From PICU Nurse to NICU Mom: A Story of Family, Faith & Survival

Описание: What happens when the Nurse becomes the Mom?

In this deeply moving episode, Ali shares her journey from pediatric ICU nurse to NICU mom after developing severe HELLP syndrome and delivering her daughter at 29 weeks - weighing just one pound, three ounces. Doctors said she and her baby wouldn’t survive. What followed were 105 days in the NICU, life-or-death decisions, and a fight that tested their marriage, faith, and family strength.

Joined by her mother, Kay, who has also experienced a high risk pregnancy and infant loss - this conversation explores generational resilience, medical trauma, and what truly sustains families in crisis.

This is a story about survival, but more than that, it’s a story about who you become when everything falls apart.

This episode contains discussions about high-risk pregnancy, infant loss, and time spent in the NICU. We share these stories with deep care and respect for families who have walked similar journeys. If this topic is close to home for you, please listen at your own pace and take care while engaging with this conversation.

About our Guest
Ali Spitsbergen is a former pediatric ICU nurse who became a NICU mom after nearly losing her life and her daughter to severe HELLP syndrome. Her daughter Anna was born at 29 weeks, weighing just one pound, three ounces, and spent 105 days in the NICU.

Ali is a mother of four and founder of For His Glory CEO, Ali mentors women in faith-driven leadership and purpose-led business. But before the business, before the platform, she was a mom fighting for her baby’s life.

Kay, Ali’s mother, joins the conversation to share her own experience of infant loss and the role faith played across generations.

Where to find Ali
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alispitsbergen/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alispitsbergen/
Website: https://www.alispitsbergen.com/

In this Episode, we Discuss
What severe HELLP syndrome is and how quickly it can turn life-threatening
Delivering a micro-preemie at 29 weeks
105 days inside the NICU
When doctors say “prepare for the worst”
The identity shift from nurse to mom
Advocating for your child in a medical crisis
The impact of trauma on marriage
Generational faith after child loss
How to support families experiencing NICU or infant loss
Rebuilding attachment after a prolonged NICU stay

Key Takeaways
Medical expertise does not eliminate fear when it’s your own child.
Parents are allowed to advocate, even in high-pressure hospital settings.
Faith and community can strengthen marriages under extreme stress.
NICU trauma doesn’t end at discharge, bonding requires intention.
Infant loss changes you forever, but it doesn’t have to define your future.

Chapters / Timestamps
00:00 – When doctors say you won’t survive
01:14 – Severe HELLP syndrome & emergency delivery
03:36 – Kay’s story of infant loss08:56 – From nurse to NICU mom
14:21 – Choosing faith over fear
17:18 – Miscarriage, twins & high-risk pregnancy
22:29 – Non-negotiables for NICU parents
25:28 – Leaving nursing after trauma
39:29 – The moment Anna walked
48:55 – Marriage under medical stress
52:35 – Grieving a baby & finding strength

Resources & Links
Ali’s Podcast: Marriage Made in Heaven    • Marriage Made in Heaven   Ali’s Mentorship: For His Glory CEO    / @alispitsbergen   Anna’s NICU Journey Video:    • Weighing just 1 lb, Miracle baby Anna shoc...  

Join our Facebook Community
Parenting is easier when you’re not doing it alone. Come join us to share wins, swap ideas, and talk about the real-life stuff (the stuff that happens between the “gentle parenting” reels).
👉 Join here: https://bit.ly/RHPCommunity

Want to learn more about Thumsters?
If you want a practical tool to recognise behaviour in the moment - without turning every issue into a big blow-up - Thumsters was built for exactly that.
👉 Find out more here: https://bit.ly/thumsters

About The Raising Humans Project
The Raising Humans Project is a parenting podcast for people doing their best in the trenches: trying to raise good humans, keep their cool (most days), and build real connection in the middle of real life.

The Raising Humans Project brings together child-development leaders and real families from all walks of life to share practical, positive strategies for modern parenting.

Through honest conversations and thought leader-informed insights, we hope this podcast will empower parents to build calmer homes, stronger family connections, and more confident humans.

Follow Along with the Raising Humans Project Journey
Instagram: https://bit.ly/RHPInstagram
YouTube: https://bit.ly/48fttzq
Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Xyzy3O