Life Begins...

Miscarriage stories of loss, hope and help. It's always devastating to experience a loss. It can cause you to feel alone, isolated. There's no 'right' way to feel - a range of reactions are possible and normal. In addition to the grief you may feel, your body will be undergoing some profound hormonal adjustments, which may make you feel very emotionally volatile. If you have had a miscarriage, take the time to understand better why these occur and why it is not your fault.

Showing posts with label Grief. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Pregnancy Loss Online Support

In 1988, then president, Ronald Regan proclaimed October as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.

Pregnancy Loss Information Resources - Baby Loss Comfort was created to help provide real physical support as well as emotional comfort and resource information for women who have experienced baby loss from miscarriage to stillbirth. Resource list.

Online Support Groups - The Miscarriage Association, A Place To Remember , Mommies Enduring Neonatal Death , Healing Hearts for Bereaved Parents , NeoFight , The Angel Teddy Bear Foundation , Share Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support, Inc.,Honored Babies and more!

When a Baby has Died - An online community of support - resource list.

Pregnancy Loss Support Groups - Angels Among Us, Bears For Bereaved Mommies, Friends and Angels, Minutes of Gold, Perinatal Bereavement Groups, Silent Grief, Still a Mommy, Wisconsin Perinatal Bereavement Program Registry and more!

TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:

Empty Arms: Hope and Support for Those Who Have Suffered a Miscarriage, Stillbirth, or Tubal Pregnancy
-- They are the most dreaded words an expectant mother can hear. As joy and anticipation dissolve into confusion and grief, painful questions refuse to go away: Why me? What did I do wrong? Doesn't God care?
With the warmth and compassion of a licensed counselor and a Christian woman who has suffered miscarriage herself, Pam Vredevelt offers sound answers, advice, and reassurance to the woman fighting to maintain faith in this heartbreaking situation.
Now in a fresh, contemporary cover, Empty Arms: Emotional Support for Those Who Have Suffered a Miscarriage, Stillbirth, or Tubal Pregnancy is the essential guidebook through the agony of losing a child.

◊ Follow us on Twitter, join the conversation on our Facebook page, circle us on Google+.

More "Pregnancy Over 40" blogs to visit:

Life Begins... - Miscarriage stories of loss, hope & help
Pregnancy Stories by Age - Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
You Can Get Pregnant in Your 40's - Sharing articles, discussing options & suggestions
Stories of Pregnancy and Birth over 44 years old - sharing news stories I find online, for inspiration!

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Does pregnancy loss need to be talked about more?

Stock photo by jeinny

My first pregnancy ended in miscarriage somewhere around the 12th week. I learned the news when I went in for an ultrasound.

Because of some health risks -- and the fact that my Mom had twins (stillborn at seven months) -- I was in line for a lot of ultrasounds. The first showed one baby, and everything fine.

Four weeks later, I went for another, telling my husband (who had a busy day at work that day) that he didn't need to come with me.

Read more: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_momsatwork/2009/09/miscarriage-does-pregnancy-loss-need-to-be-talked-about-more.html

TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:

Empty Arms: Coping After Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Infant Death
-- Revised and updated! This classic book is one of the first given to newly bereaved parents to offer guidance in decision-making after their baby's death and to assist caregivers as they support families. Empty Arms encourages families to meet their babies and say hello before rushing to say goodbye.
With compassion that comes from Sherokee and David's experience of having lived through the death of their son Brennan, the book offers guidance and practical suggestions for the decision-making at the time (including why and how one might see, hold, and memorialize one's baby) and over time (such as how to handle such times as anniversaries, holidays and the birth of other babies in the parents' close circle.)

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Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Revealing the raw heartache of miscarriage

The possibility of having a miscarriage had never crossed Megan Meanys mind until it happened to her.

It’s estimated that one in five families experiences the pain of miscarriage. WNBC traffic reporter Megan Meany — who is a part of that statistic — shares her personal story here as a way to encourage other women to speak up and seek support for their loss.

I had my first miscarriage four years ago. We were trying for our first child. I got pregnant easily and then — wham! — at about six weeks I started bleeding. What a shock that was. I come from a long line of fertile women. I had always loved kids and motherhood was a no-brainer for me. I thought, when I want to have a baby, I’ll have one!

Hygeia Foundation - they offer support groups for women who are suffering a perinatal loss.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32659135/ns/today-today_health/

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Friday, September 04, 2009

Memorial walk planned for miscarried, still-born babies

A Christian organization that offers support to people who lose a pregnancy to miscarriage or other medical problems is planning a memorial walk in Clackamas in October.

The one-mile "Walk to Remember," sponsored by A Butterfly's Touch, is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10, at Clackamas' Valley View Church. After the walk, people can make a scrapbook page to honor their children or attend a memorial ceremony scheduled for 11:00 am. For more information, call Kathryn Wheat at (503) 922-1048 or go to the Web site of A Butterfly's Touch.

Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2009/08/memorial_walk_planned_for_misc.html

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Monday, August 31, 2009

Young women find support through Early Infant Loss group

Kay Asher knows all too well what it's like to lose a baby. When she was 25 years old she had a stillbirth. About four years later she had a miscarriage. Not only that, but her daughter has had four miscarriages and her daughter-in-law, two. "At that time there was really no support other than the immediate family," Asher said. "And they didn't know what to say."

Seeing a need to provide support to women who have gone through similar experiences, Asher, a licensed clinical social worker, started the Early Infant Loss group, a support group for women who have had a miscarriage, other fetal loss or who have had a baby who died before the age of 2.

Read more: http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20090831/LIVING/908300338/1004/living

Stories of Pregnancy & Birth over 44y
- Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
http://pregnancyover44y.blogspot.com

5,100 Stories of Pregnancy & Birth over 44y
Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
http://pregnancyover44y.blogspot.com/

You Can Get Pregnant in Your 40's
Sharing articles, discussing options & suggestions
http://youcangetpregnant.blogspot.com

Recent Keyword Searches: remedies to prevent miscarriage, can heavy exercise cause miscarriage, preventing miscarriages after 40, miscarried a twin, miscarriage waiting for hcg levels negative

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Miscarriage leads to woman's first book

From Crisis to Purpose - A Mother's Memoir

Tonya Dorsey sat there, paralyzed by depression, barely able to muster the energy to turn on the television.

Once the TV was on, she was assaulted by a barrage of commercials and programming about babies: Sitcom babies in hospitals; gurgling, happy babies in Hallmark commercials; a baby so excited by her mother's purchase of a minivan that a sonogram showed her jumping for joy in the womb.

That was Dorsey's low point after miscarrying her first pregnancy in 2001, when she lost the daughter she'd named Alexandra Monique. She chronicles her journey out of that depression in a new book, "From Crisis to Purpose: A Mother's Memoir," a book she said she wrote to "elevate the dialogue on loss."

Read more: http://www.gazette.net/stories/08122009/entenew131929_32523.shtml

Stories of Pregnancy & Birth over 44y
- Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
http://pregnancyover44y.blogspot.com/

5,100 Stories of Pregnancy & Birth over 44y
Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
http://pregnancyover44y.blogspot.com/

You Can Get Pregnant in Your 40's
Sharing articles, discussing options & suggestions
http://youcangetpregnant.blogspot.com/

Recent Keyword Searches: ivf miscarriage rates, environmental factors and recurrent miscarriage, unexplained recurrent miscarriage, what to expect when you miscarry, how to prevent miscarriage over 40

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Support after miscarriage

If you know someone who has recently gone through a miscarriage, you may be unsure of how to help. You might be afraid you will say or do the wrong thing. Here are some ways you can be supportive to a woman who has suffered a miscarriage.

1. Send a card or handwritten note.
2. Help her with household chores such as doing laundry or vacuuming.
3. Offer to babysit any other children so the couple can have some time alone.

Read more: http://www.examiner.com/x-14154-Raleigh-Infertility--Miscarriage-Examiner~y2009m7d26-Support-after-miscarriage

Stories of Pregnancy & Birth over 44y
- Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
http://pregnancyover44y.blogspot.com/

5,500 Stories of Pregnancy & Birth over 44y
Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
http://pregnancyover44y.blogspot.com/

You Can Get Pregnant in Your 40's
Sharing articles, discussing options & suggestions
http://youcangetpregnant.blogspot.com/

Recent Keyword Searches: why take prenatal vitamins after miscarriage, natural conception after 50, late loss after ivf stories, miscarriage after 1st time ivf, late loss after ivf stories

Sunday, July 19, 2009

So Few Memories, So Much Love Giveaway

Frugal Freebies is having a giveaway that I wanted to share here:

"So Few Memories, So Much Love", a memory book for pregnancy loss and a beaded baby name memory bracelet, retail value $16.00.

This sweet hand-made beaded baby memory bracelet is similar to what they used to give babies born years ago in the hospital. It will be personalized with your baby's name or month of loss or simply the word "baby" in letter beads, with pink and/or blue beads, and red hearts which symbolize the love you have for a precious baby no longer with you but still very much in your heart and memory.

"So Few Memories, So Much Love" is an exquisitely-detailed baby memory book. Specially-created to help record the events prior to, during and following the loss of a baby through early miscarriage. This long-awaited baby memory book:

♥ Gives you permission to grieve
♥ Helps you to work through the process of grieving and the pain of loss
♥ Offers a place to express your thoughts, feelings and emotions of your baby's loss
♥ Embraces the importance of mourning your baby
♥ Helps to promote the positive resolution of your grief

Created by the Executive Editor of Shattered Dreams, who delves into her own experience of multiple miscarriage to choose the meaningful events to commemorate.

PLUS...healing suggestions for memorializing your baby ...listings of normal grief reactions ...and poignant poetry. This baby memory book will become a special source of comfort and remembrance for now and for the future. Perfect for gift giving to a bereaved mom.

Comb-bound, heavy-duty stock cover, 24 pages, includes a MEMORIES storage envelope.

Open to worldwide entrants - ends July 31/09
To enter: http://www.frugal-freebies.com/2009/07/so-few-memories-so-much-love-giveaway.html

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Heaven Born: help for coping with early miscarriage

When someone has a miscarriage, it's often hard to know what to say or do. For the person who suffers the miscarriage, it can be an isolating and very emotional time.

After having a miscarriage at 11 weeks, Maureen Day decided part of her healing process would be to help others. In 2002, she started a non-profit project called Heaven Born. This group offers handmade pillows for early miscarriage losses.

For a miscarriage support group in the Raleigh/Durham area see www.dukehealth.org/locations/teer_house.

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Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Surviving a miscarriage

Picture by greekgod

Having a miscarriage is not only physically difficult, but it has an emotional impact, as well. It is normal to feel a range of feelings that may include anger, sadness, guilt or shock.

Keep in mind that being around friends and family who have children may be painful.

During this time, it is OK to give yourself permission to miss social gatherings or family events.

Men and women deal with loss differently, so couples need to share their feelings and thoughts openly with each other. A pregnancy loss can affect relationships. It can bring you closer or rip you apart. It is important that you both give yourself time and space to heal. You and your spouse may go through the stages of grief. The grieving process can take days, weeks or months.

Read more: http://savannahnow.com/node/745043

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Saturday, June 27, 2009

Couple’s grief for babies

JO HALL never expected supporting Red Nose Day would one day help her in hour of need, but it has.

The Avonsleigh woman has been struggling to cope after miscarrying two babies in two years.

Ms Hall may not have given birth, but she still grieves.

She couldn’t believe it when she lost her first child in 2007 to discover that SIDS and Kids offered counselling services.

“When you are in hospital they give you a booklet to read about miscarriages … I saw it was produced by SIDS,” Ms Hall said.

Read more: http://www.starnewsgroup.com.au/story/75806

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Thursday, June 25, 2009

Helping HUG (Honoring Unspoken Grief)

Image by NCBrian via Flickr

Novak noted that people heal in different ways and that the decision to experience another pregnancy is as individual as the parties involved.

"Listen to your heart," Novak said. "Lean on each other; that is what family is for. Most importantly, make sure what you want is really what you want, not what others think you should be doing or feeling. During a difficult time like this, you find out who your true friends are and they are the ones that, regardless of what decisions you make, do not pass judgment or try to rush you into doing something that they think you should do. No matter what, don't rush to make any decisions that will impact the rest of your life, including rushing out and getting pregnant again."

GRIEF SUPPORT IN THE CHICAGO AREA

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/lifestyles/1624461,4_5_JO17_HUG_S1-090617.article

Stories of Pregnancy & Birth over 44y
- Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
http://pregnancyover44y.blogspot.com/

5,100 Stories of Pregnancy & Birth over 44y
Daily blog of hope & inspiration!
http://pregnancyover44y.blogspot.com/

You Can Get Pregnant in Your 40's
Sharing articles, discussing options & suggestions
http://youcangetpregnant.blogspot.com/

Recent Keyword Searches: misdiagnosed miscarraige, can heavy exercise cause miscarriage, odds of miscarrying and still having twin, miscarriage grieving, recurrent miscarriage after successful pregnancy

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Share Hosts First Walk For Remembrance And Hope

Over 80 people attended Share’s First Annual Walk for Remembrance & Hope on Saturday, May 9, walking along the Toonerville Trail.

The annual Share Walk for Remembrance & Hope provides families who have experienced a miscarriage or death of an infant with an opportunity for their children to be openly acknowledged and remembered amongst family, friends and other bereaved families.

For more information, to donate, volunteer or if you need support through grief, please visit the website http://www.sharesouthernvermont.blogspot.com/ or email sharesouthernvermont@gmail.com.

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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Grieving toddlers

Something Happened is for the 2-6 year old whose family has experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death

Books for toddlers about death:

The Dead Bird by Margaret Wise Brown (author of Goodnight Moon, Runaway Bunny and other classics) is out of print, but is available used. It is a very good introduction to death in the story of several children who find a dead bird. Their sadness is great at first, and they decide to bury the bird, decorate the grave, and say some final goodbyes. Tears are shed, but with time, their happiness returns and at the end, the dead bird is forgotten.

I Miss You is written for 4-7 year olds, but still appropriate to read through with the younger child. It explains death as no longer eating or breathing, that death is a natural part of life, and talks about the emotions we all have.

Something Happened is for the 2-6 year old whose family has experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death.

Thumpy’s Story in Spanish and English is a book about sibling loss for the 2-4 year old. Thumpy shares his sorrow and questions when his little sister dies.

Read more: http://www.examiner.com/x-9432-Family-Grief--Bereavement-Examiner~y2009m6d13-Grieving-toddlers

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Monday, June 15, 2009

Naming a miscarried baby

When a baby is miscarried, the parents’ grief may be a very lonely thing, in large part because few people, if anyone, knew the baby’s name. If the baby was miscarried in early pregnancy, a name may not have been chosen yet, and most people may not even know of the pregnancy.

Grieving and mourning our loss involves telling our story, and the lack of a name, or a name no one had yet known, may be a painful situation for the parents.

La Belle Dame has memorial jewelry items for those grieving the loss of a pre-born baby. Some of these may be engraved with your child’s name. My Forever Child also offers many beautiful and customizable remembrance items.

Recent Keyword Searches: what will help avoid miscarriages, miscarriage symbols, why women are more fertile after a misscarriage, waiting for miscarriage to start, grieving miscarriage

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Book on expressing miscarriage grief & sadness through art

“Dedicated to the many women and men who carry a quiet loss, a loss that underlies their daily affairs and permeates their dreams with memories of children who were with them too briefly.”

So begins Laura Seftel’s book, Grief Unseen: Healing Pregnancy Loss through the Arts. She wrote this book and started The Secret Club several years after her own pregnancy losses.

View the slideshow of pregnancy loss art.

Read more: http://www.examiner.com/x-7080-Anchorage-Family-Examiner~y2009m6d12-A-book-on-expressing-miscarriage-grief-and-saddness-through-art

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Thursday, June 04, 2009

Women want to start charity for families who have lost babies

Tania Targett, Marina Sousa, & Pia Hopkins looking at the scrapbook Tania put together to remember her son Jacks brief life.

'Get over it', and 'have another baby' are just two of the many insensitive comments that parents who have lost babies hear on a daily basis.

Many grieving parents feel a terrible sense of loneliness.

But a group of mothers want people in this situation to know that they are not alone. There is help.

People looking for a more anonymous support group or information can also check out the website of the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death (Sands) charity website www.uk-sands.org. Sands has many chapters worldwide and runs many anonymous support forums.For a copy of their report to the House of Commons go to http://www.uk-sands.org/no_cache/News/Newspage/article/93/98.html.
If anyone would like more information about the group you can contact the women at taniat@hotmail.com, pia_lm@yahoo.com or smsousa@northrock.bm.

http://www.royalgazette.com/siftology.royalgazette/Article/article.jsp?articleId=7d9613330030005§ionId=80

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Thursday, May 21, 2009

Garden of Hope to open soon

Dawn Waltman knows first-hand the emotions a mother experiences when losing a child to early infant death.

She and her husband, Brian, who have four living children, have lost three babies — two to miscarriage and a little girl, Molly, in a stillbirth.

"We were able to have a funeral and memorial service for (Molly), but the miscarried babies had nothing," Waltman said last week. "It felt like they didn't count and, in society, they don't count. I felt in my heart that these babies can't be forgotten."

Those interested in following the garden's progress can go to lancastergardenofhope.blogspot.com for updates. Donations to the Garden of Hope can be directed to Waltman at bdwaltman@juno.com.

http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/237730

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Thursday, May 07, 2009

Grieving a Miscarriage

Several asked about miscarriage: Why won’t people stop saying “you can try again soon”? What is the “right” amount of grief? Are there more miscarriages now or does it just seem that way? What to tell the children about the baby who will not be?

I put these questions and others to Donnica Moore, an Ob/Gyn who is founder of the Sapphire Women’s Group and editor of the newly released book, “Women’s Health for Life.” (I am also using this post to put these questions to readers, so please add your thoughts and advice below.)

Read more: http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/05/grieving-a-miscarriage/

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Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Bringing Hope to Others

Andrew and Kara Krauss have started at nonprofit organization Hope Is ... to help others who have suffered through miscarriages and infertility

In the beginning of December 2006, Kara miscarried.

"It was the worst thing that ever happened to us," Kara said on their Web site hopeisheart.org.

"I wanted to figure out a way to help because my heart just breaks for people who can't have a child," she said.

So, she and Andrew founded "Hope Is ...," a nonprofit agency geared toward supporting couples with infertility or those who have had miscarriages. They also raise funds to help couples seeking to adopt.

Recent Keyword Searches: how to avoid miscarriage, diets that help with multiple miscarriages, what age are women more fertile, what vitamins to take after recurrent pregnancy, miscarriage baby blues

TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:

Pregnancy Miracle -- - A 279-page, instantly downloadable e-book presenting a 5-step, sure-fire, 100% guaranteed, clinically proven holistic and ancient Chinese system for permanently reversing your infertility and your partner's infertility disorders and getting pregnant quickly, naturally and safely within 2-4 months without drugs, dangerous surgeries, side effects, or expensive infertility treatments. It's probably the most powerful infertility reversal system ever developed, and currently the best-selling e-book of its kind on the entire Web! Here's what the author Lisa Olson had to say about her incredible program: "After 14 years of trial, error and experimentation, I finally discovered the answer to infertility and developed a fool-proof system to getting pregnant the natural way - no drugs, or surgery necessary. And now I'm finally revealing my secrets in this new 'encyclopedia' of pregnancy called, Pregnancy Miracle." "I will be your own personal coach, take you by the hand, and lead you through the lousy advice, hype and gimmicks...and directly to the sort of inner balance perfection that will end your battle with infertility forever and help you become a proud mother of your healthy children."