So, being the great friend you are, do you share the informational website, See Me, Feel Me or not? You certainly don't want to jinx this new pregnancy. Do you mention to your friend that becoming her baby's "in utero" advocate will alert her and her health care team to the possibility of a compromised baby by noting a decrease or increase in fetal movements? Should you also mention to this mom that she schedule an additional ultrasound around 28 weeks because this is the time baby will show a tendency to develop an umbilical cord problem?
What should you do? It's simple. Make a decision now to educate and empower all moms to be!!! Stillbirth is not an uncommon or rare event, and should be watched for in the last trimester of pregnancy especially. This needless tragedy happens 30,000 times a year in the USA alone ~ that is 82 times a day ~ each and every day.
Maybe you don't think you can make a difference in stopping stillbirth. Maybe you have never known anyone who has had a stillbirth or maybe it doesn't run in your family ~ yet!!! I know I was oblivious at one time. My husband and I are part of the medical community and we were uneducated.
But ~ now we know. We are now committed advocates for the stillborn. We will do whatever it takes to enlighten the medical community and parents to be, as well as, to find a cause as to "WHY" when there are or are not any answers. Let's all link arms and begin to fight the fight for those born still. Together is the only way we can begin to stop these tragedies.
The Starfish Story
Original Story by: Loren Eisley
One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed
a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.
Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”
The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean.
The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”
“Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish?
You can’t make a difference!”
After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said…”
I made a difference for that one.”
