Putting a face on miscarriage, stillbirth and infant loss
Tarni
Mummy to Ava Madison
Born February 25, 2012
Passed February 25, 2012
Queensland, Australia
At 39 weeks and 2 days I went for my routine check-up. My daughter’s heartbeat was 145 bmp and she was kicking up a storm. As I walked out of the doctor’s office his last words to me were “Next time I see you, I’ll get to meet your baby.” That turned out to be anything but the truth. This is my story. [Read more...]
Kelly
Mom to Angel Baby
Lost January 11, 2010
Franklin, NC
My husband and I were married for just over two years when we decided it was time to start a family. I had just finished graduate school and had been ready for a baby for a while by that point. We were pleasantly surprised when we got pregnant on our first try in November of 2009. At first everything seemed okay, but I really wasn’t having any pregnancy symptoms, other than the need to pee all the time. At my first prenatal appointment the midwife confirmed that I was indeed pregnant, but it was a “weak positive” on the test. I was only about 4.5 to 5 weeks along at the time and was set up for an ultrasound about a week later. [Read more...]
Cassandra
Mom to an angel, Bradley Frederick Carr
Born sleeping February 24, 2012
Orlando, FL
In the beginning of November 2011 I received the most amazing news. I found out that I was pregnant about eight weeks along. I had my suspicions seeing as I was nauseated all of the time and certain foods were turning me on and off. I had never been so excited. I automatically called my Fiance and told him the fantastic news. He was of course thrilled seeing as it is difficult for me to get pregnant since I had poly-cystic ovarian syndrome and it is very difficult for me to get pregnant we looked as this as a miracle. [Read more...]
I should begin by telling you, admittedly, that up until this point in my life, I was a pretty lucky girl.
I came from a happy, nuclear family. I always had a small circle of great friends. I was fortunate to attend college, graduate in four (largely) uneventful years, and immediately find a teaching job while some of my peers were scrambling. I met my soul mate in college (although we knew one another in high school, but we hated each other then–another story for another blog post) and we had a nice, June wedding. During this time, I had misfortune in only one area–my health. Being overweight had been an attribute of mine for as long as I could remember. I went on diet after diet, but I would always lose a few pounds and then simply give up. I made excuses such as “It’s too close to the holidays”, or “I’m just too busy right now,” but the simple fact of the matter was that I simply lacked the desire to do it. It just wasn’t there. I liked to eat, and I hated to exercise–I knew I needed to do something, but I simply did nothing. It kind of pains me to admit that. [Read more...]
Kori
Mom to Ramsey Jo
Born November 23, 2011
Died November 25, 2011
Billings, MT
My name is Kori and my story starts on November 23, 2011. I went into labor with our fourth child, which was suprising since I have c-sections. We went to Labor and Delivery and expected a very normal delivery with a healthy baby girl to take home. We have three healthy boys, ages 12, 9 and 6, and had no complications with them, so naively I thought this would be the same. [Read more...]
Melissa
Mom to Willow and Darwin
Lost March 11, 2012
Lisle, Illinois
We made it 12 weeks and 1 day I kept dreaming they were girls so I named them the girl names we picked out. [Read more...]
Yentyl Ria
Mom to Sovonn Rian
Sleeping Angel taken on September 18,2011
West Sacramento, California
I was 20 weeks pregnant with my first child. [Read more...]
Danyelle
Mother to Emelina Danyelle
Received her Angel Wings February 21, 2012
Chilliwack, BC Canada
Emelina’s Birth Story
My husband I met in August 2001 and knew shortly that we were meant to be; in 2003 we welcomed our first daughter.
We decided after almost 6 years to finally start trying for a second child, so in June 2011 we went decided to start trying and on July 2 2011 we found out we were pregnant with our second child. My pregnancy had a few challenges one being morning sickness through the whole thing…as well as this baby decided it did not like me to eat any meat other than chicken. I had back and hip pain that made working a challenge but my whole pregnancy was normal…until February 18… [Read more...]
Ellen
Mom to Austin
Born November 6, 2011 at 12:55 am
Died November 6, 2011 at 2:35 am
San Diego, California
My husband and I were trying to get pregnant for a long time. When we found out we were pregnant on June 25, 2011, it had been something we wanted for so long and we decided to take 5 pregnancy tests to make sure. After all of those tests, we confirmed we got what we had so longed for and we couldn’t have been happier. [Read more...]
Tammy Ray
Mom to Faith Ann
Last year July 4th at the family get together my Aunt Tammy said that someone was pregnant. We all laughed and said she was crazy.
Our son was 9 months old at the time so I was said its not me. Well when I got home I started to think about what she said and that’s when I noticed a few symptoms that were familiar. So I took a test the next day and sure enough two pink lines. Within the next two weeks both our families and friends knew. Everyone was excited. I was excited, scared and nervous all at the same time. We were talking about what its going to be like having two run around. I marked the calendar with the due date March 17, 2012. We couldn’t wait. [Read more...]
Cassie
Mom to Isaac Lee
Miscarried April 4, 2011
(EDD August 24, 2011)
and
Kinslee Nicole
Born and died February 24, 2012
(EDD June 29, 2012)
Crooksville, Ohio
June 22, 2012. This was supposed to be one of the greatest days of our lives. Instead it will be another day out of the year that’s filled with tears and sadness for my husband and I. This is our story. [Read more...]
Marie
Mom to Avery Minnie
Born and died on February 27, 2012
Blaine, Minnesota
All my life I knew I wanted a family. I didn’t have a dream of career and money; I had a dream of children and softball games, playing at the park, reading a story before bed. [Read more...]
Angela
Mom to three angels:
Caden – November 2003
Skylar – January 2008
Alex – February 2009
Lynchburg, Virginia
My name is Angela & I am the proud Mommy of 3 angels. [Read more...]
Bethany
Navia Jean
Born May 26, 2011
Became an Angel baby July 3, 2011
Kittery, Maine
In September 2010, after being told numerous times that the chances of me being able to conceive a child and give birth were slim to none due to some medical problems, I had a positive pregnancy test. [Read more...]
Ashlee
Mom to Baby Howell
Miscarried December 26, 2008 at 9 weeks
and
Dalton Michael
Born sleeping February 21, 2012
Pinckneyville, Illinois
My husband and I were so excited to start a family after we were married. We were so excited to announce on Christmas day 2008 that we were expecting. The next day our lives crumbled. [Read more...]
Theresa
Mom to Grace
December 16th, 1998 – December 17th, 1998
Tasmania, Australia
After many months of trying to fall pregnant after a miscarriage we were thrilled to learn we were expecting a new baby. This baby was due February 22nd, one day after Granddad’s sixtieth birthday. The whole family was excited to be getting a new arrival. [Read more...]
Jessica
Mom to Claudia Leigh
August 26, 2011
Madison, Wisconsin
Sarah
Mom to Kayden David and Alex John
Lost August 13, 2011 at 18 weeks
New Zealand
I had only been dating my boyfriend for 5 months when I discovered I was pregnant. It was a huge shock as I was only 17 and I had never really thought I wanted to be a mum; I was just happy being an aunty to my beautiful nieces. When I told Bryan I was pregnant he was soooo excited! He wanted the whole world to know he was going to be a daddy, but I made him promise we wouldn’t tell anyone until we were over 12 weeks and passed miscarriage stage. Of course, we had to tell our parents, though. I was terrified to tell my mum as I thought she was going to be so disappointed, but to my surprise she was thrilled to have another grandchild on the way. [Read more...]
Grace
Mom to Grace-Ann Drew Wynter (“Wynter”)
Born and died January 18, 2010
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
January 2010 proved to be month of raging storms, literally and figuratively. Deemed the coldest winter ever by weather announcers throughout the east coast, I had no idea I would feel the cold so deeply that it reached the core of my being. [Read more...]
Tesha
Mom to Jonathan Anthony
Born still January 24, 2012 at 20 weeks’ gestation
Mar Vista, California
It all happened very fast and was so unexpected. I went to a routine doctor appointment on Monday, January 23rd. The prior week I had the flu and had to reschedule my January 18th appointment until the following Monday. When I arrived, my blood pressure was high but they thought it was due to my sickness. During the doctors routine examination she began to check for the baby’s heartbeat. After an agonizing 10 minutes or so she said she needed to send me to the emergency room because she could not find his heartbeat. I was worried, but honestly thought everything was fine. After all, we had just seen our little guy on a 3D ultrasound the week before. I thought he was just hiding. I called my husband (Jimmy) and after delivering my five other children to their Mam’s, we proceeded to the hospital.
Once we arrived at the hospital I was pretty relaxed. After all, we had sent text messages to our church family, personal friends and family members, everyone was praying. Surly God would not let that many people down, and besides I have a miracle baby and know that God can come through even in bleak circumstance. The ultrasound confirmed what seemed unimaginable to me: our sweet baby boy was already in Heaven. In shock, we gathered our family to prepare for Jonathan’s delivery the next day. I felt so alone and lost that night; how was it possible my baby was dead? I could have sworn I felt him kick that night. January 24, 2012 will be etched on my heart and mind forever. Although I had given birth to five babies, my arrival at the hospital on this day was indescribable. I had been anxious and afraid before but this time I was embarking on a journey that would forever change me. A road no mommy would ever want to walk. As I lay awaiting Jonathan Anthony’s arrival, I pondered what would life be like now, how I would it feel to leave the hospital with empty arms and a broken heart. Jimmy never left my side, yet I felt alone. My wonderful mother-in-law and sister-in-law joined me for his birth. They looked through the memory box the hospital had provided us, and gave me some helpful information designed to help me through this time.
I never had such conflicting emotions…while desperately wanting it to be over, I knew the end result of his birth would be the ultimate goodbye.
At around 7:30 I felt the urge to push. When the doctor checked me she said we had to wait until I was fully dilated. She informed us Jonathan’s body could be damaged from the delivery. This is when my tears gave way to panic because this had not crossed my mind, the consequence death had taken on his little body. I begged my husband to pray that Jonathan would be born quickly and entirely whole.
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