Infant Loss
I am Colette’s Mom
By: Michelle Valiukenas I am the proud mom of Colette Louise, my little fireball, gorgeous blonde with my nose, long legs, long fingers, and a spirit that just radiated love and peace. Colette was born at 24 weeks and 5 days, three weeks after I was hospitalized with preeclampsia. She fought valiantly for nine days,…
Read MoreWe Are Missing It All
By: Sabrina Ivy We are missing it all. And tonight it hurts like hell. Baby loss isn’t something that just happened at one tragic day in our lives years ago. It is something that we carry with us as we endure each and every day and special occasion that comes and goes without our daughter…
Read MoreThe Beginning of Grief
By: Elaine de Leon When you say it out loud, it sounds unreal: I have been pregnant twice. I have never felt a contraction. I have never taken a baby home from the hospital. We lost our two babies – Francis and Zoe – 11 months apart. I was only 16 weeks pregnant with Francis…
Read MoreHelping My Sons Grieve
By: Robyn Busekrus I wish loss wasn’t a part of our journey. When we found out we were expecting, we had this vision of what our family would look like. It had been some years since having our boys, and we always had wanted another child. One of the hardest parts of this journey is…
Read MoreA Father’s Loss
By: Matt Busekrus My wife Robyn has been writing on her blog at www.robynsnestofhope.com and for Sharing Magazine. I have been proud of her efforts and am glad she is using her writing as a platform to help others that have experienced loss. This month, for Sharing Magazine the topic is Father’s Day and Robyn…
Read MoreDear Grieving Mother,
By: Sabrina Ivy Dear Grieving Mother, First, let me tell you I am so sorry you carry this weight of baby loss. With Mother’s Day just around the corner I understand some of the thoughts that are taunting you. I have them, too. This day looks nothing like it should for us. Whether you held…
Read MoreWhen You’re Not Feeling Well on Mother’s Day
By: Brooke Taylor Duckworth In the months after my first daughter was unexpectedly stillborn, I began to get used to the weight of grief. I became familiar with that sense of stumbling around in a fog, the air around me feeling thick with my own unshed tears. I grew accustomed to the way my throat…
Read MoreTrue Colors: Celebrating on Mother’s Day
By: Robyn Busekrus As Mother’s Day approaches, we may be flooded with memories of our own mothers, longing to be a mother, the pain of losing a child and the joys of becoming a mom. These are just some ways we may connect to the concept on Mother’s Day. For myself, the day is…
Read MoreThe Soul-Sucking (Or Soul-Saving) Space of Social Media
By: Brooke Taylor Duckworth When my daughter died, I dropped off of Facebook. For me, Facebook had been a breezy, easy way to interact with people without getting into any of the harsh realities of life. I definitely used it to present the highlight reel—funny moments, the occasional witty observation, and photos to record the…
Read MoreThe Life of Grief on Social Media
By: Sabrina Ivy There is something cathartic about telling your story. Something healing about sharing your grief. I have a difficult time verbalizing my feelings, but when my fingers touch the keyboard or I pick up a pen it becomes the release for me that I so desperately need. It’s like opening a valve and…
Read More