Mary Farrelly of The NICU Translator smiling outside by bushes.

The NICU Translator green flower graphic.

The NICU is only the beginning…

Hi, I’m Mary! I’m a NICU nurse and doula on a mission to bring more joy and less trauma to the NICU experience through empowered education, community and individualized NICU doula support.

Learn more

As Seen In

About Our Offerings

From custom NICU Doula support for the transition home to educational workshops and courses.

1:1 Virtual NICU Doula Support

Personalized guidance and emotional support for families navigating the NICU and life after discharge.

Learn More
NICU Doula Training & Continuing Education

Expand your knowledge with expert-led education, including Navigating the NICU for Doulas and our NICU Doula Academy Certification Program.

Start Learning
Free Resources for NICU Families & Professionals

Access handouts, guides, and tools to help you better support NICU families—including our NICU Birth Plan Template and more!

Get Free Resources

Bring more joy + less trauma to the NICU experience

Mary Farrelly Certified NICU RN and doula holding newborn baby on couch.

You are so in the right place.

Welcome, I’m Mary!

Combining my clinical expertise as a board-certified Level IV NICU nurse with hands-on support skills as a professionally trained doula, I bridge the gap between the NICU and home by working with families one-on-one as a virtual NICU doula.

As a nurse educator, I understand the profound impact that empowered education and informed decision-making have on building confidence, fostering infant bonding, and promoting parental autonomy. This drives my passion for expanding my impact through educational trainings for NICU families, doulas, and other support professionals.

Learn More

Premature baby with tube in NICU drinking from colostrum bottle.

Empowered Education for Families and the Professionals Who Support Them

Each year, 1 in 10 babies experience a NICU stay, with most admissions coming as an unexpected challenge. In the NICU, families have 24/7 medical support and a team to guide them. But once they transition home, many NICU parents find themselves feeling isolated or overwhelmed. Friends and family may offer help, yet often don’t understand the unique needs of a NICU graduate. Traditional new-parent support groups and classes tend to focus on “typical” newborns, leaving NICU families searching for someone who truly understands.

For NICU parents, I’m here as a virtual NICU doula, providing one-on-one support to bridge that gap and bring the confidence and joy that every family deserves.

For doulas and support professionals, I’m committed to equipping you with the specialized knowledge and skills to stand alongside these families, empowering you to be the resource they can rely on. Together, we can make the NICU journey one that leads to hope, understanding, and a joyful transition home.

Ready to get started?

Become a Certified NICU Doula

The NICU experience is overwhelming, emotional, and often unexpected. Families need compassionate, knowledgeable support—and that’s where you come in. The NICU Doula Academy is the first training of its kind, designed to equip doulas and support professionals with the specialized knowledge, skills, and confidence to guide NICU families through pregnancy, the NICU stay, and the transition home.

As a Certified NICU Doula, you'll:

Gain expert-level knowledge

In NICU care, feeding challenges, trauma-informed support, and navigating hospital systems.

ADVOCATE FOR FAMILIES

Learn how to advocate for families and help them feel empowered in a medical setting.

Make An Impact

Build a career that makes a lasting impact in the lives of NICU families.

Join the first-ever NICU Doula Certification program and be at the forefront of changing the way NICU families are supported.

Learn More & Apply Today

A few NICU freebies!

(because who doesn’t love a freebie?)

Knowledge is power! Here are three free resources I created to help build your NICU knowledge.

NICU Discharge Checklist

Download
5 Things You Need to Know About Caring for Babies After the NICU

Download
Birth Plan Plus Template for NICU and High-Risk Scenarios

Download

KIND WORDS

Client Testimonials

“From the moment we met Mary, we were put at ease by her reassuring demeanor and extensive knowledge of care for preemies. She was able to help us understand complex medical terminology and was our guide post NICU stay on how to communicate with members of our son's team to ensure comprehensive and coordinated care for him. Beyond her knowledge, Mary is compassionate and empathetic; she understands the emotional and physical toll having a baby in the NICU takes on new parents. She always took time to listen to our worries, provide words of encouragement and reassurance during moments of uncertainty. Mary's professionalism, dedication and warmth has left a lasting impact on our entire family.”
- Lisa (Jack’s Mom)
“As first time parents, we found Mary to be extremely informative, helpful and patient with all of our questions and concerns! We would highly recommend Mary to anyone looking for someone with extensive experience with infants and a wealth of knowledge about parenthood beyond the hospital!”
- April (Evelyn’s Mom)
“There are not enough words to fully express our heartfelt gratitude for the support Mary showed to us as new parents and to our preemie, Jack. Mary was available day and night to answer our questions, listen to our worries and help us find joy even when challenges were presented. She is knowledgeable, patient and sincere. Mary is truly a gem.”
- David (Jack’s Dad)
“Highly recommend!! It’s intimidating to have a child in NICU and be scared to touch or move them, she taught me the right thing to do and pushed me thru my fears. At the end I was so grateful because it meant bonding, holding and caring for my child.”
- Natalie (Reid’s Mom)
Mary is an amazing person. She is so professional, knowledgeable, and deeply compassionate. Our sessions were exactly what I needed after a traumatic birth experience and our baby’s stay in the NICU. Mary listened to my story with empathy and care. She then skillfully helped me to identify certain areas where I needed more information and where she could provide expertise and support. As a result, our sessions together were very helpful and productive. I cannot say enough good things about Mary. She is an angel, and she helped our family so much
-Mary (Rose’s Mom)

Frequently Asked Questions

A NICU Doula is a non-medical professional who is trained in the emotional and physical support of families before, during and after a NICU experience. They serve to create a supportive and healing environment for NICU families that focuses on empowered parenting and hands-on support services with a mission to bring more joy and less trauma to a NICU experience.

NICU Doula support is tailored to the specific needs of NICU graduates and their families. Unlike traditional postpartum support, NICU Doula care includes expertise in preemie health, feeding challenges, and developmental considerations. This specialized approach ensures that families feel fully supported as they transition from hospital to home.

Being in the NICU is intense. While in the NICU, your baby was constantly monitored and surrounded by NICU care providers 24/7. Going home is the most exciting day, but often that joy is overshadowed by feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. You want to have the knowledge and skills to create an environment that your baby can thrive in, but don’t have the time to spend researching for hours. Whether with 1:1 coaching, in-person support groups, online communities or unlimited chat with a NICU professional- with The NICU Translator you don’t have to do this alone.

I currently offer a live training for doulas and other support professional who would like to expand their NICU knowledge (you can learn more here). And stay tuned for a comprehensive NICU Doula Certification program coming in 2025! You can join the waitlist here.