U.S. News and World Report ~ Read It, Digest It, Fight It...

Finally, this week we are seeing in this U. S. News and World Report link , in national print, the tragic global journey of stillbirth which 3 million families embark on each and every year ~ 30,000 in the USA alone.

Read it. Digest it. Fight it. Join us as we strive to educate parents and the medical community to the proactive measures available to stop these needless tragedies...  

OCTOBER 15TH ~ Let's All Sparkle Together Tonight...

At 7 PM tomorrow ~ where ever you are in the world ~ please light a candle for one hour. The WAVE OF LIGHT - for 24 hours - will be lit across the world to remember babies we have lost, those we carried and held but could not take home and those who stayed for just a short time.


Become a part of Pregnancy and Infant Loss and Remembrance Day on October 15. Please visit http://www.october15th.com/. Let's all sparkle together!!!

My Grandson, Jacks, Our "Rainbow" Baby...

All new moms have the most amazing look of total love and total bliss on their faces as you glimpse a photo of them and their newborns for the first time. It is a little bit of heaven on earth to say the least. On June 14th I was introduced to a different look ~ the look of a new mom seeing her "rainbow" baby for the first time.  

Besides capturing the look of total love and total bliss, there was a little something different on Danielle's face. I'm not sure if I would call it total peace and total calm ~ or ~ maybe just seeing a snippet of the angelic realm here on earth. 

Welcome, Mason Jackson "Jacks" Hosker! You are loved more than you will ever know...

A Previous Stillbirth But a Normal 28 Week Ultrasound!!!

It is important to know your baby's patterns of movements from 20 weeks onwards. If you have had a previous stillbirth and your ultrasound around 28 weeks is normal ~ meaning no problems are seen with the umbilical cord and placenta ~ what's next?

Following Dr. Jason Collins protocol of The Pregnancy Institute, http://www.preginst.com/, discuss with your OB the possibility of daily home fetal heart rate monitoring. Monitoring baby for 30 minutes every night and sending the results to Dr. Collins or your own OB will let you and your doctor keep a close check on baby. If any variations are noted in the monitoring, your doctor will be aware of the changes and can investigate further.

Why a 28 Week Ultrasound???

A 28 week - or there abouts - ultrasound checks the placenta and umbilical cord (knots, nuchal cords, torsion or length variations) for abnormailites. This new and proactive step in being your baby's "en utero" advocate lets you and your doctor begin a plan to keep a closer eye on baby if any abnormalities are found. Ultrasounds, home fetal heart rate monitoring and diligent kick counting may be options...

Proactive Measures to Insure a Happy Healthy Delivery

Welcome to "Families Need to Know!" This is an exciting step for The Star Legacy Foundation which is dedicated to stillbirth education and research in forming a Family Advisory Council. We hope to educate families, parents and friends on simple proactive measures available to you to insure the happy safe delivery of your baby. Placental complications and umbilical cord accidents (UCA) are all too prevalent in the USA. UCA account for 30% of the 26,000 stillbirths a year in our country. I hope to provide information and education while guiding you how to be your baby's "en utero" advocate!

This foundation has formed an alliance with Dr. Jason Collins of The Pregnancy Institute in New Roads, LA. We support the Institutes's research and endeavors and hope you will too. We are strong advocates of visualizing the placenta and umbilical cord at your 20 week ultrasound for any abnormality. We also advocate a 28 week ultrasound be mandatory in the doctor's office for visualization of the umbilical cord.

We are also huge proponents of kick counting. We want moms to know their baby's movements well before the 28th week. Moms should know when baby's movements change it is time inform their doctor. When your baby's movements speed up or slow down ~ become involved and let your doctor know!

I look forward to hearing from you, getting to know you and having fun!