Ep 303: Letting Go: My NICU Baby Heads to College
Birth With Power
Dr. Nicole C. Rankins
4.8 • 650 Ratings
🗓️ 7 October 2025
⏱️ 42 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
If you’ve ever wondered how you’ll let your baby go one day, this one’s for you.
In this episode, my husband Falcon takes over the mic and interviews me the very week we dropped our oldest—who started life in the NICU—off at college! It’s a raw, unscripted conversation about the joy, grief, pride, and growth tucked inside every goodbye. I share how NICU memories never really leave, why presence matters more than perfection, and the mindset shift that helped me loosen my grip while keeping our bond strong.
You’ll hear:
- How our NICU beginning still shapes my heart today
- The one mindset that made move-in day gentler (presence > perfection)
- How I prepared myself (not just my teen) for launch
- Why honoring your child’s personality builds lifelong confidence
- The NICU resources I wish I’d had back then
Resources Mentioned:
- Episode 76: Navigating the NICU with neonatologist Dr. Terry Major-Kincade drnicolerankins.com/episode76
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This episode is a little different. |
| 0:02.4 | My husband Falcon takes over the mic to interview me after we dropped our oldest off at college. |
| 0:09.2 | This is our NICU baby, born eight weeks early, so you know I was a hot mess when we dropped her off. |
| 0:14.3 | I had no idea what questions Falcon was going to ask, but what came of it is a raw, heartfelt conversation about parenting, |
| 0:23.0 | growth, and letting go. |
| 0:29.8 | Welcome to the Birth with Power podcast, where knowledge is power and power transforms birth. |
| 0:37.1 | I'm Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankin's mom of two |
| 0:39.6 | and practicing board certified OBGYN with over 20 years of experience and nearly 2,000 births |
| 0:45.6 | attended. I've seen firsthand how the hospital system can leave women feeling unheard and |
| 0:51.5 | uncertain, but that doesn't have to be your story. Here, you'll get the |
| 0:55.6 | knowledge, support, and strategies to take charge of your birth experience so you can walk into |
| 1:01.1 | the hospital feeling calm, confident, and empowered. Note this podcast is for educational purposes |
| 1:07.6 | only and it's not a substitute for medical advice. See the full disclaimer |
| 1:11.8 | at Dr. Nicolmeranekins.com forward slash disclaimer. Now let's get to it. Listening here is a |
| 1:19.5 | great way to get prepared, but you don't have to stop when the episode ends. The Birth with Power |
| 1:24.5 | Brief is my free weekly newsletter that thousands of moms to be already |
| 1:28.7 | trust. Think of it as the podcast companion guide with bite-sized tips and encouragement |
| 1:34.0 | delivered straight to your inbox. Join in at Dr. Nicole Rankins.com forward slash email. |
| 1:40.6 | Hello there. Welcome to another episode of the podcast. This is episode number 303, whether this is your first time listening or you've been here before. You know I'm glad you're spending some time with me today. Now, this is a very special episode, a little different than usual. My husband Falcon had the idea to take over the podcast |
| 2:03.6 | and interview me after we dropped our oldest daughter off at college. What makes this moment |
| 2:10.8 | even more meaningful is that this is our NICU baby. She was born eight weeks early. She had an |
| 2:16.3 | intestinal malformation called Duadna Letresia |
... |
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