Sisters in Loss Podcast: Miscarriage, Pregnancy Loss, & Infertility Stories

According to the most recent data, Black infants are 2.3 times more likely to die before their first birthday compared to their White counterparts. Black American parents also experience higher rates of fetal and perinatal deaths, making Black families disproportionately more susceptible to pregnancy loss und bereavement. Bereaved Black parents' ability and ways of coping with their loss is influenced by a multitude of factors such as the transgenerational trauma associated with 400 years of collective enslavement, poverty, and consistent discrimination in the educational, judicial, and health care system. Black American parents encounter specific barriers to receiving quality health care such as higher levels of medical mistrust, perceived discrimination, and poorer communication with their providers. However, little is known about Black parents' perception about the impact of patient-provider relationships on their perinatal outcomes and bereavement journeys. This study aims to explore Black American mothers' experiences of pregnancy, loss, and bereavement in relation to the health care system and their health care providers.

This is Erica's original research from her Master's program in Maternal Child Health. Listen as she presents her thesis "Are you listening to me? Patient Provider Relationships in Black Perinatal Bereavement"

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In April 2021, Sisters in Loss founder, Erica Michelle, had the pleasure of attending the first Black Maternal Health Roundtable held at The White House by Vice President Kamala Harris and Ambassador Susan Rice. In today's podcast episode she is sharing this experience with you and what Vice President Kamala Harris asked her about being a doula and why doulas are needed.

Sisters in Loss Training Institute are opening the doors to our last live full spectrum doula training for 2022. This training is weekly on Tuesdays in November starting on November 1, 2022 at 7pm EST. Please register here:bit.ly/octdoula

This episode is for you to listen to if you want to hear more of the founder Erica Michelle's story and her journey of Sisters in Loss.

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More than five million people in the United States experience some type of infertility, miscarriage or infant loss. Although this type of trauma is widely acknowledged as something that affects millions of families, many families still feel ashamed, hopeless, and isolated. Resilience Rising is an intimate compilation of stories by families living with infertility who have experienced pregnancy and infant loss. These are stories of families overcoming grief so deep and no longer being silenced by shame and guilt.

In this episode we sit down with 3 of the storytellers and authors that make up this anthology to discuss their process of saying yes to writing, the writing process, and parenting after loss. The authors Shantell Chambliss (Author), Courtney Shorter (Author), Ngozi Baker (Author), Donnisha Davis (Author), Michele Minor (Author), Tiffany Thompson (Author), Terika Williams (Author), Joi Donaldson (Editor)

Pick up a copy of the book here: https://amzn.to/3yhY64J

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After battling infertility for 10 years with Poly cystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS, today's guest delivered her baby at 27 weeks, spent 6 months in the Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and lost her baby. Lianne Totty, went on to have another baby at 25 weeks who also spent time in the NICU and is now thriving. Her experience led her to writing her children's book "Baby went to Heaven" to help explain infant loss to children when her god daughter asked her where the baby was and she didn't know what to tell her. In this episode she takes us back to being diagnosed with PCOS, getting weight loss surgery, NICU experience, and PTSD from birth experiences. We discuss about feeling like your body has failed you and that you are being punished by not being able to bring a baby home.

This episode is for you to listen to if you have experienced a long road to parenthood and want to hear hope and resilience on this journey.

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After being diagnosed with PCOS and having her thyroid removed today's guest knew there would be challenges to becoming a mother. Without trying Sasha Palin was able to get pregnant. Unfortunately at 7 weeks she began spotting and miscarried at 9 weeks. Sasha did not receive favorable care as a result of her miscarriage, no sympathy, being brushed off, and no one there to explain exactly what was happening to her body. She felt alone.

In this episode Sasha takes us back to those moments of pain of miscarrying at home, she shares what PCOS and thyroid removal and the miracle conception, and how she researched and learned to advocate for herself and is now becoming a Doula with Sisters in Loss.

This episode is for you to listen to if you have experienced not being listened to or acknowledged during childbirth including miscarriage. This episode is for you to listen to if you are interested in becoming a Sisters in Loss doula.

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Have you practiced mindful meditation?

Well your time to do so is now using the Expectful app.

What is Expectful? It is the mental health app for use before, during, and after pregnancy. Including Pregnancy Loss, Infertility, and Trying to Conceive.

In today's episode, we have on Expectful's CEO, Nathalie Walton to share how meditation saved her pregnancy, her transition into being an app user to now CEO, Black women in Tech and why this app is for Black women, and the evolution and future of Expectful.

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Download Expectful now!

Expectful Helping Hands Link

Become a Sisters in Loss Birth Bereavement, and Postpartum Doula Here

Living Water Doula Services

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Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormone disorder in women that is also the leading cause of female infertility. September is recognized as PCOS awareness month. PCOS is one of the most underdiagnosed diseases in the world, with less than 25% of women with PCOS being diagnosed.

Today's guest was diagnosed with PCOS after experiencing a missed miscarriage. Nkemka Egbuho has been trying to conceive for 2 years battling infertility.

In this episode she shares how it hasn't been easy to see others celebrating while she waits. Nkemka shares how she is preparing her body and mind for a IUI treatment with the hopes of conceiving this year.

This episode is for you to listen to if you have ever doubted yourself on this journey.

For show notes go to sistersinloss.com/ep270

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After experiencing multiple miscarriages today's guest found herself on Dr. Google to find comfort. She found exactly what she was seeking an online doula board which inspired her to become a birth doula. Today's guest is one of the 100+ Black women founders that have raised over 1 million dollars in capital. She has leveraged the power of technology to bring together womxn seeking emotional and mental health support during their pregnancy and postpartum journey together into a trusted and safe digital space.

Simmone Taitt is the Founder & CEO of Poppy Seed Health, is on a mission to bring together womxn from pregnancy through postpartum. After an isolating experience with her doctor, Simmone sought comfort and community. She quickly saw the lack of emotional and mental health support for womxn going through the life changing experience of having children and sought to rectify it. Her company is transforming the way care is delivered by providing 24/7 on-demand text access to doulas, midwives, and nurses — and it's working, especially during the COVID era, when she's seen a 140% increase in business. A sales, innovation, and growth strategy leader, Simmone spent 14 years building high growth startups before starting Poppy Seed Health.

In today's episode we discuss the story behind her company, from the first product iteration to fundraising during a worldwide pandemic, her work as a doula, and how Poppy Seed Health mission goes beyond pregnancy including loss, grief, trying to conceive and fertility.

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Have you been searching for an app for your pregnancy after loss? Well there is an online app that is for you called Wolomi.

Wolomi is the only digital community that offers support to women of color to improve maternal health outcomes. Membership to Wolomi gives you access to maternal health experts, events, and a community of amazing women.

Today's guest is Wolomi's founder Layo George, who is a registered nurse and maternal health expert that is focused on guiding and supporting aspiring moms and moms-to-be to enjoy their pregnancy journey. In this episode Layo shares her inspiration for starting Wolomi, her personal journey through perinatal depression, and why Wolomi addresses maternal mental health at all stages through pregnancy and postpartum.

ave you heard of a Myomectomy procedure?

Myomectomy is a surgical procedure to remove uterine fibroids. These common noncancerous growths appear in the uterus. Uterine fibroids usually develop during childbearing years, but they can occur at any age. Women of Color have the highest occurrence of fibroids in up to 90% of black women before age of 50.

Today's guest experienced an untimely loss at 22 weeks of baby girl Alexandria Shah due to preterm labor and cervical insufficiency. Dr. Shabnam Brady began to research for answers why and what could possibly have happened. She went to several specialist doctors and conducted months of research. She and her husband decided to undergo a myomectomy to remove fibroids and went to Chicago to undergo a Transabdominal Cerclage procedure due to her cervical insufficiency. Last Summer, I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Shabnam for dinner while she was pregnant with her miracle Faith. In this episode, Shabnam takes us back to her making the decision for both procedures: the myomectomy and transabdominal cerclage, how her Faith after loss was during her rainbow baby pregnancy, and how therapy and mental health played a major role in her healing.

This episode is for you to listen to if you have considered a myomectomy or transabdominal cerclage procedures. This episode is for you to listen to on how to research your options and choose the best specialist or therapist for you after loss.

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