What I’m about to say might scare you and to be honest, it should.
If you are pregnant or plan to be pregnant, there is a chance that your baby could be stillborn.
Why am I telling you this?
Because no one told me. Not even when I was on bedrest and doing everything I could to avoid preterm labor–no one mentioned the possibility of stillbirth. They didn’t tell me because they didn’t want to scare me. I get that. But, I really wish someone had told me.
I wish I had known that stillbirth was a possibility.
I wish I had known the risk factors that can contribute to a stillbirth. I wish I had known that sleeping on your back can contribute to stillbirth. When it comes to pregnancy, I wish I had known that there was no such thing as a “safe zone.”
I wish I had known how important it is to know your baby’s movement patterns. I wish I had known that it’s not normal for a baby’s movements to noticeably decrease OR increase.
I wish I had known that a mother is the greatest advocate for her baby’s health.
I wish I had known that it was my job to speak up. I wish I had known the power of my maternal instincts.
I wish I had known that imagining the worst case scenario is a lot better than living it. I wish I had known that 1 in 160 pregnancies in America ends in a stillbirth.
Now, I need to say something else that might scare you. Even if you know all these things, stillbirth remains a possibility for your baby.
Knowing about stillbirth and knowing about the research won’t keep your baby from being stillborn–but, it might.
Knowing about the possibility of stillbirth and listening to someone’s story of stillbirth–that might be the difference between bringing home your baby and bringing home a box of memories.
So, I know that it’s scary to think about your baby being stillborn, but, I also know how scary it is to experience a stillbirth.
I know how terrifying it is to exist in a world without your baby. I wish that no person would ever have to know that heartbreak.
For more information, education, and research about stillbirth visit Star Legacy Foundation, Still Aware, and Tommy’s.
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