E112: Neuroscience, NICU and recovery with Lottie King, neuroscientist and founder of Leo's Neonatal
Trigger Warning: This episode talks about baby loss, extreme premature birth, NICU and PICU stays, an infant cardiac arrest, birth trauma, PTSD and parental mental health. Please listen when it feels right for you, and look after yourself. In 2015, Lottie King went into extremely premature labour with twin boys, Leo and Oscar. Leo died shortly after birth. Oscar spent more than 100 days in neonatal care and then years in and out of hospital, so Lottie left her PR career to become his full-time carer. Lottie talks to Caroline about the years after NICU. She describes how EMDR finally helped, and how a body that kept reacting to triggers led her into neuroscience. She also shares the reality of building Leo's Neonatal, her charity supporting NICU families in the North East, and NICU Neuroscience, which trains the professionals who care for them. Resources: EDMR: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/talking-therapy-and-counselling/emdr/ Dr Gabor Maté: https://drgabormate.com/ Binaural beats playlist: https://www.youtube.com/live/IE2gBsIoT_M?si=4Hb1URcHHv701kI0 Topics: Why you're not "over it" a few weeks after leaving NICU The guilt NICU mums carry about their older children When talking therapy stops helping: Lottie's experience of EMDR Your brain says you're safe but your body doesn't agree Losing friends after a life-changing event, and finding the ones who get it Building a charity from scratch, and nearly closing it more than once Why NICU staff need support too Lottie's three wishes for NICU families Finding joy again Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Lottie's NICU journey and charity work 02:09 The emotional impact of NICU and long-term trauma 03:57 Lottie's background before NICU and her career shift 07:01 The importance of trauma-specific mental health support 10:01 The environment of NICU and its psychological effects 14:54 Building community among NICU parents 20:03 Neuroscience of trauma and nervous system regulation 25:03 Supporting healthcare staff mental health and resilience 29:57 Funding, sustainability, and expanding NICU support programs 34:57 The evolution of Leo's Neonatal and future plans 40:09 Practical steps for trauma-informed neonatal care 44:56 The importance of early intervention and support 49:59 Joy, healing, and finding balance after trauma Links: Website: https://www.bumptobusinessowner.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bumptobusinessowner/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepooley/ About Lottie King Lottie King is the founder and CEO of Leo's, a charity based in the North East of England that provides dedicated mental health support to families impacted by neonatal care, baby loss, pregnancy after loss or neonatal care & child development support to babies / children who have spent time in the NICU. She also delivers neuroscience based training to clinical teams globally that care for neonatal families under NICU Neuroscience, which helps fund the vital work delivered by Leo's. Lottie is also a student at King's College London studying an MSc in the Psychology and Neuroscience of Mental Health. Lottie King's Links: Website: https://leosneonatal.org/ Website: https://www.nicuneuroscience.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lottie-king1942/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leosneonatal/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicu_neuroscience Music by AudioCoffee: https://www.audiocoffee.net/




