Read Part One – https://www.havingbabies.com/blog-list/heartbreak-healing-a-story-of-late-term-pregnancy-loss/

By: Juli Auclair Lipof

Making the decision to conceive again after a stillbirth can be very difficult. Some couples are ready to try immediately, while others need time to deal with the grief, intense emotional pain and physical challenges that can accompany a late term pregnancy loss.

In our last blog, we introduced you to Fran and Tim Meadows who dealt with unexplained infertility for years. They eventually became pregnant with the help of a specialist and IVF. However, Fran and Tim were devastated when that pregnancy ended in a stillbirth.

Fran, who is now an infertility advocate and the author of The Truth Behind the Secret “Infertility,” talked to us about becoming pregnant again, the many emotions surrounding it and her journal that has become an unexpected book of hope for other women.

Q- Fran, when did you and Tim decide to try to become pregnant again? Was IVF instrumental in this process? 

FRAN: “We became pregnant via IVF again about 6 months after our loss.  We were excited, nervous and scared that something would happen again.

It was the most difficult time to try to embrace the pregnancy especially when I hit the date of my previous loss and of course when I hit that 25 week mark.  Every appointment was nerve wracking.” 

Q- Please tell us about the experience of giving birth to your beautiful boy Brendon?  How old is he now and what is life like today?   

FRAN: “The day I gave birth was a day not to forget. I had a scheduled c-section because the baby was sunny side up so I think knowing and anticipating that I was going in to give birth kept me on edge.  Until I heard my baby cry I could not believe it.

Tears, shakes and smiles excited to share memories as a family.  My son will be six in March.  He is in Kindergarten, growing right before my very eyes.  Loves to be a boy, very active, kind, caring and loving couldn’t ask for a better child.”

Q- Through your book, you inspire and offer hope to couples dealing with infertility issues. What made you decide to write about your experience and what do you hope couples will take away from it? 

FRAN: “I started a journal when we were first trying, just writing thoughts down then as time went on I expressed my anger and emotions more.  It was never intending to write a book, but I felt my story with the real take on infertility, holding back nothing, others would relate and find hope in our story.  That is what I want readers to come away with that there is hope, there is the good bad and the ugly but love will get you through.  Express those emotions and I feel that writing is powerful even if its just for you or if you blog it will relieve so much through writing as a therapy.” 

Juli Auclair Lipof spent 18 years as a TV news anchor and reporter before switching gears and launching her own video-based parenting website www.NotSupermom.com.

NotSupermom™ is chock-full of parenting advice and tips with a healthy dose of humor! She is also a writer, producer and social media enthusiast.  Juli lives in a suburb of New York City, with her husband and two children.

 

Read Part One – https://www.havingbabies.com/blog-list/heartbreak-healing-a-story-of-late-term-pregnancy-loss/