As Long As I'm Living

Judith and Alina are joined by Elizabeth Minton, a researcher and professor at the University of Wyoming whom they met last summer as participants in her most recent study.

In this episode, we chat about the horrors of marketing after you've lost a baby. Those incessant Similac mailers, the targeted ads for the baby bouncer you googled that one time, the happy families in every commercial on TV. Is there anything companies can do to make this easier on bereaved parents? And if there is, is it in their best interest to do so, even if it costs more? Listen to find out Elizabeth's thoughts.

Elizabeth studies pro-social marketing, religion and consumer behavior, and priming and cuing theory. She is also Solomon's mom -- her sweet baby boy died in January 2021 at 3 weeks old.

A couple of companies seem to be doing things differently this year... OpenTable and Etsy are offering opt-outs of Mother's Day promotional marketing! A step in the right direction. More on this here.

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Things we talk about in this episode:

- Elizabeth's faculty page

- Elizabeth's research

- Mothers with Empty Arms: Marketing, Stigma, and Bereaved Mothers (extended abstract) (We will link the full paper once it's published!)

The following organizations are funding Elizabeth's current research:

- The Star Legacy Foundation

- The Transformative Consumer Research Organization

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Follow As Long As I'm Living on Instagram at @aslongasimlivingpodcast, send us an email at [email protected], or visit us at anchor.fm/aslongasimliving! We would love to hear from you!

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As Long As I'm Living is a podcast about life, love, and laughter after infant loss. Judith and Alina are rebuilding Happier Ever After one day at a time despite excruciating grief and trauma and offering support to grievers of all flavors, but especially those who have lost a baby to SIDS, infant death, birth accidents, stillbirth, TFMR, ectopic pregnancy, or miscarriage.

Judith gave birth to an alive baby last week, and we are not shocked to realize that everything isn't magically better. She is feeling all of the joy and love for her new baby daughter, and all of the grief and loss and love for her son. Alina also talks about how she feels watching Judith hold an alive baby. 

We use something called The Feelings Wheel, by Gloria Willcox, to drill down into the various things we are feeling right now. Link below and on Instagram!

This episode could be triggering for some; we understand if you need to skip it. 

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Things we talk about in this episode:

The Feelings Wheel

Baby Girl's Instagram announcement (with photos!)

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Follow As Long As I'm Living on Instagram at @aslongasimlivingpodcast, send us an email at [email protected], or visit us at anchor.fm/aslongasimliving! We would love to hear from you!

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As Long As I'm Living is a podcast about life, love, and laughter after infant loss. Judith and Alina are rebuilding Happier Ever After one day at a time despite excruciating grief and trauma and offering support to grievers of all flavors, but especially those who have lost a baby to SIDS, infant death, birth accidents, stillbirth, TFMR, ectopic pregnancy, or miscarriage.

Alternate title: An Atheist and a Jew Walk Into a Cemetery!

Alina and Judith discuss how their faith, or lack thereof, has changed since Quinn and Aiden died last year. This topic has been on our list for a while, and we had so much to say about it! We hope you enjoy this extra-long episode.

Confused about any of the Hebrew words we tossed around? Got you covered. Click here!

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Things we talk about in this episode:

Loss in the Time of Corona - As Long As I'm Living

The Audacity of Hope - As Long As I'm Living

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Follow As Long As I'm Living on Instagram at @aslongasimlivingpodcast, send us an email at [email protected], or visit us at anchor.fm/aslongasimliving! We would love to hear from you!

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As Long As I'm Living is a podcast about life, love, and laughter after infant loss. Judith and Alina are rebuilding Happier Ever After one day at a time despite excruciating grief and trauma and offering support to grievers of all flavors, but especially those who have lost a baby to SIDS, infant death, birth accidents, stillbirth, TFMR, ectopic pregnancy, or miscarriage.

Listen to 20 minutes of Alina and Judith chatting about the past few weeks -- full of grief attacks, excitement, anxiety, joy -- while Judith has contractions. Is the baby coming TODAY?

Spoiler: she was born, and she's alive!

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Things we talk about in this episode:

Empty Arms Syrup Stampede 5k

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Follow As Long As I'm Living on Instagram at @aslongasimlivingpodcast, send us an email at [email protected], or visit us at anchor.fm/aslongasimliving! We would love to hear from you!

:::

As Long As I'm Living is a podcast about life, love, and laughter after infant loss. Judith and Alina are rebuilding Happier Ever After one day at a time despite excruciating grief and trauma and offering support to grievers of all flavors, but especially those who have lost a baby to SIDS, infant death, birth accidents, stillbirth, TFMR, ectopic pregnancy, or miscarriage.

Alina and Judith sit down to have a chat about how Judith's new baby will change their relationship, because ready or not, she's coming soon.

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Follow As Long As I'm Living on Instagram at @aslongasimlivingpodcast, send us an email at [email protected], or visit us at anchor.fm/aslongasimliving! We would love to hear from you!

:::

As Long As I'm Living is a podcast about life, love, and laughter after infant loss. Judith and Alina are rebuilding Happier Ever After one day at a time despite excruciating grief and trauma and offering support to grievers of all flavors, but especially those who have lost a baby to SIDS, infant death, birth accidents, stillbirth, TFMR, ectopic pregnancy, or miscarriage.

In this week's episode, Judith and Alina continue their interview with Dr. Goldstein of the Roberts Program and learn all about his research in parental bereavement. They also ask him listener questions.

Dr. Richard Goldstein is a pediatric palliative care pediatrician who devotes his career to helping families who must deal with the sudden unexpected death of their child. He has worked in general pediatrics, palliative care, bereavement support, and advocacy for families affected by sudden unexplained death. He brings his experience and clinical expertise to the families involved in Robert’s Program, while leading efforts in research and improvements in the field - Dr. Goldstein's role is the Program Director of Robert’s Program and he serves as the direct interface to families.

Listen to our first episode with Dr. Goldstein here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4MIsfsn6nAr0Ie5Ig35siq?si=oEUpX7eEReKCX9eB0w96ZQ&utm_source=copy-link

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Transitional Objects of Grief

The Grief of Mothers After the Sudden Unexpected Death of Their Infants

The Roberts Program at Boston Children's Hospital

Dr. Richard Goldstein and his work

Infant health monitors (not linking, please do your own research): Owlet, Snuza

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Follow As Long As I'm Living on Instagram at @aslongasimlivingpodcast, send us an email at [email protected], or visit us at anchor.fm/aslongasimliving! We would love to hear from you!

:::

As Long As I'm Living is a podcast about life, love, and laughter after infant loss. Judith and Alina are rebuilding Happier Ever After one day at a time despite excruciating grief and trauma and offering support to grievers of all flavors, but especially those who have lost a baby to SIDS, infant death, birth accidents, stillbirth, TFMR, ectopic pregnancy, or miscarriage.

In this interview, Judith and Alina talk with their sons' doctor, Dr. Goldstein of the Roberts Program for Unexpected Death in Pediatrics at Boston Children's Hospital, to learn more about SIDS.

This episode feels very important to us. Some of you following have been touched by SIDS in your life, others have not, but regardless, this episode is for everyone who has or will ever love a baby. Please listen.

Dr. Richard Goldstein is a pediatric palliative care pediatrician who devotes his career to helping families who must deal with the sudden unexpected death of their child. He has worked in general pediatrics, palliative care, bereavement support, and advocacy for families affected by sudden unexplained death. He brings his experience and clinical expertise to the families involved in Robert’s Program, while leading efforts in research and improvements in the field - Dr. Goldstein's role is the Program Director of Robert’s Program and he serves as the direct interface to families.

Listen to oursecond episode with Dr. Goldstein here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0oHLQdyxztxLo2Hk2I2bal?si=RRDLgt8MSIqKvxtWoEk4kw&utm_source=copy-link

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Things we talk about in this episode:

The Roberts Program at Boston Children's Hospital

Dr. Richard Goldstein and his work

Dr. Joel Bass and their work on SIDS

Dr. Nino Ramirez and their work on postnatal collapse

Dr. Robin Haynes and their work on the link between serotonin and SIDS

SIDS: Recommendations for a Safe Sleep Environment

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Follow As Long As I'm Living on Instagram at @aslongasimlivingpodcast, send us an email at [email protected], or visit us at anchor.fm/aslongasimliving! We would love to hear from you!

:::

As Long As I'm Living is a podcast about life, love, and laughter after infant loss. Judith and Alina are rebuilding Happier Ever After one day at a time despite excruciating grief and trauma and offering support to grievers of all flavors, but especially those who have lost a baby to SIDS, infant death, birth accidents, stillbirth, TFMR, ectopic pregnancy, or miscarriage.

In this episode, Alina and Judith recognize the two-year anniversary COVID-19 hitting the US in March of 2020 by talking about the realities -- good and bad -- of loss in lockdown.

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Things we talk about in this episode:

Empty Arms, an Interview with Carol McMurrich

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Follow As Long As I'm Living on Instagram at @aslongasimlivingpodcast, send us an email at [email protected], or visit us at anchor.fm/aslongasimliving! We would love to hear from you!

:::

As Long As I'm Living is a podcast about life, love, and laughter after infant loss. Judith and Alina are rebuilding Happier Ever After one day at a time despite excruciating grief and trauma and offering support to grievers of all flavors, but especially those who have lost a baby to SIDS, infant death, birth accidents, stillbirth, TFMR, ectopic pregnancy, or miscarriage.

Why does Judith move so much? How did you pick your babies' names? What's the best and worst thing about having a podcast? How can I find a grief partner or community?

We answer these questions and more... taken from a question box on our Instagram story. Do you have a question we didn't answer? Send us a message!

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Things we talk about in this episode:

Our Instagram! Follow us please!

The Robert's Program for Unexplained Infant Death

Alina's interview on The Silent Why

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Follow As Long As I'm Living on Instagram at @aslongasimlivingpodcast, send us an email at [email protected], or visit us at anchor.fm/aslongasimliving! We would love to hear from you.

:::

As Long As I'm Living is a podcast about life, love, and laughter after infant loss. Judith and Alina are rebuilding Happier Ever After one day at a time despite excruciating grief and trauma and offering support to grievers of all flavors, but especially those who have lost a baby to SIDS, infant death, birth accidents, stillbirth, TFMR, ectopic pregnancy, or miscarriage.

Alina and Judith each had 29 years of "normalcy" before their sons died, so at just one year in, they are baby grievers in the grand scheme of things. In this episode, Judith talks about Aiden's approaching death anniversary, and they give themselves a round of applause for surviving a whole year.

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Things we talk about in this episode:

Rainbow Rings model of grief

Baby Grievers instagram post, @aslongasimlivingpodcast

Wonder Woman, As Long As I'm Living

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Follow As Long As I'm Living on Instagram at @aslongasimlivingpodcast, send us an email at [email protected], or visit us at anchor.fm/aslongasimliving! We would love to hear from you.

:::

As Long As I'm Living is a podcast about life, love, and laughter after infant loss. Judith and Alina are rebuilding Happier Ever After one day at a time despite excruciating grief and trauma and offering support to grievers of all flavors, but especially those who have lost a baby to SIDS, infant death, birth accidents, stillbirth, TFMR, ectopic pregnancy, or miscarriage.