This week’s Meet a Mom feature introduces us to Krystie and Lauren, founders of Grow Your Own Way—a local business redefining how families experience the NICU journey. These two amazing moms are not only dedicated healthcare professionals but also devoted parents raising their beautiful blended family right here in the Newtown and Danbury area.
Tell us about your family!
We have a blended family! Krystie has two sons, Mason (11) and Brody (9), and together we have a daughter, Mila (1). Life is busy, beautiful, and full of energy with three kids at such different stages!
What are your favorite family activities in the Newtown/Danbury area?
We own a home on Candlewood Lake where we love to spend our days boating, water skiing, and tubing. We also enjoy paddle boarding as a family. When we aren’t spending time on the water, we enjoy exploring new restaurants and cuisines in the area. Some of our favorites being the Jewel of Himalaya, Good Old Days, and Pho Vietnam.
What do you love most about living (and working) here?
We’ve loved becoming part of the Newtown and Danbury community. From supporting families in the hospital to getting the kids involved in local activities; joining food drives, and even bringing the baby to the Brookfield library classes; it’s all made this place feel like home. Being part of this community has been such a joy, and we’re grateful for every connection we’ve made.
Tell us about Grow Your Own Way and how it started.
Our business, Grow Your Own Way, is helping to redefine the NICU experience by offering families unparalleled guidance and education. We bridge the gap between parents and the medical team, equipping families with the knowledge, confidence, and clarity to make informed decisions and actively participate in their baby’s care. With a focus on personalized support, we empower parents to navigate rounds with assurance, engage meaningfully in their child’s journey, and embrace their vital role with dignity. We are dedicated to creating an experience that feels not only informed, but elevated – transforming uncertainty into connection, and care into confidence.
What can families expect when they work with you?
As a client, you can expect expert NICU RN educators with over 30 years of combined experience. What sets us apart is the way we guide you through the hospital experience in both our Newborn Class and our NICU Education Class, which is the only one of its kind in the area. Our goal is to help reduce anxiety, give you a sense of control, and leave you feeling empowered and prepared for your baby’s care. We take a true family-centered approach, offering classes for siblings and grandparents so everyone feels included and supported.
What do you love most about your work
What we love most about our job is connecting with families, educating them, and truly shaping the outcome of their journey. Helping parents feel empowered in those first few days with their baby can transform the entire experience and positively impact their postpartum mental health. Being a part of that is an honor we never take lightly.
How do you balance motherhood and running a businessHow do we do it all?
Truthfully… no idea. Between working in the NICU, raising three kids, and running a business, we’re mostly powered by coffee, chaos, and pure determination. We definitely don’t do it all perfectly, but we show up every day and give it our best. And honestly, being there for our kids’ activities and staying connected with our community makes the beautiful madness totally worth it. We also split our roles 50-50. Lauren works nights, I work days, and we divide the cleaning and nonstop running around as evenly as we can. It’s our way of making sure we both stay fully involved in the kids’ lives and in our business. It’s a lot, but the teamwork is what keeps this whole circus running.
What’s the best advice another mom has given you?
The best advice we’ve ever gotten from another mom was to enjoy every stage with your kids, even in the middle of the chaos, because it goes by so fast. Raising kids with such an age gap has made us even more grateful for our one-year-old and all the little moments that make each day special. And through it all, we also make sure to keep choosing each other and dating each other—it keeps our family strong and reminds us to stay connected amidst the busy days.
Anything else you’d like to share?
We deeply believe in our business and its mission—it’s more than a job, it’s a true need for our community and a passion project for us. Every day, we see the impact our work has in helping families reduce anxiety, smoothly transition home, and feel empowered during those early postpartum days. Beyond that, we’re committed to creating a sense of community for families, and we truly believe this is one meaningful way to do it. We also recognize that while everyone is more connected than ever online, real-life connections can feel harder to come by. One of our goals is to bridge that gap, bringing families together in person to create meaningful, lasting connections.
Learn more about Grow Your Own Way and the classes they offer at grownicu.com, or follow them on Instagram at @growyourownwaynicu to stay up to date on upcoming workshops, community events, and more.
