Thirty Posts in Thirty Days

Today, I am joining Angie from Still Life With Circles in her effort to post thirty posts in thirty days to recognize this month of October as Pregnancy Loss and Awareness Month. To read more about how she came about this, please check out her blog.

First, here are just a few facts about stillbirth:

•A stillborn child is one who dies in utero at 20 weeks or more, many times at full term.
•Babies are stillborn for many reasons, including maternal infection, placenta complications, umbilical cord problems, and anencephaly.

•Worldwide there are 4 million stillbirths every year.

•In the U.S there are 26,000 stillbirths annually — 71 per day.

•One in 200 wanted American pregnancies ends in stillbirth.

•Eleven of the 50 states give stillbirth parents the option of ordering a stillbirth certificate to acknowledge their child’s life, in addition to a fetal death certificate. A grass-roots movement is working to urge passage of such “missing angels bills” in all 50 states.
 
I remember after Alexandra died, all I wanted to know were facts and statistics about how often this happened and why. I needed answers and it still shocks me to see all of the statistics just written out like that. 4 million stillbirths worldwide? 71 stillbirths a DAY?! I think that is one that shocks me the most. So, out of all the babies born every day in the U.S., 71 do not go home. 71 sets of bereaved parents leave the hospital with empty arms. 71 babies that were wanted and waited for so long never even got a chance to take a breath. 71 families that are affected by this. And yet, we hardly hear anything about it...until it actually happens to you or someone you love. Then that is when you hear it happened to your friend's teacher, it happened to your dentist, it happened to your co-worker... to someone you went to high school with...
 
I have done so many things since losing Alexandra to remember her and recognize pregnancy/infant loss in these last few months. Now, I might not be able to make this awareness national news or start huge movements about this cause, but I can participate in many of them and show my support. One of the ways is this blog and getting back to how this whole post started, here is the list Angie came up with and I am going to follow it too. Want to join me? Go ahead! :)
 
Day 1 - a song that reminds you of your child, or one that you can't listen to anymore and why.

Day 2 - a movie that helped you get through the hard times, or one that jumps out at you after your loss.

Day 3 - a television program that helped you either get through hard times or that moves you.

Day 4 - your favorite book. has it changed since your loss?

Day 5 - your favorite quote.

Day 6 - twenty things that calm you.

Day 7 - a photo that makes you happy.

Day 8 - a photo that makes you angry/sad.

Day 9 - a photo you took since your loss.

Day 10 - a photo taken over 10 years ago of you and how it makes you feel seeing it now.

Day 11 - a photo of you recently and how it makes you feel seeing it now.

Day 12 - something you are OCD about.

Day 13 - a fictional book that is meaningful to you since your loss.

Day 14 - a non-fictional book that is meaningful to you since your loss.

Day 15 - what you like about your house.

Day 16 - a song that makes you cry (or nearly).

Day 17 - an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc) that moves you.

Day 18 - my wedding/future wedding/past wedding.

Day 19 - a talent of yours.

Day 20 - a hobby of yours and how it changed since your loss.

Day 21 - a recipe.

Day 22 - a website that has been meaningful since your loss.

Day 23 - a youtube video that makes you laugh.

Day 24 - where you live

Day 25 - your day, in great detail

Day 26 - your week, in great detail

Day 27 - your worst habit since your child's death.

Day 28 - what's in your handbag/purse

Day 29 - hopes, dreams, and plans for the next 365 days

Day 30 - a dream for the future