In college, I had my life figured all out...or so I thought. I'd get a job. Move into the city with friends. Establish my career. Marry at 27. And start having the first of my two kids at 30 (so my husband and I could have some time as “just us” first). Well, let’s see [...]
In thinking about pregnancy after loss the other day, I referred to it as 9 months of overwhelming emotions - joy, grief, hope, and fear. As I revisited that statement a little while later, I realized that it was based on one very big assumption – a pregnancy would last 9 months. In the world [...]
Unborn babies are generally categorized as the most vulnerable of human beings, and for good reason. They are, after all, the smallest humans who are in the very beginning stages of development, therefore making them more susceptible to harm. Photo by Zach Lucero on Unsplash But mothers who have experienced loss in any [...]
What a year it's been at PALS (Pregnancy After Loss Support)! It was a year of tremendous growth. We added Meet-Up locations, continued to provide online support to Courageous PAL Mamas, exhibited at perinatal conferences, and raised over $23,000 to continue to support and advocate for the pregnancy after loss community. One of the ways [...]
When decorating for Christmas this year, our almost three-year-old chose a little ceramic tree to put in her bedroom. She cleared a shelf on her book nook and carefully placed it there. The next day I found her little elephant and giraffe figures admiring the tree. They’ve stayed in that spot through the holiday season. [...]
What’s in a name? A lot actually, especially in the world of pregnancy after loss. When I was pregnant with my rainbow baby (a baby born after another baby that has died), I wanted the name of my second child to have meaning. I had worked so hard to get that baby here and I [...]
The holiday season is portrayed as a fun time of the year with parties, celebrations, family gatherings, and gift giving. But it also can be a challenging time filled with sadness, loneliness, and reflection. This is very true, especially for families trying to conceive, pregnant, or parenting after loss (PAL). Photo by Kelsey Chance on Unsplash [...]
We took Noah to see Santa last weekend. We weren't sure how he'd react; for children with autism and sensory processing issues, things with a lot of lights and sound and people - like visits to Santa - can be very overwhelming. Although less than impressed when Santa first entered the barn (he was very [...]
Dear little one, There is something I see in myself ever since you died. In pictures, in the mirror, in my eyes. It’s a tiredness that hasn’t gone away. It could be due to age or brought on by the pregnancies, births and parenting of your younger sister and brother, now three and a half [...]
My rainbow is nearly three. He is developing so much and it is a joy to parent him even with the boundary testing that marks this age. As he grows, he is starting to understand - or at least parrot back - more about his brother who died. This has brought me tears, heightened intensity, [...]
