Resources for Pregnancy and Infant Loss
Grieving the Loss of a Wanted Pregnancy
No matter how many weeks along a woman is in pregnancy, losing a wanted baby comes with overwhelming and complex feelings. It is normal to feel sadness and anxiety during this time. Women may also feel self-blame and uncertainty about the future. Feeling lost and alone is common. The resources below may help you through this loss.
Local Support Groups
In Manhattan, KS, the MISS Foundation Support Group welcomes those have lost a child at any age, to any cause.
Our local contact is Racheal Rasmussen. You can e-mail Racheal: racheal.rasmussen@missfoundation.org. There is a Facebook group for the Kansas chapter of the MISS Foundation. The H.E.A.R.T. Ministry offers support for miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth and infant loss from an Evangelical Christian perspective. You can contact them at heart@faithmanhattan.org. Doula Support
Birth Waves is a non-profit organization providing support to families experiencing pregnancy loss. Their website is www.birthwaves.org and number: 620-921-3132. Our local contact is KayLee Proctor. Her contact is: kaylee@birthwaves.org
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Online Resources
There are many online resources for parents who have experienced a miscarriage or stillborn baby. Check out the resource list offered by First Candle, an organization that supports parents through the grief of child loss and supports research in healthy pregnancy and infancy.
Return to Zero offers a wide range of resources for pregnancy and infant loss, from in-person retreats to their Youtube channel, there are so many useful resources to be found at this site. Refuge in Grief is a website created by Megan Devine, therapist and bereaved spouse. Her website has many helpful resources, including a 30-day writing course for the bereaved. Still Standing is an online magazine for those who have experienced pregnancy loss. Glow in the Woods features writing by "babylost" mothers and fathers. Planning a Memorial GardenOne therapeutic activity that helps grieving parents is to plan a memorial garden. Click here for tips on making a garden for a child that you've lost.
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Books
There are many books designed to help parents through miscarriage, stillbirth and loss of children infancy. Below is just a few recommendations.
Empty Arms: Coping with Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Infant Death is especially helpful to read just as you become aware of your loss as it is designed to help you through the decisions you will make surrounding those early moments of loss. Bearing the Unbearable: Love, Loss and the Heartbreaking Path of Grief It's Okay that You're Not Okay Stillbirth, Yet Still Born: Grieving and Honoring Your Precious Baby Grieving Parents: Surviving Loss as a Couple Pregnancy After a Loss: A Guide to Pregnancy After a Miscarriage, Stillbirth, or Infant Death |