Resource Round-Up 8: SIDS Calgary
There are so many amazing and compassionate resources out there for bereaved families after their losses and as they become pregnant again. In this resource round-up, I will share some of the books, retreats, organizations and other supports that I feel are doing amazing work. SIDS Calgary Society (SCS)is a non-profit volunteer organization that offers support to families whose infant or young child has died suddenly and unexpectedly. We advocate for the interests of these families, provide education to health care professionals and the public, and support research to better understand sudden infant and childhood death. SCS offers a variety of activities and supports to families affected by SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), SUDI (Sudden Unexpected Death in...
Read MoreInternational Bereaved Mother’s Day
Today is International Bereaved Mother’s Day. It is a hard day for me. I am joyful, because I have this amazing opportunity to celebrate my son Zachary, who died eight years ago, BUT I am also bulldozed by sadness. I miss him. The day he was born feels like yesterday – and also a lifetime ago. I wish he was here. I doubt I will ever stop wishing this. Over spring break a few months ago, my family visited Disneyland for a couple days. As we drove to LA, we chatted as a family about our excitement. Then I said, “I wish Zachary was with us to have this fun experience.” Then the waterworks erupted. My husband, Aaron, put a loving hand on my knee as he drove. I cried big fat tears. International Bereaved Mother’s Day is another...
Read MoreResource Round-Up 7: Return To Zero: HOPE
There are so many amazing and compassionate resources out there for bereaved families after their losses and as they become pregnant again. In this resource round-up, I will share some of the books, retreats, organizations and other supports that I feel are doing amazing work. Return to Zero: HOPE is a nonprofit organization that developed as a result of the positive impact of the film, RETURN TO ZERO. In 2014, Sean and Kiley, founders of the nonprofit, shared their personal tragedy and made this film in the belief that it would help to shatter the stigma and silence associated with stillbirth. RTZ HOPE has carried the film’s mission forward, engaging a global community of bereaved parents and their health providers to improve mental health outcomes, while also...
Read MoreResource Round-Up 5: Pregnancy After Loss Support
There are so many amazing and compassionate resources out there for bereaved families after their losses and as they become pregnant again. In this resource round-up, I will share some of the books, retreats, organizations and other supports that I feel are doing amazing work. Pregnancy After Loss Support (PALS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and community support resource for women experiencing the confusing and conflicting emotions of grief mixed with joy during the journey through pregnancy after loss. PALS seeks to help expectant mothers celebrate their current pregnancy by choosing hope over fear while still nurturing and honoring the grief over the loss of their deceased child. PALS services include an online magazine, online peer-moderated support...
Read MoreExpecting Sunshine 2nd Edition + Fun Giveaway!
My memoir, Expecting Sunshine: A Journey of Grief, Healing, and Pregnancy After Loss, will be released in its Second Edition on May 21. This book has made a wonderful difference in the lives of many families and their communities. Here is a letter from one reader: I just finished your beautiful book “Expecting Sunshine” and felt compelled to reach out and say thank you. A few days after I found out I miscarried, a few days before my D&C, I went to Barnes & Noble in hopes of finding a guidebook or self-help book of how to heal and cope with miscarriage or loss of a child. I searched every feasible location: self-help, psychology, family planning, childcare. With tears in my eyes I was too embarrassed to ask anyone at the counter for help. There I was...
Read MoreResource Round-Up 4: Loving Your Baby Book
There are so many amazing and compassionate resources out there for bereaved families after their losses and as they become pregnant again. In this resource round-up, I will share some of the books, retreats, organizations and other supports that I feel are doing amazing work. Loving Your Baby: A Gentle and Practical Guide to Parenting Through Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Infant Death, 2nd Edition (Sajola Press), by Shari Morash The heartache of miscarriage, stillbirth and infant death touches thousands of families each year. Designed to help parents and professionals navigate the first moments surrounding a baby’s death, Loving Your Baby… authenticates the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of parents and their baby when death tragically comes at the...
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