Rachel came in like most women who attend the Healing Tide Retreats for pregnancy and infant loss. A little nervous. Uncertain. She didn’t know what she might experience, but was hopeful that Jesus would walk with her through the grief of eight miscarriages.
Eight.
The time came on Saturday morning for the women attending the retreat to tell their stories of love and loss. The leader felt prompted to encourage this mother to share each of her stories individually rather than collectively as one loss. Each baby was worthy of recognition. Each baby she carried in her womb and now holds in her heart deserves honor.
She began with her first miscarriage, sharing the baby’s name and experience with loss, and then followed with the next one, and then the next, and five more miscarriages after that. The participants dabbed their eyes as she spoke of each baby by name, how long she carried them, and how much she still loves and misses them. When she finished, the mothers alongside her took a collective breath because they all had experienced something painfully beautiful.
Then she made a statement that fell with weight, “I have never done that before! I’ve always told of one story – the story of miscarriages – but never individual stories of each of my children.”
A Place for Healing
Every child – born or unborn – is a life worth honoring. That’s why, at Care Net of Puget Sound, we don’t just offer free pregnancy help and unplanned pregnancy help. We also offer support to women who have lost a child to miscarriage, stillbirth or infant loss.
If you have experienced any type of pregnancy or infant loss, your loss is real, and we are here to help you grieve, remember, and honor your child. Learn more about the 1-on-1 and group support available to you by clicking here.
