Learning to Be a Medical Family and Life After the NICU with Dr. Jessica Allen

In this episode of the NICU Alumni Podcast, Andrea is joined by Dr. Jessica Allen, a gerontologist, and proud adoptive mama. Jessica shares her family’s NICU experience after her daughter was born prematurely with short bowel syndrome. She speaks about advocating for her daughter’s care, navigating life as a working parent, and learning to manage complex medical needs. This conversation is filled with empathy, encouragement, and practical tips for all families preparing for life after the NICU.

Jessica talks about the emotional weight of discharge, what it means to become a medical family after the NICU, and the importance of support systems and collaborative care. She also shares insights from her research on pediatric quality of life and her work as co-founder of The Gutsy Perspective, an initiative dedicated to uplifting patient and family voices in Short Bowel Syndrome (SBS) and rare disease research. The goal of this initiative is to help reshape the narrative around what quality of life can look like for children with SBS and their families. Thanks for listening!

More information including resources Jessica loves with helpful links and other fun stuff can be found here!

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