NICU Parent, Artist, and Momma Mental Health Advocate - Savannah Jane O’Malley

Savannah Jane O’Malley is a wife and working mother of 3 former preemies. She works full-time, pursues her artistic passions part-time, and moms all the time. We talk about her twin boys who were born 3.5 months early, how they spent their first 3 months fighting for the chance at life despite being given many devastating diagnoses, enduring countless ups and downs, and achieving absolutely incredible triumphs.

This season of her life made her discover her true role as a mother and set her on a brand-new trajectory. Through social media, writing, public speaking and painting, she is a voice of hope to families going through similar trials. She is an ally to people with disabilities (especially cerebral palsy, like her son), a cheerleader to families during and after a NICU stay, a momma mental health advocate, and a self-proclaimed spreader of reckless hope.

Quick Takeaways from the Episode:

• Providers will check on you and your mental health at many postpartum follow ups. Since these follow ups may take place while your child is still in the NICU, you may easily overlook the need to focus on your mental health.
• It may take months, even years for you to recognize that your mental health still needs some love and attention. We were honored to have Savannah write a guest feature for our resource library about her experience with unprocessed trauma. Click here to read her heartfelt message.
• It’s easy to think that, “they’re out of the hospital, they survived… it’s all good now.” But there is still grief around the experience and giving yourself space to process it is worth it.
• One thing that really helped Savannah (and that keeps coming up from other guests of the podcast) was journaling
• After sharing some of these experiences on social media through @savyjaneomalley, Savannah, who is also an artist, was inspired to create art through a series called, Cards of Hope. Through this campaign Savannah will send a signed print of one of her paintings to any mother of birth trauma that requests one.

Savannah's NICU Alumni Grad Guide:

• What was it like once you were home? - Like being in "Survival-Mode"
• It was tough to find resources.
• When you leave the NICU for the last time, after everyone celebrates, you leave the sounds and support, and then it’s just quiet.
• Once you’re on the other side, there will be triggers… things that remind you of the experience… you can’t control them, and you may not be able to process them right in the moment, but they can bring awareness to a new part of your healing.
• Advice for families in the NICU now: 
  • Stay present ✨ 
  • Take more pictures 📸 😊 

You can learn more about Savannah and her work on her website at www.savyjane.com. Also, be sure to check out her Cards of Hope here!  💌

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A special thanks to the Prolacta Bioscience Foundation for supporting the NICU Alumni podcast!

You can also support our mission and help create brighter futures for babies that have graduated from the NICU (who we affectionately refer to as NICU Alumni) and their families by donating here.

The purpose of this podcast is for entertainment only and should not be viewed as medical advice.