Putting a face on miscarriage, stillbirth and infant loss
Jodi
Mom to Isaac Joseph
June 26 - June 28, 2004
Waterloo, Iowa
I am the face of neonatal death. In November of 2003, we learned Isaac Joseph was on the way. We were so excited. This was our second child and we couldn’t feel more blessed. After an early ultrasound, his due date was set for July 7, 2004. I had a fairly easy pregnancy. With the exception of having low iron, everything went perfectly. [Read more...]
Catrina
Mom to Tatiana Jhene Johnson
November 11-18, 2011
Wichita, KS
I was in L&D three times the previous week with sharp pain, back pain, and decreased movement. I was 3-4 cm., 80-95% effaced, and having irregular contractions. Tatiana started having decelerations (her heart rate dropped) caused by dehydration. The OBs were concerned about her heart rate dropping too low during active labor and said I was at risk of having a c section. Her lungs weren’t mature, so they decided against an induction. Last Friday, my OB repeated the biophysical to check for lung maturity again. He decided to strip my membranes to start labor, which didn’t work. I went in for my 38 week appointment on Thursday. He listened to her heart beat and heard an arrhythmia (her heart has an extra beat). He scheduled an appointment with the high risk OB that evening to repeat the biophysical. He said he wasn’t concerned about the arrhythmia, that it would fix itself, and we would continue to monitor it every week. He checked my amniotic fluid levels, and they had decreased from 12 cm. on Friday to less than 1 cm. He asked if I had felt my water break, and I hadn’t, so he sent me to the hospital to be induced.
Lisa
Luke Hudson, January 19, 2011
Baby Hays, July 5, 2011
Austin, TX
I am the face of Thanatophoric Dysplasia and Early Miscarriage
It’s so difficult to share the story of loss. No words seem to do it justice. Here’s my attempt.
In the fall of 2010 we learned I was pregnant after nine months of trying for our second child. The pregnancy progressed just as nicely as the first. But, 19 weeks into our pregnancy, everything changed. [Read more...]
In the summer of 2008, I found myself locked in a bathroom stall, staring at three positive pregnancy tests. [Read more...]
Kayce
Mom to Ben Harrington Butler: November 6, 2007
&
Brady Winston Butler: November 6, 2007–March 29, 2008
Nashville, Tennessee
I was told from the time I was a teenager with irregular periods that I may need some help getting pregnant in the future. I got married when I was 25 and from the first day of our marriage we never did anything to prevent pregnancy as I knew it might take a while. After a couple of years and several unsuccessful rounds of Clomid, I was sent to a fertility doctor to take more drastic steps. I was diagnosed with PCOS and needed fertility meds to help me ovulate. The first fertility doctor I went to told me that I needed to do invitro fertilization. We did and I did not get pregnant and ended up in the hospital for hyperstimulation. It was a horrible experience and the doctor was just awful to me. I finally went to another fertility doctor when I was 28 and he told me that he thought IUI and fertility injections would work just fine for me. So we tried IUI with the lowest dose of the meds available and I got pregnant on the first try. However, once I finally got pregnant —-I got really pregnant! My first ultrasound revealed that I was pregnant with triplets. We were so happy, excited, and scared all at the same time. I was sent to a high risk pregnancy doctor and our journey began. [Read more...]
Laura
Mom to Caydence
Born asleep November 10, 2011
Mandeville, Louisiana
I am one of those women who people say were born to be a mother, and, for as long as I can remember, I have wanted to have children. When I met my husband nine years ago, I knew that he was the man I would marry and have children with. We are truly soul mates and I am so grateful that we found each other. When we talked about having children, we never could have imagined that our baby would be born an angel. [Read more...]
Emma
Mom to Lily Natalie Anne, miscarried at 10 weeks August 10th, 2006
and “Little Speck”, miscarried at 6 weeks October 13, 2009
Australia
Lily Natalie’s story:
Ever since I knew the meaning of being a mother, I knew that was what I wanted to be. Even my chosen career path as a teacher involves me utilising my maternal feelings in guiding students through their education. As cousins, friends’ babies and other family members were born, I knew that, even at the age of 11, the feeling of a newborn baby in my arms was just…right. I dreamed, imagined, visualised myself holding a baby, mothering a baby, raising a tiny life. [Read more...]
Lauren
Mom to Faith Elizabeth
Born sleeping on September 28, 2011
Nashville, Tennessee
On Tuesday, September 27, at 1:30pm, my husband and I went in for our “big ultrasound,” also known as the anatomy scan, where all of the baby’s organs and growth/development are checked, and where we would find out if baby was aboy or a girl. I was 2o weeks 6 days pregnant. The tech began the scan, took a few measurements and pictures, and then said she “needed to get one more thing” and would be right back. I knew immediately that something was wrong. I sat up and looked at her screen and saw a blank spot under heart rate. It felt like she was gone forever and my husband tried to keep me calm, but then the nurse walked in and said, “The doctor will see you today.” Everything for the next few minutes is a bit of a blur, but I remember saying, “No, no,” my husband holding me, and the doctor coming in to tell me how sorry she was and explaining how we would proceed. I knew that I was too far along for a D&C and that I would actually have to deliver my baby. The doctor gave us the option of going home for a bit and then coming back to labor and delivery when we were ready, but that seemed pointless to me. I decided we needed to go to L&D now and get the process going, as horrible as it would be. [Read more...]
Cristina
Mom to Lorelei
Born sleeping November 5, 2011 at 10:08 p.m.
California
I am really not sure where to begin…but I will start by saying that my life and those of my husband and our families has been changed forever. [Read more...]
Melissa
Mom to “Little One,” lost at 6 weeks
Wesley Major, born at 25 weeks and 4 days on
January 5, 2011 and lost January 7, 2011
“Baby Angel” lost at 9 weeks
My husband and I went to our infertility specialist after 4 years of marriage and struggling to become parents. I was diagnosed with PCOS. We decided on an IUI and were pleasantly surprised to find out we were pregnant on the first try! We were over the moon and I was very cautious. When we went in for our first ultrasound we saw there was no heartbeat, and I naturally miscarried a week later. It was devastating. [Read more...]
Emily
Mamma to Spencer Ty
October 19, 2011
Perth, Western Australia
My husband and I found out we were pregnant with our first in March 2011. We have been together for 16 years (since the early days of high school), so it was about time and we were elated. It was a very long, complicated pregnancy (Downs Syndrome scare, some baby kidney and heart problems – all of which turned out to be fine), but at 29 weeks they told us we could finally relax and start to enjoy the pregnancy. We did and went out and got everything we needed for our little boy, and oh how exciting it all was! [Read more...]
Andrea
Mom to two angels
July 4, 2007 at 8 weeks
October 17, 2011 at 7 weeks
Wayne, West Virgina
My amazing husband and I got married on March 17, 2007. We knew we wanted to expand our family right away. We put it in God’s hands and didn’t really worry too much. Three months into our marriage we get the best news: we’re expecting already. I never would have dreamed that it would have happened that quickly. I made my appointment to confirm the home pregnancy test, and of course it was also positive. I was 6 weeks! My first nurse appointment was made for 3 weeks later. [Read more...]
Amy
Mom to Katelyn Mary
August 27, 2011
Coal Township, Pennsylvania
I should be getting ready to have my daughter this week – not writing this submission. My due date was supposed to be Christmas day, and we were so happy! It was a blessing and miracle that I was even pregnant in the first place…I have Lupus and high blood pressure, and never really thought I’d have children. My husband and I were married 7 months when we found out we were expecting. We started thinking of names right away, and dreaming about what our future child would be like. [Read more...]
Jessica
Mom to Grace Elizabeth
February 23, 2011
Shelbyville, KY
So this is mine and my husband’s first child. We were so excited to find out that I was pregnant. I found out when I was 18 that I have endometriosis and it would be difficult for me to get pregnant. So at the time I wasn’t seeing anyone seriously and I went on the Depo shot for birth control. Well then I met my husband and a little over a year later we were married and I stopped taking the depo shot that I had been on for a little over 2 yrs. About 6 months into the marriage we were trying to get pregnant but no luck. So we were getting ready to go talk to a doctor after it had been a yr and no luck. Then I found out I was pregnant.
Kayla
Mom to Gabriel Christian
December 11th – 12th, 2011
Alisha
Mom to Hunter Grace
Born still on December 17th, 2009
Wareham, Massachusetts
My husband and I were so excited to find out that we were expecting baby number 3 in September 2009. We already had two girls 5 and 2 1/2 years old. [Read more...]
Allison
Mom to Jordan Reed
November 16, 2011 to November 18, 2011
Cranberry Township, PA
Nine months ago, I found out I was pregnant with my second child. This came only a couple of weeks after my only sister delivered her stillborn son, Kohl. I was devastated at her loss and was nervous for my own pregnancy. I had a normal pregnancy and was in my third trimester. I was getting so excited to welcome another son into our family. The holidays were approaching. The Christmas gifts were wrapped and the stockings were hung. The only thing missing was the baby.
Shannon
Mom to Victoria Joy
Born December 28th, 2009 at 36w 1d, survived only about 2 hours
Bronx, NY
I was 12 weeks when I had my first sonogram appointment. Most people go to their first appointment excited, not imagining something may be wrong with their baby. The technician pretty much immediately found something wrong with my baby, specifically the tummy. They measured the nuchal fold and everything else which looked fine. They weren’t sure if it was omphalocele or gastroschisis. They explained the difference and that they would be sending me for more tests and ultrasounds, etc. I was devastated that something was wrong with my little girl. I was the last patient to leave the office and I just didn’t know what to do but cry.
Jennie
Mom to Leela Mary, a twin
Born and died January 19, 2011
(Her due date was May 4, 2011)
Middleburg, Florida
It was a very important day; I was 19 weeks pregnant, and on our way to find out if we were having a boy or girl. I knew that there was a little girl in there, but what I didn’t know, or even could imagine, was that there were two of them! Picture my hands on my face, and dad’s head to the wall, and big brother’s jaw on the floor. ”Its twins!” they said. Boy or girl, we didn’t know, “They’re lying on top of each other,” is what the lady said. [Read more...]
Tiffany
Mom to Lil Bit
Miscarried on December 12, 2007
Mount Dora, Florida
I lost my baby four years ago today. That is what made me finally comment here. I am alone tonight and decided that I need to share, to talk to people who understand. I am 25 years old. I was told from the time I was 16 that I would be infertile, that I would need much assistance to conceive a child. [Read more...]
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