Mother had to give birth to a lifeless baby, never expected the nurse's comment that was engraved in her memory forever
|
Miscarriages are more common than you think, but it's rare that people talk about it openly.
As is usually the case, it is difficult for people to talk about experiences that have hurt them badly, although in most cases talking about what happened can help in the recovery process.
Maybe it's because people are embarrassed? Maybe women who have had abortions are ashamed? But why would anyone feel shame because of something they have no control over?
Rachel Wallen is a woman who knows what it feels like to lose a child..
Unfortunately, the signs of miscarriage were not detected early in her pregnancy. Instead, she planned a future for her unborn child, and almost went to the hospital believing that her child was healthy. But as it happened, moments before the birth she was informed that her daughter was no longer alive.
When something so terrible happens, most people don't know how to cope with it. How do you tell someone they lost their child?
For Rachel, it wasn't just the love and support of friends and family that helped her through the hard time. It was the experienced and compassionate nurses she met at the hospital who played a major role, the ones who comforted her after the tragedy she went through when she had to give birth to a baby girl who was no longer alive.
Now Rachel has chosen to open up and talk about the tragedy in the most difficult hours of her life.
She wrote:
"To the nurses,
Thank you for saving me. Your skills and knowledge saved me from following my daughter into death, it was your compassion that brought me back to life. The humanity you showed is what brought me back to life, you made it possible to think about living after death.
For that, I owe you my love and gratitude.
Thank you to the nurses who always made sure my husband had enough pillows when he had to sleep in the hospital. And thanks to the nurses who let him sneak ice cream out of the freezer. You recognized that this was a terrible experience for him and that he needed support too.
Thanks to the nurses who came with me when I was rushed to intensive care from the maternity ward. Thank you for speaking up for me when I couldn't because I was busy fighting for my life. I'm not sure I would have lived to see my daughter if you hadn't been there.
Thank you to the nurses who taught me how to fill my bra with ice when I needed to suppress milk production when my daughter was stillborn. I also want to thank you for hugging me when I cried from uncontrollable pain. Your hug didn't ease the heaviness in my chest, but you brought some light into my dark world.
Thanks to the ICU nurse who cleaned me up after my daughter died. Thank you for taking the time to help me clean my face and brush my hair. I still feel the feeling of you combing my hair and making a ponytail, it was a touch that felt like a gesture.
Thanks to the nurse who sat by my bed and asked me about Dorothy. Thank you for knowing how important it was for her to be real even though she was already gone. I will never forget how you leaned in, just as if we were friends, and asked: "Do you want to tell me about her?".
Thanks to the nurse who dressed my baby and took a picture. Thank you for making sure the hat didn't hide her eyes and that her hands were gracefully placed. This picture meant so much to me.
Thanks to the nurses who took the time to talk to me before their shift changed. I want to thank you for learning our names and our daughter's name before you entered my room. It was so important to hear our names together. It made me feel like family.
Thanks to the nurse who came into my room the first night without Dorothy and held my hand. Thank you for whispering to me your story about your baby who was also born without a soul. Thank you for being the first person to lead me out of the isolation one feels after losing a child. Her presence was so important and felt so good. I'm still not convinced I didn't dream you so I could survive the first lonely night.
And finally, I want to thank the nurses who saw me during my pregnancy with Dorothy's little sister, even after Frances entered the world, you never forget that someone was born before her. I knew that the birth of Frances did not make me a mother for the first time. It made me a mother of two.
in appreciation,
The one who brought you back to life."
It's impossible to understand how it feels to give birth to a stillborn. But this is exactly what happens to some mothers. Even if you are told that the baby in your womb is no longer alive, you still have to give birth to it.
Our hearts go out to Rachel, and also to the compassionate nurses who helped her while her world was falling apart.
Share the article with your friends and family to pay tribute to all the nurses and midwives in the world. You are doing amazing job all over the world!