I'm so excited to announce today is launch day for my miscarriage eBook! I can't believe my book is finally ready to be released to you! Beginning today, you can order my eBook Miscarriage & Mourning: Encouragement after Pregnancy Loss. To celebrate, we also have a giveaway at the end of this post and a special coupon code just for my readers! All About the Miscarriage eBook Women all over the world are suffering from pregnancy loss, many of which do so silently. Because miscarriage is not a popular topic and is almost taboo, most women experiencing such a loss don’t know of others who Continue Reading
3 Things NOT to Say to Someone Who is Miscarrying
You've never had a miscarriage before and you just find out that someone you know -- a friend or family member -- is miscarrying their precious unborn baby. What do you say? More importantly, what do you NOT say? When anyone experiences loss, it can be difficult to know how to handle it and how to help. We want to offer comfort and support, but sometimes -- and especially in situations where we have not been where they are -- we may do the opposite. Our intentions are good, but our words fall short. When I was miscarrying our first pregnancy, many people reached out and gave sweet words Continue Reading
Pregnancy After Miscarriage
When I wrote the post What I Didn't Know About Miscarriage Until I Had One, I talked about the fear of pregnancy. I talked about how pregnancy after miscarriage would never be the same. I was just predicting, and I wish I could say I had been wrong. But I was right. This pregnancy is very different because of my previous loss. How Pregnancy After Miscarriage is Different "No, it's my second." You wouldn't believe how many times people ask if this is your first pregnancy. To strangers, I just respond yes. I don't want them to feel awkward or uncomfortable by bringing up a sad subject. Continue Reading
A Letter to My Angel Baby
In January of this year, I began to miscarry our first child -- our angel baby. Tomorrow is what would have been my due date. I can't help but think of what this month would have been like. Preparing the nursery and making sure everything is just right. Packing a hospital bag. The fear and happiness of knowing baby is coming. Going to the hospital. Getting to hold our first child. Seeing the look on my husband's face as he realizes he is a dad. Watching family members hold our precious little one. So many would-have-beens. This is my letter to our baby in Heaven, our child who we lovingly Continue Reading
The Book that Helped Me Heal After my Miscarriage
I sat there scrolling through Pinterest after searching "miscarriage." I wanted to see all the quotes, read the stories of others', and get any tips and advice I could. I had no idea how to get through and heal from such a painful time, such a deep loss, so I was grasping for anything and everything that could help. I came across a book on Pinterest, and I ordered it. I read that book during my first weeks of having a natural miscarriage. But you know what, it didn't really help. I didn't find it all that comforting or healing. It was a decent book, but I wouldn't recommend it to a Continue Reading
Having a D&C Miscarriage
Most of you have read my miscarriage story. One of things I kept thinking through the process was, "I wish there was some kind of guide I could read so I would know what to expect." But there isn't anything like that because every woman's body and circumstance is different. Sometimes, doctors will recommend you have a surgical procedure called a D&C (dilation and curettage). Others, like my doctor, won't give you a specific recommendation. You will get the choice of whether to have a D&C or miscarry naturally. For those of you in that situation, I imagine you are wishing you could Continue Reading
Ways to Cope After Miscarriage
How can we cope after such a tragic loss? Losing a child is an indescribable loss that brings a heavy grief with it. So how can we cope? My unborn baby would be 19 weeks right now. In just a few short weeks, I would be finding out the gender. (We think of our baby as a boy because of a dream I had while pregnant.) Travis and I already had a theme and plan for a gender reveal party. There's not a day that has gone by where I haven't thought about our baby. I still miss him. In these past two months, although I have still felt pain and grief, I can feel myself learning to cope. I can feel Continue Reading
Ways to Bless a Woman Who Lost a Baby
Do you have a friend who has suffered a miscarriage or infant loss? Studies have shown that the grief one experiences after losing a wanted baby at any number of weeks is equivalent to the grief of losing a close friend or family member. So what can you do to help? How can you bless your friend during her loss? Ways to Help a Friend Who Lost a Baby Send a card. Finding a sympathy card and writing a short note inside doesn't take much work, but it does mean a ton. For me, I love receiving mail and every single card we received after my miscarriage I cherished. I kept all of them. Continue Reading
Healing Music: Songs for Miscarriage Survivors
Music can be healing for many people. Certain songs can be easily qualified as healing music. As I've been processing the loss of our baby, music has been incredibly helpful. A friend of mine even sent me a card with an iTunes gift card inside. She understands how healing music can be. I've been collecting songs for a long time now, and I've added more in the past few weeks. I wanted to share this list of healing music -- songs for miscarriage survivors, or really anyone experiencing loss or heartache. Learn How Healing Music Can Be With These Songs Check out these songs and add them Continue Reading
Ramblings of a Grieving Woman: Why I Write About Miscarriage
It's Friday. Today would have been the first day of my second trimester. The worries would have decreased. My belly would have began showing. My baby should have tiny fingernails and functioning kidneys. Instead, today is Friday. Just another day of the week. As I've been writing about this loss, I've said many times that I HAD a miscarriage. But the fact is I AM miscarrying -- present tense. The physical part of this loss isn't over as much as I wish it was. It's really hard to grieve and move forward when you are still bleeding, still passing parts of the life you long to hold. Today Continue Reading
When We Lost Our Baby … Twice
This post tells the story of my first pregnancy, as well as the first loss my husband and I have ever experienced together. I wrote this post as therapy for myself and to help others who have never experienced this type of loss to have a better understanding. I've also found that I find comfort in reading the stories of other women who have faced this awful nightmare, so perhaps this will remind someone else experiencing a miscarriage that they are not alone. Travis and I decided we wanted to start a family in September of 2014. We began trying to get pregnant in October 2014. When Continue Reading
Hurting During the Holidays
Christmas can be an incredibly happy time. It can be full of joy and love and hope. But it can also be a very difficult time. It can be full of disappointment, sadness, hurting, and loneliness. I know there are people out there who are struggling this season. For some, the holidays don't seem so happy. Two years ago, I was struggling during the holidays. I know what if feels like to have an aching heart during what is supposed to be such a joyful season. For those of you out there who are hurting right now, please know you are not alone. I've complied a list of posts from others that Continue Reading