Unexpecting

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Unexpecting brings you real stories from families who have suffered pregnancy loss. Honest and raw, these conversations navigate the shock, trauma, and suffering that come with unexpected loss, while bringing comfort to those who feel alone in their circumstance and offering hope for the future. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

Ashley Bitterman


    • Apr 18, 2022 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 41m AVG DURATION
    • 21 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Unexpecting

    Moms Make The Best Decisions They Can For Their Children (Christine)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2022 54:26


    Christine has been pregnant 5 times in the past 4 years, but three of those pregnancies ended in a devastating loss. She tells her story while capturing real and honest emotions that come with pregnancy after loss, processing a loss, and parenting after loss. She shares her experience with her son Liam, who was diagnosed with irreparable illnesses in utero, making him incompatible with life and forcing Christine into a medical termination at 18 weeks. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    The Brain Thinks, The Heart Feels (Jen Marr)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2022 47:45


    Jen Marr is the Founder and CEO of Inspiring Comfort, and author of Showing Up: A Comprehensive Guide to Comfort and Connection. I am so honored to have Jen as a guest, as she lends her expertise to offer guidance on how to show up and comfort the people in your life who have experienced a trauma or devastation such as a pregnancy loss. She talks through the importance of knowing how to act on your feeling of empathy as it relates to ultrasound technicians, employers, and the people who surround those suffering a loss. Jen's book is available now. Click here to get your copy. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    We Need To Find The Beauty In It (Courtney)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2022 58:11


    Courtney lost her son Luca at 23 weeks pregnant due to his life-threatening diagnoses of Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus. Courtney's powerful outlook on her devastating experience is nothing short of inspiring. She talks through how she aimed to find the beauty throughout the trauma, and shares essential tips and resources for how to prepare for the immediate aftermath of a loss. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    We Have To Have Faith (Annette)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2022 48:44


    Annette details her harrowing history of recurring pregnancy loss. She relives the trauma of waking up from anesthesia after an emergency surgery to learn her baby had died and she'd lost her uterus. She talks about her resilience and how she hasn't given up on her journey to welcoming another baby into the world, which she hopes to pursue through surrogacy. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    If You Don't Hope It's Going To Work, Then Why Are You Doing It? (Aaron)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2022 51:43


    Aaron shares his journey with infertility and pregnancy loss, having experienced several failed embryo transfers with his wife after multiple IVF cycles. He discusses the gender inequity that's present and how he approached his role as the non-birthing partner to ensure his wife felt the support she needed, while also navigating his own emotions. Aaron expresses his disappointment with the current bar that's set for men and how he feels there's a great opportunity to improve. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    You're Allowed To Have Feelings, Mom (Sky)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2022 54:01


    Sky takes me through her history of recurring loss and details the trauma of losing her daughter, Lennox, to a medical termination in her second trimester, due to significant brain abnormalities. She talks about the importance of giving yourself a chance to grieve, and how she's channeled her grief into writing a book and hosting a support group to help others who have suffered from similar experiences. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    I Can't Take Much More (Arielle)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2021 82:08


    Arielle has had to relive her nightmare time and time again. She and her husband are both carriers for a rare genetic disorder known as Tay Sachs, leading to a 25% chance that both of them would pass the gene down to their child which would cause the child to be incompatible with life. The odds, however, were not in their favor, as 75% of their pregnancies resulted in a baby with Tay Sachs and, ultimately, a medical termination. They turned to IVF to increase their chances of having a healthy baby, but that road hasn't been easy either, as Arielle has suffered two miscarriages after successful implantations. As she tries to make sense of the cruel, unfair hand she's been dealt, she's doing her best to show up as a mom to her healthy 3-year-old daughter while also trying to come to terms with the idea that her family of 3 that she hoped to continue to grow may actually be complete. Join our community on Instagram --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    I'm Tired. I'm So Very Tired. (Ash)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2021 49:32


    Ash from Darwin, Australia has suffered 5 pregnancy losses in just two years. Two of these losses were due to partial molar pregnancies. The chance of experiencing a partial molar is just 1 in 1200, and the grim diagnosis can progress to become dangerous and cancerous. Ash and her partner are navigating the recurring grief while also showing up for their 4-year-old daughter, who yearns for a baby brother or sister. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    I Have to Believe That Things Will Get Better (Annie)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2021 53:00


    Annie relives the devastating heartbreak of experiencing back-to-back miscarriages. She identifies a major flaw in our education system that forces people to navigate pregnancy loss blindly, and talks about the psychological pressures that women face when preparing their bodies for gestation. Join our community on Instagram --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    Grief and Happiness Can Coexist (Jackie)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2021 60:52


    Jackie shares her story of losing her son, Richard, during pre-term labor at nearly 35 weeks, due to a fetal maternal hemorrhage. She describes the unfortunate mishandling of her treatment and the shock and trauma of waking up from (non-consented) anesthesia to learn her baby had died. Jackie shares the beautiful and inspiring ways she honors Richard, and how she's channeling her energy into advocacy and giving a voice to others in similar situations. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    That Might Have Been My Only Shot At Ever Having A Baby (Julia)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2021 50:19


    Julia shares her history of suffering from multiple chronic illnesses and how they affect her ability to get pregnant and carry a baby. An unexpected pregnancy forced her into a medical termination, which she is trying her best to recover from, physically and emotionally, every day. We talk about the societal pressures of needing to be, or at least present as, "okay," and how the people around you can best show up for you after experiencing something so traumatic as pregnancy loss. Join our community on Instagram --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    The Most Beautiful Baby I Had Ever Seen (Laney)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2021 56:46


    Laney shares her story of making to to 41-weeks before her baby, Hudson, died in-utero, forcing her into a stillbirth. Laney talks about how her faith was affected by her heartbreaking experience and how she continues to honor Hudson each day. Join our community on Instagram --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    I Guess I'm Not Pregnant (Leanna)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2021 32:37


    Leanna, an ER pediatrician, talks about experiencing recurring miscarriages and how her medical professional insight helped her understand and cope with the devastating losses. After a fluke injury coincided with a missed miscarriage, she was forced to endure agonizing physical pain on top of the immense emotional pain she was already in. Leanna gives us all hope for the future, as she just welcomed her rainbow baby this July. Join our community on Instagram --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    He Looks Just Like Me (Lauren I.)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2021 38:53


    Lauren shares her story of waking up from anesthesia to find out her newborn son didn't make it through her traumatic C-section. She describes the unimaginable pain of having a surgery performed while she could feel everything that was happening, and the aftermath of grappling with the senseless notion that a child so perfect has died. Join our community on Instagram --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    Episode 4 Preview (Lauren I)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2021 0:22


    Preview: Lauren describes the nightmare moment when her husband walked in to see his newborn son and was horrified to see the medical staff performing CPR on his tiny, lifeless body. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    She's With My Dad Now (Lauren)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2021 55:57


    Lauren talks about the multiple traumas she's suffered throughout her life and her experience developing velamentous cord insertion and vasa previa, leading her to make the "decision" to terminate her pregnancy at 23 weeks, just days before the law would prohibit her from doing so. Join our community on Instagram --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    Episode 3 Preview (Lauren)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2021 0:44


    Preview: Lauren recounts the moment she discovered she may be too far along to terminate her high-risk, unhealthy pregnancy. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    There Was No Heartbeat (Dee)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2021 36:53


    Dee shares her story of suffering three back-to-back miscarriages within the course of a year. She talks through the negative effects of being treated by apathetic and callous medical professionals, and explains how emotions can differ through each experience. Follow Unexpecting on Instagram Email us --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant (Stasia)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2021 31:14


    Stasia courageously shares her story of experiencing a stillbirth at 34 weeks, without even knowing she was pregnant. Join our community on Instagram Email us --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    Episode 1 Preview (Stasia)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2021 0:19


    Stasia recalls the harrowing memory of delivering a stillborn baby after not even knowing she was pregnant. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

    Unexpecting Trailer

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2021 1:02


    Hi. I'm Ashley. I had an abortion on June 21, 2021. I started Unexpecting to create a safe place for people to share their stories of pregnancy loss. My hope is to bring a sense of comfort to those who feel alone in this undeserved place of suffering, and to shine a light on the hope for the future. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/unexpecting/support

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