What does it really look like to survive the first year after losing your baby?

In this deeply honest and tender conversation, Emlee shares the story of her son, Theo, who was stillborn at full term, a loss that shattered the world she and her husband knew. Together, they were forced to navigate not only unimaginable grief, but also the strain it placed on their relationship, their identities, and their mental health.

Emlee opens up about the quiet, often unseen battles of that first year—the weight of each milestone, the loneliness, the questions, and the ways grief can seep into every corner of life. She speaks candidly about her mental health struggles, the moments she didn't think she'd make it through, and the slow, fragile process of finding her footing again.

This episode is raw, real, and deeply validating for anyone walking through life after loss. It's about survival, love, and what it means to keep going when everything in you has been forever changed.

This episode was sponosored by an annonymous donor.

In this episode of The Empty Arms Podcast, I sit down with Emily Souder, LCSW-C, PMH-C and Mahaley Patel, LMFT, PMH-C, co-creators of Your NICU Story, a powerful journal to help families process their NICU stay. Together, we explore the power of storytelling in grief, the importance of naming experiences that often feel unspeakable, and how words can become a lifeline for families navigating loss.

Mahaley shares the story of her daughter, who died in the NICU, and the profound heartbreak of loving a child in a space filled with machines, uncertainty, hope, and fear. We talk about what it means to parent in the NICU, to grieve within it, and to carry that experience long after leaving its walls.

We are also incredibly lucky to have Emily's perspective. She is certified in Perinatal Mental Health and brings to the conversation a wealth of theraputic knowledge. Her professional insight on grief adds depth and understanding to the conversation, helping guide listeners through the emotional terrain of NICU loss and remembrance.

Additionally, we dive into Emily's book, Birth Story Held for Loss, discussing how writing can provide a path toward healing and the importance of honoring every story, no matter how painful.

This episode holds space for NICU parents, loss parents, and anyone who has been changed by a beginning that didn't go as planned, offering compassion, understanding, and the reminder that every story matters.

You can find the books here!

Your NICU Story: Reflecting on Your Family's Experience: Patel, Mahaley H., Souder, Emily E.: 9781734630930: Amazon.com: Books

Birth Story Held for Loss: A Guide for Reflecting on Your Fertility Experience, Miscarriage, Abortion, TFMR, Stillbirth, and Infant Loss: Souder, Emily, Brandon, Jodi: 9781734630923: Amazon.com: Books

After loss, joy can feel impossibly far away. But what if rediscovering joy isn't about moving on but about carrying love forward? In this episode, I sit down with Hannah Joy, a mother who has learned that the intentional search for joy can be one of the most powerful ways to honor her daughter's legacy.

Hannah shares her journey through grief and the turning point when she realized she didn't want her daughter's life to be remembered only through sadness. With honesty and grace, she offers practical advice on how to begin picking up the pieces after loss, how time and perspective gently shift the heart, and how joy — even the smallest glimmers — can become a sacred act of remembrance.

This conversation is a reminder that joy and grief can coexist and that finding joy again is not forgetting, but remembering with love.

This Episode is sponsored by Mama Media.