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

Imagine birthing your rainbow baby and losing your first born on the same day!?

Today's episode is one that hits close to home as her story is very similar to my own. I would be lying to you if I didn't say I cried throughout this entire interview and hours afterward. This episode is a trigger, so please grab some tissue, and brace yourself as you embark on this woman's journey to motherhood.

Shana Anderson experienced a placenta abruption with her first born son Bryce, and he was later diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and chronic lung disease. She then went onto having a stillbirth at 34 weeks with baby girl Aleeya. After experiencing what seemed like a year full of hospitalizations with Bryce she planned a Make a Wish trip to Disney World and found out she was expecting her third baby. In June 2020, Shana gave birth to her rainbow baby boy Brayden, and later that evening her son Bryce passed away.

In this episode, Shana is raw as it is weeks after laying her son Bryce to rest. She takes us back to the day of great joy and deep sorrow of birthing a son and losing a son. Shana is taking it one day at a time and literally spoke life over herself, her womb, and baby Brayden as he was growing in her belly while taking care of a medically fragile toddler.

This episode is for you to listen to if you want to know what God's grace and mercy looks like on earth in the form of strength and resilience. This episode is for you to listen to if you have experienced a placenta abruption, stillbirth, or pregnancy after loss.

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On August 2, 2017 we released our first episode of the Sisters in Loss Podcast. Today, we celebrate 5 Years of this podcast and community.

In today's solo episode, Erica McAfee, Sisters in Loss Founder shares:

• The History of Sisters in Loss
• Black Maternal Health Crisis and Roe vs. Wade
• Community Building in the last 5 Years
• What's Next for Sisters in Loss?
• Her personal journey and how this podcast saved her

This podcast is for you to listen to find out where Sisters in Loss is going in 2023 and beyond.

Listen to this episode here: sistersinloss.com/ep265

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Have you ever heard the perspective of loss from a grandmother?

Today's episode features the story of triplet loss of Alicia Harris grandbabies. She is joined by her daughter who both highlight and share their experiences of the journey to motherhood. This episode is for you to listen to if you want to hear the loss perspective of a mother and grandmother, how they overcame grief together, and how a rainbow baby grounded their mother daughter relationship.

Listen to this episode here: sistersinloss.com/ep263

Become a Sisters in Loss Birth Bereavement, and Postpartum Doula Here Living Water Doula Services Book Recommendations and Links Below

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Have you ever heard the perspective of loss from a grandmother, sibling, or cousin?

Today's episode features the story of Audri Cabness's son Sebastien who was fatally injured and died to due to medical negligence in 2016. This catastrophic incident let Audri and her family to start a foundation called Sebastien's smile in his honor. Audri also has a family healing book called "Scootie Toots and the Feathers from Heaven" to help other families from parents to children begin to cope with grief that comes with child loss.

In this episode Audri is joined by her mom and cousin to share how the foundation was started, their roles in the foundation, and to share Sebastien's story. This episode is special because you get to hear and see Audri's mom and cousin and how they supported her through the loss of Sebastien and how they are living his legacy.

Become a Sisters in Loss Birth Bereavement, and Postpartum Doula Here Living Water Doula Services Book Recommendations and Links Below

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You can follow Sisters in Loss on Social

Join our Healing Collective Online Support Group

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There is a new webseries that has been all the buzz on Instagram, and its called Black Girls Guide to Fertility, created, written, and based on Sonhara' Eastman's own battle with infertility. Black Girls Guide to Fertility tackles infertility in a profoundly intimate way that's both dramatic and comedic without ever feeling rigid. It focuses on Ava, a 37-year old romance novelist, who faded into obscurity after finding love–and now finds herself on the rise again after self-publishing a diary detailing her fertility woes. Each episode is a recreation of Ava's diary entry, adding a unique and compelling touch to the everyday struggle of infertility. I had the pleasure of prescreening the first two episodes and when I tell you, you do not want to miss this webseries. In this episode we discuss Sonhara's vision, her personal infertility battle, and what is next with Black Girls Guide to Fertility. Become a Sisters in Loss Birth Bereavement, and Postpartum Doula Here Living Water Doula Services Book Recommendations and Links Below

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Have you heard of the term Missed Miscarriage?

A missed miscarriage is when a baby has died in the womb, but the mother hasn't had any symptoms, such as bleeding or pain. Any type of miscarriage can cause shock, but a missed miscarriage can be particularly difficult because of the lack of symptoms.

Today's guest experienced a missed miscarriage and has battled infertility. Whitney McCoy is a wife, mom, and business owner of beauty brand NoirGirlbyJWhit and is a miscarriage survivor. She went through 2 rounds of fertility treatments and IUI one that lead to a missed miscarriage. In today's episode she shares her journey to motherhood, her missed miscarriage, and her beauty business.

Become a Sisters in Loss Birth Bereavement, and Postpartum Doula Here Living Water Doula Services Book Recommendations and Links Below

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Do you know what TFMR or Termination for Medical Reasons is?

Termination for Medical Reasons, or TFMR, is when a pregnancy is terminated due to a chromosomal, genetic or structural fetal abnormality, or where continuing the pregnancy would risk the health or life of the mother.

Today's guest experienced 14 losses. Yes, this isn't a typo. Turia West is a wife and mom and is still on the journey of healing from grief and profound loss. She gave birth to a healthy baby girl in 2008 and then went onto have a 16 week twin loss in 2013. This twin loss revealed the balanced chromosome translocation. This means that a piece of one chromosome breaks off and attaches to another chromosome. Sections of 2 chromosomes hence switched places. Turia has this same translocation and learned that this could potenitally lead to miscarriage up to 50%. Turia continue to try to grow her family and suffered more losses and miscarriages along the way.

In today's episode, Turia shares her journey through IVF, getting an amniocentesis to confirm unbalanced chromosome translocation and being offered to Terminate for Medical Reasons (TFMR), but her and her husband decided against it.

This episode is for you to listen to if you have experienced profound losses, TFMR, IVF, or want to learn how to overcome profound grief and loss and work towards your healing.

Listen to this episode here: sistersinloss.com/ep260

Today's guest experienced secondary infertility due to male factor. Senoria Cain is wife and mom to a 13 year old daughter. She always knew her husband had a low sperm count and was able to see a urologist who recommended surgery to assist. After 10 years of no protection and experiencing secondary infertility she was able to get pregnant. At 12 weeks she was able to see the doctor for an ultrasound and found out she was having twins, but also that she was miscarrying them. Senoria had a missed miscarriage and took medicine to birth her babies opting out of a D&C. In this episode she takes us back on her journey to motherhood with her daughter, losing twins, postpartum recovery, cycle changes with grief, and moving forward with the possibility of trying again.

Become a Sisters in Loss Birth Bereavement, and Postpartum Doula Here Living Water Doula Services Book Recommendations and Links Below

You can shop my Amazon Store for the Book Recommendations

You can follow Sisters in Loss on Social

Join our Healing Collective Online Support Group

Join the Sisters in Loss Online Community

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Sisters in Loss Instagram

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You can follow Erica on Social

Erica's Website

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Today's guest is a doula, student midwife, and single mother who has experienced racial disparities in the hospital that has affected her and her son. Kourtney Mcgowan experienced a miscarriage after thinking she wouldn't be able to conceive anymore children due to her endometriosis diagnosis.

In today's episode she takes us back on her journey, the prejudice she faced, and how being a single mother is challenging, especially raising a Black son.

Become a Sisters in Loss Birth Bereavement, and Postpartum Doula Here Living Water Doula Services Book Recommendations and Links Below

You can shop my Amazon Store for the Book Recommendations

You can follow Sisters in Loss on Social

Join our Healing Collective Online Support Group

Join the Sisters in Loss Online Community

Sisters in Loss TV Youtube Channel

Sisters in Loss Instagram

Sisters in Loss Facebook

Sisters in Loss Twitter

You can follow Erica on Social

Erica's Website

Erica's Instagram

Erica's Facebook

Erica's Twitter