Beyond the Rainbow: Pregnancy After Stillbirth with Winter Redd from Still a Part of Us Podcast - 227

Welcome to another episode of The Pulling Curls Podcast: Pregnancy & Parenting Untangled. Today, in Episode 227, we are joined by Winter Redd to discuss a profoundly touching subject—'Rainbow Babies'. Winter shares her personal journey of pregnancy after experiencing the heartbreak of a stillbirth, exploring the complexities of navigating hope, grief, and the joys of expecting anew. We'll delve into the emotional landscape of becoming pregnant after a loss, the anxiety it can bring, and the ways to cope with fear and foster attachment. This episode is an important one for anyone who has faced loss or is walking the delicate path towards healing and hope with a new life on the way. Join host Hilary Erickson as we untangle the emotional threads of Rainbow Babies.

Today's guest is Winter Redd. Winter cohosts with her husband Lee, the Still A Part of Us podcast, a show about stillbirth and infant loss. They started this podcast after their son Brannan was born still at 38 weeks. We interview moms and dads who have experienced a similar loss, so they have a chance to tell the birth and life story of their baby.

Links for you:

Winter's previous episode on parenting through stillbirth.

Timestamps:

00:00 July 2018, devastated, anxious for another baby.
05:24 Pandemic allowed privacy during pregnancy after loss.
08:23 Monitoring baby's movements for peace of mind.
12:58 Counselor urges positive thinking for pregnancy outcome.
13:54 Choosing a name, bonding with baby Felix.
17:33 Mixing up family names is natural.
23:55 Mel Robbins encourages envisioning best case scenarios.
25:24 Remembering deceased child helps grieving parents cope.
28:16 Pregnant after loss? Here's some support.

Keypoints:

1. Pregnancy After Loss: The episode features guest Winter Redd sharing her personal journey of pregnancy after experiencing a heartbreaking stillbirth at 38 weeks, conveying the complexities and emotional challenges involved.
2. Navigating Grief and Anxiety: The discussion addresses the prevalence of stillbirths and miscarriages, acknowledging the increased anxiety they can cause for parents during subsequent pregnancies.
3. The Pandemic’s Privacy: Winter Redd describes the unexpected sense of relief provided by the COVID-19 pandemic's privacy, allowing her to navigate her emotions without the external pressure usually associated with pregnancy after a loss.
4. Support Systems: Hilary Erickson emphasizes the importance of having a solid support network and the necessity of love and attachment during pregnancy, even when fearing loss.
5. Naming and Bonding: Winter and her husband bond with their baby early on, naming him Felix, and forging an emotional connection despite fears and past trauma.
6. Dealing with Guilt: The episode candidly explores feelings of detachment and guilt that can arise during pregnancy and after the birth of a child following a loss, normalizing them as part of the healing process.
7. Rainbow Babies: Although the symbolism of "rainbow babies" as a sign of hope is discussed, Hilary Erickson reveals her personal decision not to label her child under this term to avoid attaching the weight of past loss.
8. Advocacy in Healthcare: Hilary underscores the critical role of self-advocacy in healthcare after a loss, sharing her experience of switching doctors to a stillbirth expert and seeking couple's therapy for emotional support.
9. Podcast Resources: "Still a Part of Us" is recommended as a helpful podcast for those who have experienced a loss. However, Hilary advises against listening while pregnant due to its emotional content.
10. Continuation and Remembrance: As the episode concludes, Hilary Erickson reflects on maintaining a connection with the child lost, imagining his personality at five years old and addressing the social discomfort around stillbirth and loss. The next episode is teased to cover postpartum sleep challenges.

Producer: Drew Erickson

Hilary Erickson, Winter Redd, stillbirth, pregnancy after loss, miscarriage prevalence, pandemic pregnancy, emotional support, love and attachment, baby naming, guilt in pregnancy, family dynamics, rainbow babies, hope symbolism, using Clomid, home doppler, counting kicks, non-stress tests, healthcare advocacy, stillbirth expert, couple's therapy, attachment issues, rainbow baby term, third child, podcast "Still a Part of Us", pregnancy after loss support, parenting after loss, emotional strength, connecting with lost child, stillbirth discomfort, sleep after baby.