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[2:06] “She was born at 33 weeks, and she was a NICU baby”

Babies born at 33 weeks are premature and may require specialized care to help them transition to life outside the womb. 

NICU - or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit - is a specialized hospital unit that provides care for premature or critically ill newborn infants. A NICU is equipped with advanced technology and staffed by a multidisciplinary team of experts to address various medical conditions that may arise in a premature infant. BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre NICU

[3:01] “I didn’t know the word stillbirth, we had signs that there were difficulties in our pregnancy from the 12-week ultrasound and then the 18-week ultrasound and the next five weeks of MFM visits”

Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) specialists are expert physicians that support high-risk pregnancies. MFM appointments are typically for pregnant people who have pre-existing medical conditions, develop complications during pregnancy, or whose babies have health issues. MFM specialists care may include diagnostic tests and treatment to support the well-being of both the birthing person and the baby. BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre MFM

[5:21] “So with James, like I said, we had indications there appeared to be less amniotic fluid than was normal”. 

Amniotic fluid is the protective liquid that surrounds a developing baby in the uterus throughout the pregnancy. This fluid acts as a cushion, protecting the baby from injury and temperature changes while allowing for movement and the baby's growth and development. Amniotic fluid contains important nutrients and antibodies.

Normal levels of amniotic fluid, measured by the Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI), typically range from 5-25cms. AFI measurements outside this range may indicate a problem.  

A low level of amniotic fluid means there is less than the expected amount of amniotic fluid surrounding the baby in the uterus. A low level of amniotic fluid can affect the baby's development and potentially lead to complications during labour and delivery. 

[7:20] “I think it’s called the antenatal unit, okay yeah”

An antenatal unit is a specialized hospital area that provides care for pregnant people experiencing complications that require hospitalization before delivery. These units focus on monitoring and managing pregnancies to support the health of the birthing person and the baby.

[9:38] “Well, just the care team that I had, I was followed by a high risk OBGYN”. 

A high-risk OBGYN, also known as a maternal-fetal medicine specialist (MFM) or perinatologist, is an obstetrician-gynecologist (OBGYN) who specializes in managing pregnancies that carry an increased risk for the birthing person, baby or both. These physicians have advanced training and expertise in addressing the unique challenges and potential complications associated with pregnancy.

[19:15] “I also work at South Community Birth Program” 

The South Community Birth Program (SCBP) is a health clinic based in Vancouver, Canada, open to all pregnant people. The SCBP is staffed by a group of physicians, registered midwives, nurses and doulas. SCBP provides care during pregnancy, labour and birth, and six weeks postpartum.

[19:31] “But there is recent research that has shown that in high income countries, when they look at people who’ve had a first stillbirth, they actually are more likely in their next pregnancy to either have another stillbirth or to have a complication in pregnancy. 

Resources

• Butterfly Run Vancouver perinatal loss support group
• Anya Mostrenko – registered clinical counselor
• Become a Butterfly Run race day volunteer
  

Glossary of terms, non-medical

• Bereavement box: a box used for storing mementos that may be personalized with the baby’s name, picture or some other design element. Bereavement boxes can provide a special place to keep memory aids. Contact your local hospital to speak with a social worker if you are interested in donating items for a bereavement box.
• Compound grief: also known as cumulative grief; occurs when several losses pile up over one another.
• Ambiguous loss: when a baby is stillborn, parents and family members may struggle for years to find out why the baby died, if answers even exist. . Surviving siblings may grieve a baby who died before they were born. Society may dismiss stillbirth as an invisible death, yet the grief parents and families experience after a stillbirth can be lifelong.
• Mourning rituals: ways of honouring your child such as taking pictures, making molds of their hand and foot prints, and/or saving a lock of their hair.
• Continued bonds: connection that extends beyond the life of a loved one. Examples of continuing bonds include using your baby’s name in stories, keeping a journal about them, wearing jewellery, or visiting places that remind you of them.
• Self activism: the sense of empowerment that follows a loss as one seeks to change the world around them for the better. Some examples include raising awareness of, and reducing the stigma around stillbirth, advocating for improved care for the bereaved, and offering support to other bereaved parents.
• Complicated grief: ongoing, heightened state of mourning that keeps you from healing. Symptoms may include: intense sorrow, emotional pain, and rumination over the loss of your loved one.

Quotes

• “Grief is like the ocean”, quote by Vicky Harrison
• “You don’t know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice”, quote by Bob Marley

Medical glossary of terms

• Placental abruption: The placenta is a round organ that forms in the early part of pregnancy in the uterus. It supports the growth and well-being of the pregnancy in a number of ways through its connection to the developing baby through the umbilical cord.  Placental abruption occurs in 1 in 100 people when the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus too early, before the baby is born.
• Hemorrhaging: The loss of a lot of blood in a short period of time. This can occur for various reasons during pregnancy and childbirth. Bleeding may happen internally (inside the body) or externally (outside the body).
• Hemorrhaging from placental abruption: Placental abruption may cause hemorrhaging.
• D&C: Dilation and curettage (D&C) is a procedure to remove tissue from inside the uterus through the cervix.
• Low iron levels from hemorrhaging: It is common to have low iron levels after a placental abruption with hemorrhaging. When this happens you may feel weak, short of breath or lightheaded.