages in your journal. Small acts count.
- Let others help. If someone offers to bring a meal or fold your laundry, say yes.
- Be present with your partner. Hold hands. Sit in silence together. Share your fears and hopes.
- Allow your tears. You don’t have to be strong all the time. Your tears are not weakness. They are love.
- Rest without guilt. Sleep when you can. Eat when you can. You are not failing when you pause to care for yourself.
“You can’t pour from an empty cup, mama. Your care for yourself is also care for your child.”
Things that brought me comfort
During our NICU journey with Imani, I found comfort in small things that helped me keep going. Maybe they will help you too:
- Meditation apps: Calm | Headspace
- Journaling: Writing down all my fears, and small gratitudes.
- Lavender rollers: For a moment of calm during the day.
- Calming playlists: Soft music during long hospital days.
- Warm teas: Chamomile, mint, or herbal teas.
- Soft blankets and cozy socks: For the cold hospital air.
- A small faith reminder: A verse, a mantra, a word you hold onto.
To you, mama
You are seen.
You are needed.
You are allowed to rest.
You are allowed to find small moments of joy, even here.
Taking care of yourself is not a step back. It is love in action — for you, for your child, for your family.
To you, fathers
You are here, too.
Maybe you don’t always have the words. Maybe you carry your fears quietly, holding space for your family while carrying your own heaviness inside. Maybe you stand by the bedside in the NICU, holding the tiny hand of your baby, wishing you could trade places. Maybe you walk the hallways at night, praying, hoping, trying to be strong for everyone.
You are seen. You are needed. Your quiet strength matters.
You don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t have to fix everything. Being there, loving your child, loving your partner, showing up again and again — that is enough.
It’s okay to be tired. It’s okay to feel afraid. It’s okay to let your tears fall.
You are allowed to rest, too. You are allowed to take care of yourself, to find small moments to breathe and reset, so you can keep showing up for the ones you love.
Thank you for being here, for standing steady, for holding hope when the days are long.
You are not alone on this journey.
“Strength isn’t in never breaking. It’s in rising again, quietly, with love.”
Stay connected
If you need gentle reminders of hope, updates on our journey, or simply a soft place to land, you can subscribe to our Journey of Hope newsletter here: Subscribe here.
Thank you for being here, for showing up for your child, and for finding moments to show up for yourself too. You are not alone on this journey.
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