I have a few recommendations of books and organizations that I found helpful and would be glad to pass along. It is a scary and devastating diagnosis, and you’re not alone💚
I am so sorry to hear this. How many weeks were you when you found out? Did they see it on the ultrasound?
@Elizabeth Yes please the resources would be so useful. And thanks for your comment it made me feel a lot less alone💚
@Tiffany Yes at 12 weeks
“Gift of Time” is a great book about having a child with a life limiting diagnosis. The chapters about deciding what to do and how to approach the topic with your other children would definitely be helpful for you. It’s written as a collection of short quotes and stories from tons of parents. Anencephaly.info has a website with a ton of information, research, and stories. I got a crochet pattern from their website to make Nathaniel’s hat🥹 They also have a very active Facebook group that’s for mothers who carry to term. Also on Facebook, Anencephaly Hope and Anencephaly Angels are two other active groups. I believe these groups are open to mothers who terminate. Perinatalhospice.org also has a lot of information and a long list of programs by state/country. This was how I found the program at my local hospital that helped us make a birth plan, create keepsakes in the hospital, etc.
And one last recommendation for now: Abel Speaks is an organization that supports families with a life limiting diagnosis by providing keepsakes, photography, mentoring, and more. I love the clay footprint molds they sent us. If you have any questions or if there is anything I can do to help you, please let me know. I love getting to talk about how special my Nathaniel was, especially if our story can help encourage other moms. ❤️🩹
Hey, I’m so sorry for your baby’s diagnosis. 🫂 I carried my son to term. I gave him a name, all my warmth and love for the 8.5 months that I carried him, and a million kisses and “I love you”s in the one hour I got before he passed away. It’s not cruel at all to want to give your baby time and love. I understand your fear about losing your baby before he or she is born. Even if you don’t get to hold them alive in your arms, you can still cherish the time you have together during your pregnancy.