There’s an elephant in the room, and it is more than the fact that stillbirth exists.
When I was pregnant with Adrian, I did ALL the reading. I took ALL the classes. I signed up for concurrent care. I was I should have been the most informed pregnant parent out there.
Related: Miranda’s Story: Planning, Conception, & Pregnancy
And yet, I still had no idea that babies could realistically die.
In the years since Adrian’s death, I have learned so much more about stillbirth. I have also learned more about good prenatal care, and the aspects that are commonly missing. One of the biggest aspects is education.
And it’s not that the information isn’t available. There is a multitude of available research not only on stillbirth, but also on other common occurrences in pregnancy.
It’s more that the information isn’t out there in the right places. It’s more that providers hold things back, perhaps as a well-intended but still misguided means of protection.
Because who wants to think about the fact that their very much loved and wanted child could die? Especially when it “only” happens in one 1 out of 160 pregnancies.
Well, I would have liked to know, for one.
And so, while I have been speaking more about informed pregnancy over the past year here, I am realizing this subject is so much more involved than I can address in simple memes. It’s also something that really deserves its own audience. And it’s time to give it one.
At the end of next month, on Adrian’s 4th birthday, I am launching a full website for Plain Talk Pregnancy.
I’m not a doctor or a prenatal educator and I’m not going to act like one. I am going to provide summaries and links to information shared by reputable prenatal care organizations. These are all things I constantly wish someone had thought to tell me.
Pregnancy is a complex time, and I will never dictate your choices. I will provide the information that was not provided to me, including risks and benefits on all sides.
Because there’s an elephant in the exam room. And it’s time we all started talking about it.
Visit Plain Talk Pregnancy here: https://plaintalkpregnancy.com/.
