Grief and Pregnancy Loss with Unexpecting Author Rachel Lewis

This episode, our notes will be brief, in order to honor both host's bodies. Over the Thanksgiving Weekend, both Maggie and Danielle lost a Grandparent. In order to give ourselves space and then practice a bit what we talk about, the notes for this episode will be brief.

"Rachel is a foster, adoptive and bio mom with three kids in her home, a foster son in her heart and five babies in heaven after a five-year battle with secondary infertility and unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss. She is the author of "Unexpecting: Real Talk on Pregnancy Loss" by Bethany House Publishers, which released August of 2021. She is also the blogger behind The Lewis Note and a contributor to Still Standing Magazine, Pregnancy After Loss Support and Filter-Free Parents. Rachel and her family have been featured by the Today Show, Babble, For Every Mom, and more. She is an avid Goldendoodle fan (specifically, an avid fan of HER Goldendoodle), gets way-too excited anytime Trader Joe's comes out with a new gluten-free dessert, and thinks that mommying is the hardest, but one of the best, things she's done. When she's not writing, you can find her drinking coffee, wishing she were drinking coffee, or planning her next trip to Starbucks."

Her Blog: thelewisnote.com

Her Book: unexpectingbook.com

Social Media: @rachel.thelewisnote  Instagram

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachel.e.lewis.1

 

Unexpecting—Real Talk on Pregnancy Loss

by Rachel Lewis

Even though pregnancy and infant loss are common, society shrouds them in secrecy and even shame—starving grieving women and their partners of much-needed support. Women may leave the hospital feeling like strangers in their own bodies, facing postpartum life without a baby in their arms. And the well-intentioned but hurtful comments from loved ones may make them feel lonelier than ever.

Rachel Lewis, founder of the Brave Mamas online support group, is the friend bereaved mothers never hoped to need—giving them the practical guide she wished for after each of her five losses. With raw transparency and no pat answers, Rachel helps readers navigate how the

loss of a child can affect body, heart, mind, and soul.

 

Unexpecting offers a safe place to ask:

• Am I still a parent if my baby died?

• I know it’s not my fault—so why can’t I shake the feeling that it is?

• How will I ever be able to talk about this with my friends and family?

• My partner isn’t grieving like I am—does that mean he’s over it?

• What do I do now?

 

Receiving practical tips on coping with their new normal, bereaved readers will feel heard,

understood, and validated through Rachel’s story and the many interspersed messages from her

community of bereaved parents. When life after loss doesn’t make sense . . . this book will.

“Rachel has an authenticity that few are able to convey with such compassion.

She is relatable because she’s been there. She’s struggled with the same faith

questions and platitudes and has done the work to find where her strength and

joy truly come from. She doesn’t shy away from hard things that we

all-too-often like to avoid or wrap with bows to cover up the heartache,

and she shares her heart in the most positive and uplifting way.”

—Lori Ennis, MS Ed, editor, Still Standing Magazine

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rachel Lewis is the founder of Brave Mamas, an online community offering support to

thousands of bereaved moms. Rachel is a well-known contributor to Still Standing

Magazine and Pregnancy After Loss Support. She’s the creator of Unexpecting: A 4-Week

Grief Workshop for Pregnancy Loss for couples. Her work and family have been featured

by the Today Show, Upworthy, AdoptUSKids, and Babble. Rachel has experienced the loss

of five pregnancies, as well as the unique grief of reunifying a foster son with his birth family. Learn more at thelewisnote.com.

Rachel Lewis is the founder of Brave Mamas, an online community offering support to thousands of bereaved moms. Rachel is a well-known contributor to Still Standing Magazine and Pregnancy After Loss Support. She’s the creator of Unexpecting: A 4-Week Grief Workshop for Pregnancy Loss for couples. Her work and family have been featured by the Today Show, Upworthy, AdoptUSKids, and Babble. Rachel has experienced the loss of five pregnancies, as well as the unique grief of reunifying a foster son with his birth family. Learn more at thelewisnote.com.

Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that.