A Complete Book of Death For Kids – Earl Grollman and Joy Johnson (Children, General Grief)

The first part of the book includes information about death, dying and the feelings you have when someone you love dies. The second section includes information about burial and cremation. The third section talks about the funeral and cemetery. Beautiful photos show the child what they will really see and answers the most commonly asked questions.

A Grief Observed – C.S. Lewis (General Grief, Spiritual)

Written after his wife’s tragic death as a way of surviving the “mad midnight moment,” A Grief Observed is C.S. Lewis’s honest reflection on the fundamental issues of life, death, and faith in the midst of loss. This work contains his concise, genuine reflections on that period: “Nothing will shake a man — or at any rate a man like me — out of his merely verbal thinking and his merely notional beliefs. He has to be knocked silly before he comes to his senses. Only torture will bring out the truth. Only under torture does he discover it himself.” This is a beautiful and unflinchingly honest record of how even a stalwart believer can lose all sense of meaning in the universe, and how he can gradually regain his bearings.

A Mother’s Tears: A story of stillbirth and life  – Nicole Wyborn (stillbirth, personal stories)

Tells the story of midwife Nicole Wyborn and her partner Kane, who after suffering two miscarriages lost their second child to stillbirth

A Pilgrimage Through Grief: Healing the Soul’s Hurt after Loss – James F. Miller (Spiritual, General Grief)

Readers have always enjoyed Jim Miller’s blend of poetic writing and full-color photography from nature combined with the concept of using a time of loss as a spiritual pilgrimage. Four experiences are visited: absence, aloneness, silence, and mystery. This comforting writing is suitable for people going through all sorts of losses, not just the death of a loved one.

Another Baby? Maybe …. – Sherokee Ilse, Maribeth W. Doer (Subsequent Pregnancy)

Sherokee Ilse and Maribeth W. Doer have both lived through a number of pregnancies after their own losses. They share the most common concerns, issues and questions parents face in considering another pregnancy in their booklet, Another Baby? Maybe… 30 Questions on Pregnancy After Loss. Included are questions such as:

• How long do I need to wait to try again?;
• My partner and I can’t agree on whether to try again.;
• Should I see the same caregivers I had before?;
• Should I have more testing during this pregnancy?;
• Will I hurt my baby psychologically if I’m too afraid to bond?;

…and 25 other important questions you are probably already asking yourself. Their suggestions and advice make this an important resource.

Ask Me His Name: Learning to Live and Laugh Again After the Loss the Loss of My Baby – Elle Wright (personal stories, neonatal death)

Dear Reader, When I found myself experiencing a motherhood that I never expected, one that I was terrified of living, I didn’t know how I would carry on being “normal.” I didn’t know how much I would long for people to say my son Teddy’s name, to not treat him like he didn’t exist. Maybe you’re in this boat too, or maybe you want to support someone who is? Whatever your reason, I hope our story goes a little way to help. Love, Elle

What do you do when the unthinkable happens? Elle Wright had an admittedly easy pregnancy—her scans went well, she and her baby were healthy throughout, and in May 2016, she and her husband welcomed their son, Teddy, into the world. Just a few hours after giving birth, they woke to find a nurse holding a cold and unresponsive Teddy, who had stopped breathing during the night. The happiest day of Elle’s life had turned into every parent’s worst nightmare, and she had to let her beautiful baby boy go. Three days after delivering him into the world, Elle sat with Teddy in her arms as he took his last breaths, and tucked him in for the final time. Ask Me His Name is a moving account of Elle’s pregnancy, Teddy’s life, and what happens when a mother leaves a hospital with empty arms. In the UK, 1 in 4 pregnancies end in premature death, but conversations about the heartbreakingly frequent issue of baby loss are few and far between. In this honest, beautifully written, and hopeful exploration of a different kind of mothering, Elle explores how she navigated a parenthood that no one had prepared her for.

At a Loss for Words: How to Help Those You Care for in a Miscarriage, Stillbirth, or Newborn Death Experience – DVD (Audiovisual)

When a miscarriage, stillbirth, or newborn death occurs, many of us want to reach our, but feel unsure of what to say and do. At a Loss for Words teaches family members, friends, neighbors, and early caregivers – clergy, doctors, and counselors – how to help

Baby: A Journal of Healing After the Loss of an Unborn, Born Still, or Newborn Child – Carey Knifong (General Pregnancy Loss, Personal Stories)

Angel Baby was written to give comfort to mothers who have tragically lost their babies to miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death. It is an open-ended journal guiding the bereaved mother along the journey of healing. It includes information about the grief process, sentence starters to assist the grieving mother in writing her thoughts, and a dialogue sharing both the author’s thoughts and letters to her Angel Baby. The author offers these glimpses into her own experiences to help validate the grieving mother’s feelings and to help her understand the vast array of emotions she is feeling. In addition, topics such as keepsakes, dealing with others, returning to work, handling holidays, spirituality, the marital relationship, siblings’ grief, and the grandparents’ reaction are addressed. The journal concludes by encouraging the mother to recount her pregnancy memories and to record how she has integrated her experiences into her life.

Beyond Pregnancy Loss: From Heartbreak To Healing – Helen Abbott (personal stories, poor diagnosis)

‘Beyond Pregnancy Loss: From Heartbreak To Healing’ provides parents who have lost babies with a source of comfort and healing. The unique aspect of the publication is that it goes beyond the facts and figures to walk parents through a healthy grieving process. ‘Beyond Pregnancy Loss: From Heartbreak To Healing’ also features moving accounts in their own words from women around the world. They express their grief, anger and often guilt that they could have done more to protect their unborn child and share the individual ways they continue to honour their babies’ memories.

The author Helen Abbott includes her own story of her excruciating decision, with her husband David, to undergo the medical termination of her first pregnancy in 2006. Rose from Victoria shares her touching story of the far reaching impact the death in utero of her daughter Rose Jr. 18 years ago has had on her life and family. In the course of sharing her story over 17 pages she reaches a place of healing where she is able to open up to her two surviving children about the tragedy for the first time.

Brona: a memoir – Mara Hill (Personal Stories)

A book for bereaved parents, those who love them, and the professionals who care for them…

Celebrating Pregnancy Again – Franchesca Cox (Subsequent Pregnancy)

For a time that should be filled with pure joy and anticipation, pregnancy proves to be a fierce battle between grief and joy after the loss of a child. This book follows the author’s journey from loss to subsequent pregnancy, with encouragement along the way on how to handle the ‘new normal’ that rocks your world after facing a loss. From dealing with others in your subsequent pregnancy, to balancing grief along the way, to real-life, tangible ways of celebrating pregnancy, this book offers a unique perspective on pregnancy after loss.

Coping with Infertility, Miscarriage, and Neonatal Loss: Finding Perspective and Creating Meaning– Amy Wenzel (Infertility, General Pregnancy Loss)

Pregnancy loss can be devastating, regardless of whether it is early or late in pregnancy or in the short period after a baby is born. In many instances, similar emotions are experienced when a couple learns that their fertility treatments were unsuccessful.

This wise, compassionate book teaches proven cognitive-behavioral strategies for coping with infertility and pregnancy loss. You will learn about common grief experiences that occur with such losses, as well as ways to find perspective and meaning, identify and change unhelpful thoughts, gain acceptance, reconnect with others, and reengage in life. By applying these strategies, you can break out of the cycle of sadness and rumination and heal with grace and dignity.

Dear Parents: A Collection of Letters – Joy Johnson (General Pregnancy Loss)

A support group in book form. Parents and others share what they would tell a grieving parent. Friends walk with the bereaved and let them know they are not alone. Although sections are broken down, i.e. Illness, Sudden Death, Infant Death, etc., don’t let that limit your use of this book. The words of comfort, no matter what the circumstances of grief, are almost always universal and comforting. Dear Parents includes letters from over 50 other bereaved parents, some well-known, and others not so well-known, but who have taken the journey through grief.

Don’t Take My Grief Away From Me – Doug Manning (General Grief)

Nobody addresses the needs of a grieving person like Doug. His warm conversational style takes the reader through all the emotions and experiences that accompany the death of a loved one.

Does God Change Their Diapers?: Coping With Pregnancy/Infant Loss – Adrienne Davis Riggs (Spiritual, Personal Stories, General Pregnancy Loss)

Losing a child through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, or other event is traumatic for parents and changes you at your core. This book is the story of the author’s journey through grief of the loss of three children. Walk with her as she describes her journey and how her faith in God ultimately led her to peace, comfort, healing and acceptance.

Ended Beginnings: Healing Childbearing Losses – Claudia, and Romeo, Catherine Panuthos (General Pregnancy Loss)

This book covers each kind of childbearing loss: infertility, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth, sudden infant death syndrome, abortion, adoption as well as emotional disappointments: disabled babies, cesarean sections, premature and traumatic births. It also includes: loss statistics, grieving, physical and emotional impact of loss, nutrition, mental attitudes, mourning, and resolution.

Gathering of Angels – Victoria Leland (Newborn Death, Personal Stories)

Beginning in 2006, Neonatal Intensive Care nurse, Victoria Leland, RN, found her life remarkably intertwined with five mothers whose premature babies died in her NICU. After she witnessed each of these mothers struggle alone in grief, Leland brought these women together and created an informal support group, which they fondly called their “Good Grief Group.” Their regular gathering, sharing, and volunteerism immensely helped each woman, and also helped them become “angels” to others experiencing the heartbreak of infant death.

Inspired by their stories, Leland compiled A Gathering of Angels, a collection of the wisdom these five mothers gained by opening their hearts and sharing their feelings and experiences on twenty-two different aspects of grief.

Although diverse in their ages, religions, experiences, and professions, these grieving mothers and their NICU nurse share their intensely personal stories in ways that create an incredibly universal book that will speak to readers from all walks of life. Parents who grieve the loss of a baby will find validation, hope, and consolation. Those trying to assist a loved one who has lost a baby will find understanding about parental grief and will be empowered to more effectively help their loved one experiencing this unique type of grief.

No one should grieve alone. Follow these women on the path they forged and let A Gathering of Angels become an angel to you on your own grief journey and inspire you to become an angel to someone else in need.

God’s Presence in the Loss of a Child: Finding Hope, Purpose and Comfort after the Death of a Loved One – Bill Sanford (neonatal death, Spiritual, Personal stories)

This began as simple daily accounts of the author and his wife’s trials and emotions and activities during the 12 days in which their daughter was alive and in the hospital, after her birth. Following her unexpected death and through the coming months and years, they began to see and experience God’s blessings and better understand some of HIS plan for their daughter’s life and for them. This is a simple story of just how Bill and his wife, dealt with real life as it was quickly thrown at them early one morning in June of 1989. Hopefully, you too, will see just how good God was, and how gracious and merciful HE was to Bill and his wife during that traumatic time in their young lives, and the many years since then, as HE continues to bless them and encourage them as they seek HIS will for their lives. Their  prayer is that you too, might experience the same encouragement and strength that they did during that time and even today.

Grace Like Scarlett – Adriel Booker (miscarriage, spiritual)

If you have experienced a miscarriage, you may feel deeply isolated, unsure how to process your grief. Your body seems to have betrayed you. Your confidence in the goodness of God is rattled. Your loved ones don’t know what to say. Your heart is broken.

With vulnerability and tenderness, Adriel Booker shares intimate stories about her experiences with miscarriage to help you navigate your own grief and know you aren’t alone. She tackles complex questions about faith, suffering, and God’s will with sensitivity and clarity, devoid of religious clichés or pat answers. Ultimately, Adriel invites you to a wide-open place of grace, honesty, and genuine hope as you discover a redemption story unfolding in the shadows of your loss. She also includes practical resources for ways to help guide children through grief, advice on pregnancy after loss, and special sections for dads and loved ones.

Grieving Dads: To the Brink and Back – Kelly Farley (Fathers)

Grieving Dads: To the Brink and Back is a collection of candid stories from grieving dads that were interviewed over a two year period. The book offers insight from fellow members of, in the haunting words of one dad, “this terrible, terrible club,” which consists of men who have experienced the death of a child. This book is a collection of survival stories by men who have survived the worst possible loss and lived to tell the tale. They are real stories that pull no punches and are told with brutal honesty. Men that have shared their deepest and darkest moments. Moments that included thoughts of suicide, self-medication and homelessness. Some of these men have found their way back from the brink while others are still standing there, stuck in their pain. The core message of Grieving Dads is “you’re not alone.” It is a message that desperately needs to be delivered to grieving dads who often grieve in silence due to society’s expectations. Grieving Dads: To the Brink and Back is a book that no grieving dad or anyone who cares for him should be without. As any grieving parent will tell you, there are no words to describe the hell one experiences after the death of a child. Many men have no clue how to deal with or understand the myriad emotional, mental, and physical responses experienced after the death of a child. Stories appearing in the book have been carefully selected to represent a cross-section of fathers, as well as a diverse portrayal of loss. This approach helps reflect the full spectrum of grief, from the early days of shock and trauma to the long view after living with loss for many years. Any bereaved father will find brotherhood in these pages, and will feel that someone understands them. While there is plenty of raw emotion in this book—the stories are not exercises in self-pity nor are they studies in grief. They are survival stories instead. Some are testimonies to hope. Some are gut-wrenching accounts of overwhelming despair. But all of them are real-life stories from real-life grieving dads, and they show that even if one reaches his physical and emotional bottom, it is possible (although not easy) to live through that pain and find one’s way to the other side of grief. Most dads in this book found themselves in a state of physical, mental, and emotional collapse after the death of their child. As if the losses alone weren’t enough to drive these men to the brink, most try to deal with their grief according to the conventional wisdom so many men are brought up with, which perversely, increases their suffering all the more. We all know the party line about how men are “supposed” to deal with loss or even disappointment: toughen up, get back to work, take it like a man, support your wife, don’t talk about your emotions, don’t lose control, and if you must cry—by all means do so in private.

Grieving Grandparents – Sherokee Ilse and Lori Leininger (Grandparents)

With the impending birth of a baby, prospective grandparents fantasize and dream of this new and exciting addition to the family. Grieving Grandparents, by Sherokee Ilse and Lori Leininger, is a practical exploration of the anguish, sorrow and sense of helplessness that grandparents feel when their grandchild dies. Critical information is shared to aid grandparents as they attempt to comfort and support their children, while they also learn to cope with their own grief. Many specific suggestions will make it easier to know how to make a difference in their children’s lives. Short and concise sections include:

• When Dreams are Dashed
• Communicating Feelings
• Decision-Making and Disagreements
• Guilt and Blame
• Creating and Cherishing Memories
• Holidays and Special Days
• After Time Has Passed

Heaven’s Child: Recovering from the loss of an infant  – Christine K. Ikenberry (Personal Stories, SIDS)

Born on New Year’s Eve, Jenni had her whole life in front of her and the upcoming new year seemed to have nothing but joy and promise in store. It was to be a year of firsts: her first foods, her first tooth, her first words, her first steps, her first Christmas, her first birthday. Yet not one of these important milestones would be reached as the world of one mother would suddenly change forever when this beautiful gift from heaven had to be returned just 87 days after her arrival. In this book her mother recounts the events of her birth and those of her death due to SIDS. She takes you on a poetic journey towards self-discovery on the road to her own recovery.

Holding on and Letting Go: Facing and Unexpected Diagnosis in Pregnancy – Vicki Culling (personal stories, Poor prognosis)

This is a book about love.

It contains stories from parents who have faced an unexpected diagnosis in pregnancy and have made a decision. The decision may have been to ‘Hold On’ and continue the pregnancy; it may have been to ‘Let Go’ and induce or terminate the pregnancy.

Holding Silvan: A Brief Life –  Monica Wesolowska (Personal story, Neonatal Death)

In the opening of Holding Silvan: A Brief Life, Monica Wesolowska gives birth to her first child, a healthy-seeming boy who is taken from her arms for “observation” when he won’t stop crying. Within days, Monica and her husband have been given the grimmest of prognoses for Silvan, and they must make a choice about his life. The story that follows is not a story of typical maternal heroism. There is no medical miracle here. Instead, we find the strangest of hopes. Certain of her choice, Monica must still ask herself at every step if she is loving Silvan as well as a mother can. The result is a page-turning testimony to the power of love. By raising ethical questions about how a death can be good in the age of modern medicine, Holding Silvan becomes a joyous paean to what makes life itself good. Whether you have suffered profound loss or not, this book will change your life.

Hope for Today, Promises for Tomorrow: Finding Light Beyond the Shadow of Miscarriage or Infant Loss – Teske Drake (General Pregnancy Loss)

No mother ever expects to grieve the death of her child before or immediately after the child is born But the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences reports that as many as 31 percent of all pregnancies end in miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss When the unthinkable happens, where do women turn for help?

How Can I Help? – Martha Wegner-Hay (General Pregnancy Loss)

Caregivers, family members and friends will find this book an easy to read and valuable resource. Martha Wegner-Hay is a parent, educator, speaker, and author. In 1995 she experienced the prenatal death of her twin daughter, Laura. Her family’s experience with this death is chronicled in her first book, Embracing Laura. This book deals more generally with any type of prenatal loss, based both on the author’s personal experience, as well as her conversations with other families in this situation. Any person in a caring relationship with a family that has experienced prenatal loss would benefit from reading this book.

I Can’t Find a Heartbeat – Melissa Sexson Hanson (Spiritual, Personal Stories)

is a personal story with a Christian focus that shares the author’s journey toward physical, emotional and spiritual healing. Through stories, pieces of Scripture, and personal insights, Melissa Sexson Hanson offers hope to all those who have been touched by the loss of an unborn child. The appendix includes an extensive listing of Bible verses that parents can turn to for comfort and strength.

I Had a Miscarriage: A Memoir, a Movement  –  Jessica Zucker (Miscarriage, Personal Stories)

Sixteen weeks into her second pregnancy, psychologist Jessica Zucker miscarried at home, alone. Suddenly, her career, spent specializing in reproductive and maternal mental health, was rendered corporeal, no longer just theoretical. She now had a changed perspective on her life’s work, her patients’ pain, and the crucial need for a zeitgeist shift. Navigating this nascent transition amid her own grief became a catalyst for Jessica to bring voice to this ubiquitous experience. She embarked on a mission to upend the strident trifecta of silence, shame, and stigma that surrounds reproductive loss—and the result is her striking memoir meets manifesto.

Drawing from her psychological expertise and her work as the creator of the #IHadaMiscarriage campaign,I Had a Miscarriage is a heart-wrenching, thought-provoking, and validating book about navigating these liminal spaces and the vitality of truth telling—an urgent reminder of the power of speaking openly and unapologetically about the complexities of our lives.

Jessica Zucker weaves her own experience and other women’s stories into a compassionate and compelling exploration of grief as a necessary, nuanced personal and communal process. She inspires her readers to speak their truth and, in turn, to ignite transformative change within themselves and in our culture.

I Will Carry You: The Sacred Dance of Grief and Joy – Angie Smith (Personal Stories)

In 2008, Angie Smith and her husband Todd (lead singer of the group Selah) learned through ultrasound that their fourth daughter had conditions making her “incompatible with life.” Advised to terminate the pregnancy, the Smiths chose instead to carry this child and allow room for a miracle. That miracle came the day they met Audrey Caroline and got the chance to love her for the precious two-and-a-half hours she lived on earth.

Upon receiving the original diagnosis, Angie started a blog (Bring the Rain) to keep family and friends informed of their journey. Soon, the site exploded in popularity, connecting with thousands who were either experiencing their own heartbreaking situations or simply curious about how God could carry someone through something so tragic. I Will Carry You tells the powerful story of a parent losing her child, interwoven with the biblical story of Lazarus to help those who mourn to still have hope—to find grace and peace in the sacred dance of grief and joy.

I’ll Hold You In Heaven. Healing and hope for the parent who has lost a child through miscarriage, stillbirth, abortion or early infant death – Jack Hayford (General Pregnancy Loss, Spiritual)

What happened to my baby after he or she died?
Will I ever see my baby again–and will I recognize him?
What happens if I’ve had an abortion?
Does God have a reason for letting my child die?
How can I help a friend who’s in grief?

With compassionate answers for your troubling questions, God’s Word shines with hope in the dark night of human pain. God showed His tenderness when David lost a child he had with Bathsheba. In his pain and grief, David spoke the word of revelation–the reassuring word of God’s truth–saying, “I will go to [my child] but he will not return to me” (2 Samuel 12:19-23).

Pastor Jack Hayford says, “This isn’t myth, fable, legend or a selection of poetic thoughts for the sorrowful. This is truth to set us free. Here we are specifically freed to expect to meet children in heaven, to recognize them and to be with them.”

Inconceivable – Shannon Woodward (Fertility)

Women who are anxious to conceive — and who have yet to conceive — know about waiting. Waiting is the hallmark of infertility. You wait in doctor’s offices. You wait to ovulate. You wait for prescriptions to be filled. You wait for the pregnancy test indicator to light up. You wait for a miracle, and then you wait again. Inconceivable is the remarkable true-life story of Shannon Woodward — a woman who stopped waiting her life away. She wrote this book for other women who’ve been waiting — for women who can’t afford the next round of medical treatments, who can’t bear to let their feeble hopes rise again only to have them crash to the ground in disappointment. Woodward revisits eighteen years of personal frustration, pain, and anger. She speaks of healing, but not the kind that other women in her condition have prayed for. The healing she has experienced is the healing of walking another path — the path of peace that she is uniquely equipped to share.

Joy at the End of the Rainbow: A Guide for Pregnancy After a Loss – Amanda Ross-White (Subsequent Pregnancy)

Awarded second place in the 2017 American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year Awards in Consumer Health! You’ve got What to Expect When You’re Expecting, but where do you go for a pregnancy guide when you’ve been pregnant before, and didn’t get to come home with a baby? For the nearly 2.6 million women worldwide every year who lose a baby to miscarriage, stillbirth and early neonatal loss, this is the pregnancy guide for you. Joy at the End of the Rainbow: A Guide to Pregnancy After a Loss gives you a month-by-month survival guide to a pregnancy that is different from the others. If you’re worried and concerned about losing another baby, but also joyful and cautiously excited about what is to come, this book will give you solid medical information tailored to your very real concerns! Written by a mother who has had both stillborn twins and two successful rainbow pregnancies, with guidance from the latest research on pregnancy after a loss, this guide will help you manage your anxiety as you anticipate the arrival of your rainbow child.

Little Wings: Life After a Loss – Chantal Lockey (SIDS)

Little Wings follows the journey of a mothers pain and anguish of finding that her six week old baby had died to SIDS or “a cot death”. A brutally honest account details life after loss, subsequent pregnancies after loss. “The Emotional Roller-coaster”, that is aimed to help bereaved families.

Love and Loss: A Guide to Family Healing After the Loss of Your Baby – Karen Shipp (General Pregnancy Loss)

Speaking directly to newly bereaved parents in an informal and highly personal voice, this guide to healing following miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death presents an easily experienced compilation of maternal blogs and inspirational quotes. While providing a brief explanation of grief as it affects all family relationships, it offers love and understanding for those first shell-shocked days and weeks following a loss and points the way to further resources for healing.

Loved Baby: 31 Devotions Helping You Grieve and Cherish Your Child after Pregnancy Loss –  Sarah Philpott (General Pregnancy Loss, Spirtual)

Close to one in four American women experience the silent grief of pregnancy loss. Loved Baby offers much-needed support to women in the middle of psychological and physiological grief as a result of losing an unborn child through miscarriage, stillbirth, or ectopic pregnancy loss.

In Loved Baby, author Sarah Philpott gently walks alongside women as they experience the misguided shame, isolation, and crushing despair that accompany the turmoil of loss. With brave vulnerability Sarah shares her own and others stories of loss, offering Christ-filled hope and support to women navigating grief.

This fresh and compassionate devotional offers:

Real talk about loss

Christ-filled comfort

Tips to manage social media, reconnect with your partner, and nourish your soul

Knowledge that your child is in heaven

Strategies to walk through grief

Ways to memorialize your loss

Whether your loss is recent or not, Loved Baby can be your companion as you move from the darkness of grief toward the light of hope.

Miscarriage, Medicine & Miracles – Bruce Young and Amy Zavatto (Miscarriage)

From one of the foremost doctors in the field and a journalist who has experienced multiple miscarriages herself comes an accessible, encouraging, and complete guide to both the causes and, more important, the prevention of miscarriage.

Though one in four American women will lose her pregnancy, with the right pre-pregnancy evaluation and ongoing care, for many women miscarriage can be prevented. During forty years of practice, Dr. Bruce Young has treated hundreds of women who experienced this heartbreaking loss and helped them bring babies to term. Now he has teamed up with one of his patients, Amy Zavatto, to write this compassionate guide that combines medical facts with insights from both the patient’s and doctor’s viewpoints. Including real-life case studies, Dr. Young provides in-depth answers to the questions: Why did this happen to me? and What can I do to prevent it next time?

Providing the most up-to-date information on physical and mental health, nutrition, and technology, here is a proactive tool and comforting resource—from an expert with real-life reasons to give every woman hope for a successful pregnancy.

Miscarriage: What Every Woman Needs to Know – Lesley Regan (miscarriage)

One in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage – it is the most common complication of pregnancy and also one of the least understood. Professor Lesley Regan is the first woman to hold a chair on obstetrics and gynaecology in the country and for the past decade she has worked to establish the biggest miscarriage clinic in the world.

This book gives up-to-date information on the many causes of miscarriage and the latest treatments available. It covers the chances of a successful pregnancy, how to prepare for and cope with the next pregnancy, infertility, and gives answers to the most commonly asked questions on the subject of miscarriage. Revised and updated to take account of the latest developments in the study of miscarriage, this book is the guide everyone who has ever suffered a miscarriage will need.

Miscarriage: Women Sharing From the Heart –Marie Allen and Shelly Marks (Miscarriage, Personal Stories)

The authors have created a source of support and empathy for those who have experienced this difficult loss. By sharing the personal stories of over 100 women and conducting interviews with fathers, the authors offer readers a path toward healing.

Miscarriage: Women’s Experiences and Needs – Christine Moulder (Miscarriage)

Approximately one in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage but for each woman the experience is unique. This sympathetic and helpful book explores the many different ways in which women physically experience miscarriage and emotionally react to it. Drawing on the experiences of over 350 women, it will help every woman who has miscarried make sense of her loss and find her own way of coping with the confusion that frequently follows.

Many aspects of miscarriage are covered including difficult issues that are often avoided:

• the nature of the loss: tissue, embryo, fetus or baby?
• guilt about an earlier abortion
• explaining miscarriage to other children
• the effect of miscarriage on a relationship
• returning to work after miscarriage
• coping with repeated miscarriages

The text also provides a set of guidelines to good practice for professionals, based on what women say they find helpful. Professionals who want to evaluate their own practice or develop the service they offer will find this an invaluable reference.

Motherhood Lost: A Feminist Account of Pregnancy Loss in America – Linda L Layne (general pregnancy Loss)

Moving Forward: Healing After Ectopic Pregnancy – A. Westphal (Ectopic)

This book is informative and helpful for the woman who has experienced an ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy is a life threatening experience for many women and can leave a woman feeling deeply shaken. This ebook is the result of the author’s own experience of ectopic pregnancy and the information and worksheets provided are intended to help a woman in her recovery from this medical emergency.

My Little Angel – Sandra Kuck (Spiritual, General Grief)

Following her incredibly popular Angel Kisses and Angel Hugs, award–winning artist Sandra Kuck offers even more touching artwork dedicated to the blessings of children. This beautiful book masterfully captures the age of innocence and celebrates how much our lives are enriched by the little angels all around us. Rediscover the simple joys and delights of life in this timeless tribute to what it means to be have your world infused with a touch of heaven.

A moving collection of scriptures, quotes and musings by beloved writers, including Anne Frank, Louisa May Alcott, and Edgar Guest, My Little Angel makes a precious gift for parents, grandparents, and anyone else whose life has been touched by the sweet smile of a tiny cherub.

My Sibling Still: for those who’ve lost a sibling to miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant death – Megan Lacourrege (Children)

My Sibling Still is written as a love letter from a sibling lost to miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death to any surviving siblings. It walks through the emotions that a child and his or her family may experience following a loss while also depicting the loving presence of the deceased child in the family’s life. With gentle words and comforting pictures, this book offers a beautiful way for the entire family to remember and honor any lost little ones. My Sibling Still is accessible whether the loss happened years ago or yesterday, whether a sibling was born at the time of the loss or came afterwards. Most of all, with an affirming message of hope through suffering, it reminds us that our relationships with the little ones who have gone before us continue after death.

Navigating the Unknown: An Immediate Guide When Experiencing the Loss of Your Baby – Amie Lands (Newborn Death)

“How does a grieving parent survive when their beloved baby has died? Bereaved families often find themselves navigating an unknown world after experiencing stillbirth or infant loss. When faced with this unimaginable situation, this is the book that families need immediately to help guide them through their loss.”
Navigating the Unknown, An Immediate Guide When Experiencing the Loss Of Your Baby is a handbook for bereaved parents, those who love them, and the medical staff who care for them. This book has been written to serve and guide families when they receive a life-limiting diagnosis and in the days immediately following the loss of their precious baby. It is a book that all parents hope they will never have to read, created to support those who have been thrust into a world in which their baby will never come home.
This book encompasses everything that you need to know about navigating the unfamiliar journey of grief. It covers all the unexpected decisions that need to be made when a parent faces such devastating news, and follows through the first year and after, including:
*informing others
*experiencing grief
*taking care of oneself
*asking for help
*how to re-enter into the world
*having “grocery store conversations”
*holidays, birthdays, anniversaries
*how to memorialize, honor and celebrate your precious baby
Whether the loss is recent, beyond the first year, or you are simply the loved one of a grieving parent, Navigating the Unknown will gently walk with you through this devastating experience.

Never Forgotten – Mia Freedman and Rebecca Sparrow (General Pregnancy Loss, Personal Stories)

Stories of love, loss, and healing after miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death.

Not Broken: An Approachable Guide to Miscarriage and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss –  Lora Shahine MD (miscarriage)

Not Broken is a comprehensive, evidence-based but easy-to-read guide for anyone who wants to understand all aspects of miscarriage and recurrent pregnancy loss. Whether you are a patient struggling with miscarriages or a medical provider caring for patients with recurrent pregnancy loss, you will learn something from this resource. Dr. Shahine explains not only a typical Western medicine approach to evaluation and treatment for miscarriage but also includes Eastern approaches to care, lifestyle factors that will decrease your risk of miscarriage, and the emotional impact of recurrent pregnancy loss. You will finish this book feeling more empowered to be an advocate for your care and more hopeful than ever to continue towards your family goals. “I have one word to describe this fabulous book: FINALLY. Women with recurrent pregnancy loss have been needing this book for years.” – Dr. Alice Domar, associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School and author of Conquering Infertility and Finding Calm for the Expectant Mom

Our Baby Died. Why? (Children, General Pregnancy Loss, Subsequent Pregnancy)

In Our Baby Died. Why?, seven-year-old Jake Erling tells the story of his life during the pregnancy and stillbirth of his brother, Jesse. He shares his grief experience from a child’s perspective, and relates an accounting of his mother’s subsequent pregnancy and the birth of his twin siblings. This is not only Jake’s story, but a place for children who have also lost a baby brother or sister to journal their thoughts and feelings. Questions are posed throughout the book and space is provided for children to write or draw their response. For younger children, parents are encouraged to read the book aloud, ask the related questions and write down their child’s responses. As time goes on, Our Baby Died. Why? can serve as a beloved keepsake of memories for the bereaved brother or sister.

Our Silent Lullabies – Jessica Byrne (Personal Stories, General Pregnancy Loss)

As little girls, we grow up daydreaming about meeting Mr. Right, having a baby, and living happily ever after. Yet no one ever talks about the devastation that can occur when something goes wrong in this scenario. In Our Silent Lullabies, you will read personal stories from women who have endured miscarriages or the loss of an infant. Through the words of these brave women, the author hopes all women who have experienced such a tragedy can find comfort in knowing they are not alone.

Remembering Our Angels – Hannah Stone (Couples, General Pregnancy Loss)

No one knows the devastation and heartache of losing a baby more than a father or mother. Grieving parents often do not know where to turn and what to do with their grief in the aftermath of a pregnancy loss. In “Remembering Our Angels,” Hannah Stone has collected essays and stories from pregnancy loss awareness activists, doctors, grief counselors and grieving parents in the hope of offering a resource to parents in mourning.

Sam and Finn – Kate Polley (Children)

This is a story of twin sons, one of whom died unexpectently 12 hours after birth. It is a book for all children and families who have experienced the loss of a twin, sibling or child. It is a story of hope.

Shadow Child – B Powning (Personal Stories)

This is the biography of Beth Powning. Her first child, Tate, was stillborn at term in the 1970s. Beth struggled with her right to grieve for her son. When her third child Jacob arrived, her long silent grief flooded over her.

Silent Birth: When Your Baby Dies – Sharon N. Covington (Stillbirth, Newborn death)

This 12-page booklet is intended for couples who have lost a baby during pregnancy, labor, or shortly after birth. It may also help those who have learned during pregnancy that their baby has a terminal birth defect and that they must prepare for their baby’s death. It can also provide medical caregivers, family, and friends with an understanding of how to help bereaved families. It packs a lot of information in a short and concise way into one easy to read resource.

Silent Love: Personal Stories of Coming to Terms with Miscarriage – Adrienne Ryan (Miscarriage, Personal Stories)

Many people who have suffered miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death have been made to feel they shouldn’t talk about it. As a result, their grief has often been compounded by guilt, shame, and sometimes anger. Now, with great sensitivity, Adrienne Ryan, who has herself suffered multiple miscarriages, explains why this grief is different than any other. This collection of more than fifty real-life stories–written by mothers as well as fathers and grandparents–give voice to that grief in all its emotional and psychic complexity. A Silent Love will offer support and hope to those who have lost a child, and will be an invaluable guide for friends and family.

Silvie’s Life: Biography of a Baby Girl – Dr Marianne Rogoff (personal stories, neonatal death)

“This story, about a severely brain-damaged baby who doctors warn will die within days, is beautifully told and exquisitely woven with subtlety and suspense. . . . The gift Rogoff brings us in Silvie’s Life lies in understanding anew how life and death flow together, shaping our consciousness.” ~ Patricia Holt, San Francisco Chronicle “Silvie’s Life is a tender and beautifully written book. I stayed up all night reading it, absolutely mesmerized, in awe of Silvie’s parents and of Silvie herself. I couldn’t put it down.” ~ Anne Lamott, Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son’s First Year A classic in its field, this short biography of a baby girl began as a series of journals kept by the baby’s mother during Silvie’s life and took seven years to write and revise, as life went on. First published by Zenobia Press, Berkeley, in 1995, it has been optioned for film and adopted for ethics courses. Dr. Anita Catlin read the book when she was writing her dissertation, which led her to propose new protocols that now are used in Neonatal Intensive Care Units around the world. Silvie’s Life has been presented at an international bioethics conference on the same program with The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and was translated into Portuguese in 2006 by Gradiva, Lisbon. Supplementary PDF materials for use in classrooms and book groups include discussion guide questions and articles that situate this story within the history of neonatal care. Contact Dr. Rogoff: morogoff@gmail.com

Special Delivery – Melanie Tioleco-Cheng (Children)

A children’s book that describes different types of newborns, including those babies that live for only a short time.

Stella, Our Star: Coping with a Loss During Pregnancy – Mandi Kowalik (Children)

Emily is so excited to receive a pet hamster for her birthday. She gets to be a mommy just like Aunt Mandi! But when the hamster dies unexpectedly, Emily finds out that her feelings of loss are the same as Aunt Mandi’s when she loses her baby. Through gentle illustrations and a warm storyline, Stella, Our Star: Coping with a Loss during Pregnancy will help families during these times.

Still: A Collection of Honest Artwork and Writings from the Heart of a Grieving Mother – Stephanie Paige Cole (Stillbirth, Personal Stories)

Still. There is nothing in the world that affects us more than the death of a loved one, especially a child. Stephanie Cole found that out first hand when her unborn daughter died unexpectedly one week after her due date. Stephanie stumbled through the death of her daughter, using creative expression as a tool to navigate her way though the darkness. This book is a collection of the writings and artwork that she created in response to her loss. “Still. is the poignant exposition of the reality that besets more than 25,000 pregnant families each year in the US. Stephanie Cole’s portrayal of the year following Madeline’s death is vivid and stark, and speaks to the disbelief and emptiness of the 50% of parents who never discover why their unborn baby died. Stephanie’s year deprived of an infant is illustrative of the challenge families and those who care for them face when experiencing the loss of an unborn child. Each child is a special chapter in every family’s life, even if that chapter is but a few, heartbreaking pages of limited memories. Still. is important reading for those who experience pregnancy loss. Perhaps it is more important reading for those who have not shared the experience but wish to understand.” Dr. John J. Botti, Maternal-Fetal Medicine “Stephanie’s honesty and candor are refreshing in a society that wants everything, even mourning, wrapped up in some sort of neat package. She allows us to walk her path with her, acknowledging that everyone’s journey will be unique and that we will eventually accept what will become our new normal.” Beth Gauthier, Mother to Mark (stillborn, Feb 2007) “Stephanie writes from a place of honesty and raw emotion. Throughout her writing she weaves the dreams she and her husband had for their precious daughter Madeline. Her words help the reader understand the depth of pain felt by parents who experience the death of a much loved and hoped for baby. A great read for any professional who wants to gain a better understanding of the emotions and feelings of a grieving parent.”

Stolen Angels: 25 Stories of Hope After Pregnancy or Infant Loss – Sharee G. Moore (Personal Stories)

Sunshine After the Storm: A Survival Guide for Grieving Mothers – Alexa Bigwarfe et al (General Pregnancy Loss)

Clinical psychologist and writer specializing in women’s reproductive health describes the book as: “A compelling read from start to finish, this supportive guide to navigating pregnancy and infant loss will arm you with life-changing tools that will help you feel part of a dynamic community. The complexities of pregnancy and infant loss are explored by survivors themselves rendering this must-read book a first hand personal narrative that invites people to feel less alone in the aftermath of such devastating experiences. Grief knows no timeline and this thoughtful book does an exceptional job of explicating ways that society could more sensitively embody this concept by normalizing the spectrum of mourning. Profound losses create seismic changes in self-image, relationships, and overall identity. Many women blame themselves for their reproductive hardships and harbor monumental shame as a result. Contributors delve into crevices of their minds and hearts and courageously express the complexities of their processes- journeys that should be shared and not silenced, providing enlivening inspiration and raw accounts of how life perspectives are invariably altered in the wake of loss. This accessible guide provides valuable tips and resources for grieving families which serve as a grounding way to acknowledge the pain, ease the grief, and explore pockets of hope.

A vital resource for anyone who has experienced these kinds of losses and those who love them.”

Surviving Pregnancy Loss – R Friedman and Bonnie Gradstein (General Pregnancy Loss)

This sourcebook is designed for those women who have suffered the trauma of pregnancy loss, and is designed to be both reassuring and insightful, offering clinical advice on how to deal with the pain of miscarriage, stillbirth or ectopic pregnancy. This revised edition has been expanded to include information on invitro and surviving a loss after amniocentesis, and is designed to be of interest to women suffering the effects of a pregnancy loss and for those who care for and about them, providing practical approaches to coping with the emotional problems associated with a pregnancy loss. The book includes personal accounts by women who have undergone a pregnancy loss as well as a discussion of the physical and emotional consequences of loss and a consideration of options for the future – trying again or considering adoption.

Tell Me Papa – Marvin Johnson, Joy Johnson (General Grief, Children)

Tell Me Papa; Answers to questions children ask about death and dying is not specifically about infant/sibling death, but it is a good resource for any child being confronted with the prospect of death and the funeral service. The book tells children about what happens when you die; explains the funeral and cremation, and answers the questions honestly. Contains useful tools for both parents and caregivers searching for the right words to say. Most suitable for Kindergarten to 6th Grade level.

The Grief of Infertility – Dr Alan D. Wolfelt (Infertility)

When you want to have a baby but are struggling with fertility challenges, it’s normal to experience a range and mixture of ever-changing feelings.

These feelings are a natural and necessary form of grief. Whether you continue to hope to give birth or you’ve stopped pursuing pregnancy, this compassionate guide will help you affirm and express your feelings about infertility.

By giving authentic attention to your grief, you will be helping yourself cope with your emotions as well as learn how to actively mourn and live fully and joyfully at the same time.

This compassionate guide will show you how. Tips for both women and men are included.

The Good Grief Club – Monica Novak (Personal Stories, General Pregnancy Loss)

Written by a bereaved mother, The Good Grief Club is the true story of seven women who discover that their new friendships have the power to heal the pain of losing their babies in miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant death. One by one, fate weaves their lives together in the wake of tragedy misunderstood by those around them. Set around support group meetings and restaurant rendezvous, these seven soul sisters find a new normal. Through tears and anger, compassion and laughter, late nights and French toast, the sun slowly emerges from the darkness bringing with it love, hope, and healing as, together, they rebuild their lives.

The Miscarriage Map: What To Expect When You Are No Longer Expecting Paperback – Dr. Sunita Osborn (miscarriage)

Miscarriage: It can devastate an individual, a couple, and family to their very core. And yet, this painfully common human experience is so rarely talked about. How do we continue functioning? How do we tell our partner what we need? How do we deal with emotional dumpster fire that is the aftermath of a miscarriage? How do we not kill the fifth person who tells us “You can always have another baby.”
With unflinching honesty and fearless humor, psychologist Dr. Sunita Osborn addresses the relevant but often unspoken topics following a miscarriage including the impact of miscarriage on a relationship, hating pregnant people and all things baby after miscarriage, your relationship with your body after miscarriage, and how to move forward (not past).
Informed by her clinical expertise and her own personal experience with miscarriage, the Miscarriage Map offers women, their partners, and loved ones with the nitty gritty realities of a miscarriage, the accompanying emotional roller coaster, and specific steps to take to help them get through this loss.

The Mourning Sister: A Journey of Grief and Joy – Josefina Herrara Sanders (miscarriage)

After suffering a traumatic miscarriage, Josefina walks through a season of healing. The Mourning Sister is a collection of poetry and prose that explores the journey of grief and joy

The SIDS Survival Guide – Joani Horchler and Robin Morris (SIDS)

The SIDS Survival Guide: Information and Comfort for Grieving Family & Friends & Professionals Who Seek To Help Them is one of the best resources for SIDS survivors. Packed with information, “survival” suggestions, and the personal stories, poems, and letters of actual SIDS survivors, it addresses the full spectrum of the unique issues that a SIDS loss presents

There Was Supposed to be a Baby: A Guide to Healing After Pregnancy Loss – Catherine Noblitt Keating(General Pregnancy Loss)

After a pregnancy no longer carries life, the loneliness can be overwhelming. You may search for answers. You may feel as if you’ll never be whole again. This book is here to help. This book is here to give you:

• Permission not to ignore your sadness
• Simple ways to comfort and care for yourself now
• Wise words from other women who also lost a baby

To Full Term: a Mother’s Triumph Over Miscarriage. Darci Klein (Miscarriage, Personal Stories)

A powerful and empowering memoir of a woman’s fight to bring her fifth pregnancy to full term after years of heartbreak and horrific loss.

To Full Term is the gripping memoir of Darci Klein’s pregnancy with her son Sam, and the story of one woman’s struggle to give her baby a fighting chance. From refusing to accept outmoded obstetric guidelines to going head-to-head with stubborn medical professionals, to overcoming her own paralyzing fears, Darci faced each challenge to achieve her goal. What she learned on her journey about defending her own reproductive health and coping with the emotional strain of high-risk pregnancy will empower any woman who wants to do all she can to have a full-term, healthy baby.

Unexpected Goodbye: When Your Baby Dies – Angela Rodman (personal stories, general pregnancy loss)

A book for parents who have lost babies during pregnancy, birth, or after birth. Written by a mother who lost a child less than two hours after birth, Unexpected Goodbye contains the advice and words she wanted to read. Unexpected Goodbye covers everything from funeral choices to the postpartum period to returning to work. There is even a chapter on a father’s grief as well as a chapter for family and friends. Unexpected Goodbye is for everyone who has lost a baby, and everyone who knows someone who has lost a baby.

Unexpecting: Real Talk on Pregnancy Loss – Rachel Lewis (general pregnancy loss)

When your baby dies, you find yourself in a life you never expected. And even though pregnancy and infant loss are common, they’re not common to you. Instead, you feel like a stranger in your own body, surrounded by well-meaning people who often don’t know how to support you.

What you need during this time is not a book offering easy answers. You need a safe place to help you navigate what comes next, such as: 

· Coping with a postpartum body without a baby in your arms.
· Facing social isolation and grief invalidation.
· Wrestling with faith when you feel let down by God.
· Dealing with the overwhelming process of making everyday decisions.
· Learning to move forward after loss.
· Creating a legacy for your child.

In Unexpecting, bereaved mom Rachel Lewis is the friend you never knew you’d need, walking you through the unique grief of baby loss. When nothing about life after loss makes sense . . . this book will.

Unsung Lullabies: Understanding and Coping with Infertility –  Janet Jaffe (Infertility)

For people experiencing infertility, wanting a baby is a craving unlike any other. The intensity of their longing is matched only by the complexity of the emotional maze they must navigate.

With insight and compassion, Drs. Janet Jaffe, Martha Diamond, and David Diamond-specialists in the field of Reproductive Psychology who have each experienced their own struggle with infertility-give couples the tools to:

*Reduce their sense of helplessness and isolation
*Identify their mates’ coping styles to erase unfair expectations
*Listen to their “unsung lullabies”–their conscious and unconscious dreams about having a family–to mourn the losses of infertility and move on.

Ground-breaking, wise, and compassionate, Unsung Lullabies is a necessary companion for anyone coping with infertility.

For people experiencing infertility, wanting a baby is a craving unlike any other. The intensity of their longing is matched only by the complexity of the emotional maze they must navigate.

What I Gave to the Fire: My search for meaning after miscarriage – Kim Flowers Evans (Miscarriage, Personal Stories)

What I Gave to the Fire breaks the barrier of silence surrounding miscarriage, a common yet rarely talked about experience in the lives of many women. An intimate account of the emotional and spiritual fallout from the author’s second miscarriage, the story weaves a detailed narrative of her inner journey to express unspoken feelings, memorialize invisible loss, and recover her shattered faith. She turns to writing as a tool for healing, which evolves into a form of prayer that helps her face the difficult decision of trying to conceive again. Profound inner shifts lead to remarkable transformation as she encounters new landscapes which inspire her to reclaim her fertile, creative energies. A blend of memoir, journal entries, and written prayers, this story takes the reader by the hand, offering companionship, compassion, and hope to those who feel alone in their grief over the loss of miscarriage.

What Families and Friends Can Do. – Sherokee Ilse (General Pregnancy Loss)

What can be said to someone after their baby dies through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, SIDS, or as a neonate? How can they be helped without adding to their pain? What Family and Friends Can Do, adapted from Sherokee Ilse’s book Empty Arms, is a practical guide to assist family and friends in reaching out to those who need support now more than ever. Dozens of suggestions make this resource helpful to relatives, co-workers, and friends alike

What on Earth Do You Do When Someone Dies? – Trevor Romain (General Grief, Children)

In his book, What On Earth Do You Do When Someone Dies?, Trevor Romain talks directly to kids about what death means and how to cope. He asks the kinds of questions kids have about death—Why? How? What next? Is it my fault? What’s a funeral?—in basic, straightforward terms. He describes and discusses the overwhelming emotions involved in grieving—sadness, fear, anger, guilt—and offers practical strategies for dealing with them. He also suggests meaningful ways to remember and honor the person who has died.

When Joy Withers Away (SIDS, Grandparents)

Rev. Calvin D. Vander Meyden is a pastor in Michigan. When Joy Withers Away is his poignant story of the death from SIDS of his three-and-one-half month old grandson, Travis Genzink. Told from a unique point of view, not only as a grandfather, but also as a minister, it is a story over which we can not only shed tears, but also garner hope. When Joy Withers Away gives grieving grandparents suggestions on how they can survive such tragedy, but its real strength is how it gives all of us the freedom to ask, “Why, God? Why?” The booklet ends with ten guidelines for grandparents in dealing with the tragedy of grandchild death.

Where Do Angels Go?: Baby Keepsake in Memorium – Melissa Slaughter-Swingler (general pregnancy loss)

What does one say when an infant dies? How do you give comfort to your friend, family member or client? Where Do Angels Go? Is short on words, but filled with space, space to reflect and work through the stages of grief, providing a way to fill the empty arms and empty hours, empowering self-help to self-healing.

Where’s Jess? –Marvin Johnson (Children)

This very simple and easy to understand book is for siblings ages 3-8 whose baby brother or sister lived for a time at home before death.

Wish – Matthew Cordell (Children, Infertility)

As an elephant couple embark on a life together, thoughts of children are far away-at first. But as the desire for a child grows, so do unexpected challenges. And it’s only after thwarted plans and some difficult disappointments that their deepest wish miraculously comes true.