Central Indiana women break silence about miscarriage and infant loss
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Just this week, Olympic gold-medalist Shawn Johnson East posted a video about her miscarriage experience.
It is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month and the gymnast is one of several celebrities speaking out about their losses.
One in four pregnancies end in miscarriage. It’s a much higher percentage than many would expect. Possibly because so many miscarriages happen in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, when very few people even know a woman has become pregnant.
“It’s not something people talk about normally,” Peace Counseling Group’s Kristen Swart said.
But a group of women at Indy’s Holliday Park are talking about it. More than a dozen from across central Indiana gathered to share their stories.
“I just want them to know that their children that they have lost do matter. That they don’t have to be silent. That they don’t have to grieve alone,” Jessica Down said.
She is a mother of three living children, but she also lost three pregnancies.
“And I lost two back-to-back. And it was really hard, because you think what’s wrong with me? Am I not a good enough mother to my son that I should have more? That ultimately ended my first marriage.”
Down though, like all of the women here including group discussion leader Swart, tried again. Eventually giving birth to one or more children after a miscarriage, those have been dubbed in recent years a rainbow baby. Down has had two daughters since her back-to-back miscarriages, with another loss in between.
Local women from the group Breastfeeding World organized the event at Holliday Park. It was marked by a special rainbow photoshoot. Rogue Art Photography also provided mini sessions for all of the moms who attended the Breaking the Silence Rainbow Baby photo session. They say they want to normalize talking about miscarriage, to raise awareness and support.
“You’re not alone, there clearly are other people going through this, whether you feel the empty arms of not being able to hold your baby anymore or at all, just know that there are other people going through the same thing,” Swart said.
“So many people say ‘It’s just not meant to be’ and ‘Look at the children that you do have,’ but it still hurts. It still hurts. I could have 12 children and lose one and that one would still, it’ll still put a dagger in your heart,” Down said.
A wound so many women hide, but will hopefully heal with the sight of a rainbow.
There are quite a few support groups available to women dealing with the grief of a miscarriage.