Stillbirth
When 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 MoreCandace’s Story
April 2011 “It’s not good, Candace”. The words I never thought I would hear at my scheduled 21 week ultrasound. A flood of tears overwhelm me. “Where’s Josh? Is he here yet?” I ask the tech through sobs and gasps for air. This can’t be happening to me. This isn’t real. Josh comes in and…
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 MoreThe Other “Me Too” Movement: How Social Media Can Be Healing
By: Nora LaFata My daughter died on February 22, 2014. She was born the next day. My fingers still balk at the sequence of those two sentences. My daughter, who weighed five pounds and three ounces. My daughter, who had a head of dark hair and bright, pursed lips and skinny toes. My daughter, the…
Read MoreThere Are No Words
By: Kathy Gardner I spot her at the grocery store Her son was killed in 9/11 She is tenderly picking out apples And I am scowling at green bananas I wonder if she has heard my news She answers me Simply by looking over her shoulder She must sense a familiar desperation She turns deliberately…
Read MorePartners On The Journey
By: Robyn Busekrus Grief is messy and complicated. There are the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. For myself, they did not go in that sequential order. Depending on the day, sometimes it was anger and at other times I experienced another emotion on the list. Sometimes it was a combination of…
Read MoreWhat Do I Do with My Love?
Creating a Lasting Legacy After Your Baby’s Death By: Rose Carlson Normally, when a loved one dies, you have much to remember the person by: Photos, cards, clothing and other possessions. These precious items, along with your memories, comfort you and keep your loved one’s memory alive. However, when a baby dies, there may be…
Read MorePriceless Keepsakes
By: Julie Linck Memories are what exist after a loved one dies. For our precious babies, this is what we grieve the most. We are robbed of the opportunity to create memories and experiences together with our child. So how can we find ways to hold onto this sweet life that was taken much too…
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