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

Latest Episodes:

Ep154 - From Miscarriage to Maternal Health Advocate with Kia Livingston Jun 17, 2020

Show notes

From miscarriage to maternal health advocate and becoming a doula. Today's guest shares how she suffered from depression and anxiety after having a miscarriage at 14 weeks.

Kia Livingston had to lean on God and her support system to get out of a very dark place after suffering a miscarriage at 14 weeks. She turned her pain into purpose and became a doula and maternal health advocate. In this episode she takes us back on her journey to motherhood, how she overcame depression after her loss, and how her work as a doula is helping her advocate for black maternal health.

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Ep153 - Life After Infant Loss and Trading Beauty for Ashes with Dadriaunna Hayes Jun 10, 2020

Show notes

What does life after infant loss and birth trauma look like? Today's guest shares in this episode what life after miscarriage and trading beauty for ashes means and more.

Dadriaunna Hayes lost her son at 24 weeks gestation due to cervical incompetence and experienced birth trauma. She went into pre-term labor and the hospital she was at did not have a NICU or Labor and Delivery center so she had to be transferred. Once transferred she endured a cerclage, 2 epidurals in 48 hours, allergic reaction to the labor medications, and ultimately birthed her baby boy who died shortly after entering into the world.

In this episode, Dadriaunna takes us back on her journey to motherhood, she shares how she almost lost her life and how her husband advocated for her, and how she created a digital space for millennial moms of color to trade beauty for ashes with God.

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Ep152 - Beyond Celiac and Living Gluten Free with Royale Walters Jun 03, 2020

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Six Miscarriages later today's guest was determined to find out what was the cause. Royale Walters tenacity and resilience led her to discover that she had celiac's auto immune disease a condition which gives you a gluten intolerance and it led to her miscarriages.

In today's episode, she shares how the gluten was attacking her body while she was pregnant, how she changed her diet and saw immediate results, and how food has changed her way she approaches fertility. This episode is for you to listen to if you have had recurrent miscarriages and are interested in how food like gluten play a role in your fertility.

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Ep151 - How to become a certified doula? So you want to be a doula? May 27, 2020

Show notes

So you want to be a doula? What does a doula do? How can I become one? How much does it cost? If you want answers to these questions and more this episode is for you. I'm excited to launch our 2nd Cohort of the Sisters in Loss Birth and Bereavement Doula training and certification program. This doula certification program will run for 6 weeks beginning on Sunday, June 7, 2020 at 8pm EST. For more information on how to register go to sistersinloss.com/doulatraining.

In today's episode I share what a doula is, the different types of doulas, doula certification programs that support black mamas and birthing persons, and the costs to become certified. This episode is for you to listen to if you have wanted to become a doula and are not sure where to start. Stay tuned until the end for a special discount code just for the Sisters in Loss listeners who want to become a Sisters in Loss doula.

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Ep150 - May is Preeclampsia Awareness Month with Eleni Tsigas May 20, 2020

Show notes

Did you know that Preeclampsia is a leading cause of Maternal Mortality and prematurity?

Did you know that black birthing persons are 3x more likely to die from Preeclampsia?

Today's episode is a special one because its our 150th episode! Can you believe it? We made it to 150! In honor of our 150th episode I had the pleasure of interviewing the CEO of the Preeclampsia Foundation Eleni Tsigas. A little background on Eleni, is the CEO of the Preeclampsia Foundation and member of the Board of Directors for Preeclampsia Foundation Canada. As a preeclampsia survivor herself, Eleni is a relentless champion for the improvement of patient and provider education and practices, for the catalytic role that patients can have to advance the science and status of maternal-infant health, and for the progress that can be realized by building global partnerships to improve patient outcomes. In this episode Eleni shares her personal preeclampsia story, how we can support May which is Preeclampsia awareness month, and why taking your blood pressure at is critical for pregnant ladies/birthing persons in this COVID-19 climate. We also share how we met, connected and how Sisters in Loss has partnered with Preeclampsia Foundation on maternal mortality and racial disparities. This episode is for you to listen to if you have experienced preeclampsia, want to know how to partner with the preeclampsia foundation, and why blood pressures are critical during pregnancy.

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Ep149 - Grieving Loss of Twin A from PPROM when Twin B is Fighting for her life with Trae Francois May 13, 2020

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Imagine losing your sister to cancer and grieving her death you find out your are pregnant with twins. Today's guest experienced just that in October 2019 when she found out she was carrying twin girls. During Trae Francois 20 week ultrasound she found out her cervix had shorten and doctors did not recommend a cerclage due to her high risk twin pregnancy. She began taking progesterone to strengthen her cervix and to stop it from continue to shorten. It was on January 20, 2020 when her water broke at 23 weeks that doctors had to make tough decisions on baby A whose sac was ruptured due to PPROM. Baby girls Ava and Ari were born on January 22, 2020 and on January 25, 2020 baby Ari went to be with God in heaven. Ava continues to fight for her life in the NICU and is on track to come home in May 2020. In this episode Trae takes us back on her journey, her NICU stay in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic, and how she is grieving the loss of Ari while being strong for Ava. This episode is for you to listen to if you have experienced a twin loss and for understanding of what a NICU stay looks like in this pandemic.

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Ep148 - Mother's Day Wish for my Sisters in Loss! May 06, 2020

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This past Sunday we celebrated International Bereaved Mother's Day and shown our love for our babies gone to heaven far too soon. This upcoming Sunday in the US we celebrate Mother's Day. Mother's Day can be very challenging, difficult emotionally, and with social distancing and quarantine can and will be very lonely for many Sisters in Loss. Today's podcast episode is my love letter to you letting you know that You are a Mother! All of the needle pokes, disappointing news, positive and negative pregnancy tests, exciting feelings of baby movement, to holding your baby in your arms after they have taken their last breath made you a mother. Don't let anyone make you feel different on Mother's Day. On Sunday, do what you need to do. Watch church online, make you a bomb brunch with mimosas, cry hard, stay home, and Facetime or Houseparty with family and friends will make the day better. Do it all. Sunday is your Mother's Day. You are amazing! You are brave! You are beautiful! You are loved! You are blessed! You are a Mom. Wishing you Happy Mother's Day Sister in Loss! All my Love, ~Erica

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Ep147 - Ish Happens and How to Bounce Back from Ectopic Pregnancy with Brytani Bradley Apr 29, 2020

Show notes

Imagine being 23 and infertile. That is what today's guest was faced with when she realized she was having a ectopic pregnancy. Brytani Bradley woke up on her 8th week of pregnancy excited to see her baby only to find out the baby was not in her uterus and she had to be rushed into surgery due to her internal bleeding. She woke up shocked and confused because her baby was gone and so was her fallopian tube. In this episode Brytani takes us back on her journey to getting pregnant and the day she heard those words you are "23 and Infertile." This episode is for you to listen to if you have experienced an ectopic pregnancy or traumatic miscarriage experience.

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Ep146 - Strength after Loss due to Placenta Abruption and Incompetent Cervix with Leone Madzinga Apr 22, 2020

Show notes

Have you heard of the term placenta abruption? 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.

Today's guest has experienced a early miscarriage, a incompetent cervix baby boy loss at 16 weeks and a baby boy loss due placenta abruption at 26 weeks. Leone Madzinga hails from the continent from Zimbabwe and she shares in this episode her strength after several losses. She experienced an early miscarriage, incompetent cervix, cerclage for her next pregnancy and loss of that pregnancy due to placenta abruption. Leone shares in this episode how she uses her strength to continue to endure. This episode is for you to listen to if you have experienced incompetent cervix, placenta abruption, or want to know what loss is like in Zimbabwe.

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Ep145 - Hypothyroidism, Infertility Diagnosis, and 24 week Preemie with Monique Farook Apr 15, 2020

Show notes

Imagine being told you are unable to have children. Imagine finding out your tubes were blocked. Today's guest, Monique Farook, podcast host of Infertility and Me @infertilityandme, shares her infertility journey through IUI, IVF, being diagnosed with hypothyroidism and uterine polyps. Monique shares in this episode how she endured failed IUI and IVF cycles, and her journey to her premature delivery of her baby boy a 24 weeks. She shares her NICU experience and her inspiration for starting the Infertility and Me Podcast. This podcast episode is for you to listen to if you have gone through IVF, IUI, or experienced a premature birth with NICU stay. I have also partnered with Infertility and Me podcast for this episode. Please go and rate, review, and subscribe to this show.

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