This mother expresses this pain as near panic...much like when we learn our baby is to die or has died. This is a very common reaction.

"My baby was to be due this weekend. I knew that this would be a hard week for us, but I had no idea it would be this hard. I kept thinking that I could handle it and I was wrong. I truly feel as if I am dying. My body hurts, my throat hurts, I am physically sick to my stomach, and I feel like I can't get a good breath. I feel like I am right back in the doctor's office when they told me we had lost her."

"I can't believe how much I miss her! I have cried every morning this week on the way to work. I have prayed to God for the strength to get through this and I don't think I'll get it. We have planned to go to the beach this weekend to ease our pain, but I just think we will be miserable. I don't think I will ever be able to move on right now. How do I even begin to make this tragedy a part of our lives without letting it destroy our faith and spirit?"

Recognize this pain as real and normal for after a loss...

We encourage our parents to recognize the reality of the intense pain and try to do something for themselves in memory of their baby. Many suggestions are made under "Coping Ideas".

Somehow, I have survived. I feel more comfortable now that the date has passed. I am not anticipating it anymore. You were right, the days leading up to it are worse than the actual day. We went to Chattanooga and had a wonderful dinner and talked about her at dinner. We spent the night in a nice hotel and went to the aquarium on Saturday. Not what I expected, but nice nonetheless.

Marcia's thoughts: Prayers were answered as you and your husband shared memories of your daughter while making new memories together. It is how we cope. Moving on with our lives in small steps...while not forgetting...but in a loving way hanging on (to each other and to the memories of your child and to life's process) and slowly realizing that we will survive.

A change of routine and making "new memories" is often very healing...

Going away from the home is often a very good idea...even if it feels hard to do. Putting other memories in our hearts helps us keep moving through our pain. As we do these kinds of activities, we begin to make our baby and his/her memories part of our life - with our new memories. Our baby would want us to grieve them and to work to heal. Living children offer support for parents and want them to be happy. I believe our babies would want this also. They would want their presence in our lives to become meaningful in their honor.

The actual day, as with anniversaries and holidays sometimes is not as difficult as the days prior to it. Having a 'plan' that can be altered that day is often very helpful for making it through the day. We talk about how hard these type of days are. The first ones are the hardest and we can survive them if we will realize that there intensity is normal and that others have lived through these days. Your crazy and scary feelings are normal - part of the entire process.

Coping helps healing to happen...

Learning ways to cope...just to make it through the day, is important and "doable" with effort and love. We should take the love we have for our babies and gradually give it to ourselves so we can heal. Marcia McGinnis