Table of Contents
Introduction 1
My Story in Brief 5
Part 1 15
1 The Start of the Journey 17
The Early Days 19
What to Expect 22
What Is Normal? 24
Common Questions 25
2 Loss and Treatment 28
Miscarriage 30
Missed Miscarriage 41
Stillbirth 47
Ectopic Pregnancy 56
Molar Pregnancy 63
SIDS (Cot Death) 72
Neonatal Loss 77
TOPFA (Termination of Pregnancy due to Fetal Anomaly) 82
Losing a Child Due to Illness or Accident 89
Losing a Twin or Multiple 99
IVF and Loss Post-IVF 104
3 Practical Considerations 110
Planning a Funeral 110
Fear Post-Loss 114
Intimacy Following Loss 120
Returning to Work 138
Social Media 148
Special and Notable Occasions 157
4 Post-Loss 164
Trying for a Child Post-Loss 164
Losing the Desire to Have a Child 171
Adoption 173
Pregnancy Post-Loss 180
Not Being Able to Have Another Child 190
Supporting the Bereaved 200
Proactive Advice for Family and Friends 222
5 Layers of Grief 231
Healing 237
The Quest for Happiness 242
15 Questions 247
Part 2 60 Days of Support and Journalling 261
Help and Resources 382
Thank You 385
Legacy Scheme 389
About the Author 390