I read this in an article today, which only strengthens our need to make stillbirth less taboo...
"Across the globe, around 3 million babies are stillborn every year—more than 8200 babies a day. There are twice as many stillbirths as deaths due to HIV/AIDS, which have rightly received so much global attention and action. By contrast, stillbirths are almost invisible, unrecognised as a global health issue."
It makes me sick that this happens so often yet (until it happened to me) I heard nothing on the subject.
Some days I want to tell every pregnant woman I see to monitor EVERYTHING those last few weeks. I don't want anyone to go through this kind of pain & sadness. I'm one of those who skipped the chapter on stillbirth - it wasn't going to happen to me, that's what happens to 'someone else'. Wrong.
Now, how to spread the word without freaking people out? Not sure what I'd have done had someone 'warned' me when I was pregnant. I might have still had the same mentality I had when I skipped those chapters in the books. But maybe not...
I completely understand. I was the same way. I skipped the section about the things that can go wrong during pregnancy and things and also never read on "preeclampsia" because I thought as well, "oh that only happens to others not me".
ReplyDeleteI even remember going on a hospital tour at 19.20 weeks and and they showed us the labor and delivery area and what not and then came the NICU. I didnt even walk down to see the nicu with the group. I was far back thinkin "oh I wont need that" why are they tellin me? Sure enough, Naomi was born at 28 weeks and needin that NICU.
And now I have so many friends that are pregnant and 3 of them just are around "15 weeks" and it kills me and bothers the heck out of me. They say "oh I made it out of the worst part the first trimester" and they are all plannin showers and oh "once we find out the gender the exciting things happen from here". Well, if only they knew, I just want to scream it all out . But yet, obv, I dont.
I want them to READ and INFORM themselves on preeclampsia becasue its what I went through and yeah I am sure they would be like me too "oh that wont happen to me". I just cant stand it, I was SO NAIVE. Yet, I would never wish the pain and loss of a baby or child on anyone. But yet, I dont want to be the one to say it.
I completely understand and it still bugs me to this day. They are just going along thinking nothing will happen because they made it out of first trimeseter. You have to really really watch yourself even up to the very end. I, as a face of loss, have came across way too many stories. That just tare me apart.
Bless you mama.
Stop the madness. I too was one that skipped chapters in pregnancy books on things that go wrong...oddly enough the one word I did read happened to me. Spread awareness and shed light on Pre-eclampsia!
ReplyDeleteHugs mama-
Felicia