Sisters in Loss Podcast: Miscarriage, Pregnancy Loss, &amp; Infertility Stories

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Ep173 - High Risk Pregnancy and Miscarriage with Kayanna Mooreland-Law Oct 28, 2020

Show notes

This is the last week of Pregnancy, Infant and Child Loss Awareness Month. All month long we will honor our babies gone to heaven far too soon. This month is special because you get to hear from our Sisters in Loss Birth, Bereavement and Postpartum Doulas! Yes, you get to hear the ladies share their testimonies and stories to motherhood and why they became Sisters in Loss doulas and how they liked the course.

Imagine experiencing two losses in less than two years?

Today's guest experienced two miscarriages within 18 months. Kayanna Mooreland-Law experienced a miscarriage at 11 weeks and birthed at home in the restroom. She went onto experience another threatened miscarriage at 6 weeks and labored also with the pregnancy and miscarried at home.

In this episode Kayanna shares how she is surviving pregnancy loss and being in a high risk pregnancy, and how she made the decision to become a Sisters in Loss Birth and Bereavement Doula.

This episode is for you to listen to if you have ever experienced multiple miscarriages and delivered at home, and want to know how to turn your pain into purpose by enrolling in the Sisters in Loss Birth and Bereavement Doula course. www.sistersinloss.com/doulatraining

Become a Sisters in Loss Birth and Bereavement Doula Here Living Water Doula Services Book Recommendations and Links Below

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Ep172 - Thyroidectomy, Infertility, and Miscarriage with Shanicka Vail House Oct 21, 2020

Show notes

October is Pregnancy, Infant and Child Loss Awareness Month. All month long we will honor our babies gone to heaven far too soon. This month is special because you get to hear from our Sisters in Loss Birth, Bereavement and Postpartum Doulas! Yes, you get to hear the ladies share their testimonies and stories to motherhood and why they became Sisters in Loss doulas and how they liked the course.

Have you heard of the term Goiter?

A goiter (GOI-tur) is an abnormal enlargement of your thyroid gland. Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of your neck just below your Adam's apple. Although goiters are usually painless, a large goiter can cause a cough and make it difficult for you to swallow or breathe.

Today's guest thought she was showing signs of early menopause and doctors found a goiter on her thyroid and questioned her fertility. Shanicka Vail House stepped out on faith and created onesies as a confession of her faith that God will bless her womb. She had one girl then two years later was blessed with another girl. Then as the world began to shut down she experienced a miscarriage at home with extreme blood loss resulting in a blood transfusion.

In this episode, Shanicka takes us back on her personal thyroid journey, miscarrying at home that resulted in a blood transfusion, and how she is surviving pregnancy loss with her faith in God and becoming a Sisters in Loss Birth & Bereavement Doula.

This episode is for you to listen to if you have ever experienced a miscarriage and delivered at home, and want to know how to turn your pain into purpose by enrolling in the Sisters in Loss Birth and Bereavement Doula course. www.sistersinloss.com/doulatraining

Become a Sisters in Loss Birth and Bereavement Doula Here Living Water Doula Services Book Recommendations and Links Below

You can shop my Amazon Store for the Book Recommendations

You can follow Sisters in Loss on Social

You can follow Erica on Social

Ep171 - Intrauterine Growth Restriction and Infant Loss with Laura Gooch Brown Oct 14, 2020

Show notes

Have you heard of the term Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR)?

Intrauterine Growth Restriction is a condition in which a baby doesn't grow to normal weight during pregnancy.

Causes of intrauterine growth restriction vary but include placenta abnormalities, high blood pressure in the mother, infections, and smoking or alcohol abuse.

With this condition, a baby is born weighing less than 90 percent of other babies at the same gestational age.

Today's guest experienced two early miscarriages, and determined to become a mother lost over 130 pounds in hopes of reducing any barriers to having a healthy baby. Laura Gooch Brown was able to conceive a baby boy Jaden and during the last trimester they were diagnosed with Intrauterine Growth Restriction and Jaden would not survive. In this episode she recalls her specialists visits for different opinions and received the same prognosis. During a scheduled amniocentesis she learned that Jaden's heart had stopped and she had to deliver him the following day. Laura shares in this episode what it was like during her two year wait to conceive her rainbow baby boy Jordan, her pregnancy and delivery with him, and how she is giving back to her community by becoming a Sisters in Loss Birth and Bereavement Doula.

Become a Sisters in Loss Birth and Bereavement Doula Here Living Water Doula Services Book Recommendations and Links Below

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Ep170 - Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Ectopic Pregnancy Loss, and Secondary Infertility with Anesha Stanley Oct 07, 2020

Show notes

Have you heard of recurrent pregnancy loss?

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss is defined by two or more failed pregnancies and is considered distinct from infertility. When the cause is unknown, each pregnancy loss merits careful review to determine whether specific evaluation may be appropriate, and after two or more losses, a thorough evaluation is warranted.

Today's guest experienced 5 miscarriages after having her baby girl, one being an ectopic pregnancy where she lost her fallopian tube, and then was diagnosed with secondary infertility. Anesha Stanley's first pregnancy ended with a miscarriage in 2014. Three months later she found out she was pregnant with her rainbow baby girl, Sinai. She waited two years before trying to conceive again. In 2017 we began experiencing recurrent pregnancy losses. Miscarriage #2 on January 14, 2017. An ectopic pregnancy #3, November 1, 2017 was treated with methotrexate. Anesha went onto experience two more losses and was diagnosed with secondary infertility and tubal failure.

In this episode, Anesha takes us back to what it was like experiencing the highs of finding out she was pregnant and the lows and pain of miscarriage. She shares how she felt after being diagnosed with secondary infertility and tubal failure, and how and why she started her non profit Keys of Hope Foundation and became a Sisters in Loss Birth & Bereavement Doula.

Become a Sisters in Loss Birth and Bereavement Doula Here Living Water Doula Services Book Recommendations and Links Below

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Ep169 - Preeclampsia, HELLP Syndrome, and Twin to Twin transfusion losses with Ebony Ford Sep 30, 2020

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Have you heard of twin to twin transfusion syndrome?

Twin to twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a condition that occurs only in monochorionic pregnancies — ones in which two or more genetically identical babies (usually twins) share the same placenta. Although all identical twins share a placenta, TTTS develops in about 10 to 15 percent of those pregnancies.

Today's guest experienced a stillbirth at 32 weeks, an early miscarriage, and a 22 week pregnancy ending in twin to twin transfusion. Ebony Ford has a story to tell after moving forward with her adoption journey she found out she was pregnant with her rainbow baby girl. That pregnancy was uneventful until 26 weeks where she came back from vacation and discovered she was in complete kidney and liver failure due to preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. Her micropreemie Reign Victoria was born at 26 weeks weighing 1lb 15oz and spent time in the NICU while Ebony was fighting for her life through dialysis, intubation, ventilation and more.

In this episode Ebony shares her journey through stillbirth, miscarriage, and losing twins due to twin to twin transfusion. She also shares the day she almost lost her life and her 3 month NICU journey with Reign Victoria. Now Ebony has turned her pain into purpose by advocating for prematurity, traumatic birth, medically fragile children and maternal health.

This episode is for you to listen to if you want to know how it is to raise a micro preemie and medically fragile child. You should listen to this episode if you experienced a stillbirth, miscarriage, twin loss, or preeclampisa and HELLP syndrome.

Listen to this episode here: sistersinloss.com/ep169

Ep168 - NICU Graduate and Navigating the Medical System with Ease with Tanisha Burke Wormley Sep 23, 2020

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Can you imagine getting a diagnosis that you baby is not expected to live due to their rare birth defect?

Today's guest experienced a miscarriage at 8 weeks and then went on to conceive her rainbow baby. At her 20 week ultrasound she received the news no parent doesn't want to hear that her son Jaleel had a rare birth defect called Lower Urinary Tract Obstruction. LUTO is life-threatening as it damages the unborn baby's kidneys, bladder, and causes underdeveloped lungs due to low or no amniotic fluid because of blockage in the urinary tract. Tanisha Burke Wormley persevered with her pregnancy after being told her son Jaleel could be stillborn due to his underdeveloped lungs and kidney damage. But God! God saw fit for Jaleel to not only survive delivery, but also a 157 day NICU stay, 2 ER re-admissions, and 11 surgeries.

In this episode Tanisha and I share experiences of having rainbow babies with complex medical needs, how she is managing life pregnant with her rainbow baby girl and a toddler with Stage 5 Chronic Kidney Disease.

Become a Sisters in Loss Birth and Bereavement Doula Here Living Water Doula Services Book Recommendations and Links Below

You can shop my Amazon Store for the Book Recommendations

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This episode is for you to listen to if you are a mother with a child with complex medical needs and wanting to grow your family. This episode is for you to listen to if you have had a miscarriage and/or a NICU experience.

Ep167 - Congenital Heart Defect Child Loss and Overcoming Depression with Keivon Hardy Sep 16, 2020

Show notes

Have you heard of congenital heart defects?

A Congenital Heart defect is an abnormality in the heart that develops before birth. Congenital heart defect is one of the most common types of birth defects. Symptoms include abnormal heart rhythms, blue-tinted skin, shortness of breath, failure to feed or develop normally, and swollen body tissue or organs. Treatments include medications to lower blood pressure and control heart rate, heart devices, catheter procedures, and surgery. Serious cases may require a heart transplant.

Today's guest experienced an infant loss due to congenital heart defect and had a miscarriage. Keivon Hardy is a childless mother who managed life with prenatal and postpartum depression, anxiety, and isolation after her infant loss and miscarriage. When she was 20 weeks pregnant with her son she found out via a routine ultrasound that he had a congenital heart defect. Because his case was unique the doctors weren't able to determine exactly what his defect was until birth. After birth, it was determined that his blood vessels were too small to be operated on and he would need to grow before they could operate. He lived to be one month old and never came home from the NICU. Keivon went on to conceive again only to be faced with another loss a miscarriage while on birth control.

In today's episode, Keivon takes us back to when she found out her son had a congenital heart defect, how she dealt with prenatal and postnatal depression, and losing her son and then having a miscarriage while on birth control.

This episode is for you to listen to if you have experienced a infant loss due to congenital heart defect or a miscarriage while on birth control.

Become a Sisters in Loss Birth and Bereavement Doula Here Living Water Doula Services Book Recommendations and Links Below

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Ep166 - Placenta Abruption and Loss not being in Vain with Vanessa Robinson Sep 09, 2020

Show notes

Do you know what a placenta abruption is?

Placental abruption occurs when the placenta detaches from the inner wall of the womb before delivery. The condition can deprive the baby of oxygen and nutrients. Symptoms include vaginal bleeding, belly pain, and back pain in the last 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Depending on the degree of placental separation and how close the baby is to full-term, treatment may include bed rest or a cesarean section. According to the American Pregnancy Association (APA), if severe abruption occurs, 15% ends in fetal death. Infants who survive have a 40-50% chance of developing long-term health complications.

Today's guest had a placenta abruption at 36 weeks gestation due to preeclampsia. Vanessa Robinson experienced severe bleeding losing 4 liters of blood and needed blood transfusions to survive. Her son died 4 minutes into being rushed to the hospital from severe bleeding. In this episode Vanessa takes us back to the moment she knew something was wrong, how she grieved her loss while fighting for her life, and how depression post loss lead her to research and start her own nonprofit to bring awareness, support, and education about the racial disparities against women color in the medical field.

Become a Sisters in Loss Birth and Bereavement Doula Here Living Water Doula Services Book Recommendations and Links Below

You can shop my Amazon Store for the Book Recommendations

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Sisters in Loss Instagram Sisters in Loss Facebook Sisters in Loss Twitter

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Ep165 - Why Doulas are Essential to Pregnancy Loss with Sonia Killebrew Sep 02, 2020

Show notes

Have you heard of the term blighted ovum or chemical pregnancy? A blighted ovum occurs when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus but doesn't develop into an embryo. It is also referred to as an an embryonic (no embryo) pregnancy and is a leading cause of early pregnancy failure or miscarriage. Often it occurs so early that you don't even know you are pregnant.

Today's guest experienced a chemical pregnancy and an early miscarriage around 11 weeks. Sonia Killebrew @soniajkillebrew leaned on her skills as a doula and holistic health coach to walk her through her losses. Each loss held its own grief as she walked together with her husband, but her second pregnancy loss was grieved at a distance due to her military husband being deployed. Sonia had to learn how to communicate her needs, and she self healed holistically through herbal treatments that helped her process the loss mindfully.

In this episode, Sonia takes us back on her journey to motherhood and shares what it was like to birth two angels in the first trimester. She shares how her training as a doula and student midwife has called her deeper into women's wellness especially every phase of birth, and how Doulas are needed and essential especially in pregnancy loss.

This episode is for you to listen to if you have ever experienced a blighted ovum or chemical pregnancy. This episode is for you to listen to to understand how a doula is essential in all stages of pregnancy and loss.

Become a Sisters in Loss Birth and Bereavement Doula Here Living Water Doula Services Book Recommendations and Links Below

You can shop my Amazon Store for the Book Recommendations

You can follow Sisters in Loss on Social