Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month

Nearly everyone in America knows that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  We’ve all seen the pink cleats and gloves worn by football players, the “Save the Tatas” decals on cars and wrist bands, and countless pink ribbons on everything from shopping bags to charm bracelets.  Breast cancer awareness is, without a doubt, one of the most important and recognizable causes in the world.  Because it is so recognizable, it easily overshadows another worthy cause, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.

As part of an industry that was built on bringing joy and happiness to pregnant women, it may seem a little odd that we would want to discuss such a horrific and depressing topic in our first blog post.  The truth is, we think it would be odd if we didn’t.

For mothers, infant loss is the hardest loss to endure.  Such a loss takes a serious toll on the well-being of the entire family.  In many cases, such a loss is just a very sad reality of life.  There is simply nothing that could’ve been done to prevent it.  However, there are many steps that can be taken to drastically reduce the risk of pregnancy and infant loss.

According to the CDC, a woman’s health is the most important factor in pregnancy-related health outcomes.   That means the very best way to prevent infant loss is for mom to take great care of herself.  Below are a few healthy behaviors the CDC recommends for all women of reproductive age:

• Take folic acid
• Maintain a heathy diet and weight
• Be physically active
• Quit tobacco use
• Don’t drink excessive amounts of alcohol or use “street” drugs
• Attend regular and preventative healthcare visits
• Prevent injuries by considering the safety of your home and family (wear seat belt, take CPR, install smoke detectors, etc.)

For every 1,000 babies born in 2013, six died before their first birthday.  Our goal is not to scare you, but to encourage you.  We want to do our part to help all mommies reduce the risk of pregnancy and infant loss in their families.  As moms, we know it isn’t always easy to take care of ourselves.  In fact, us moms often put everyone else’s needs and well-being ahead of our own.  But as moms we also understand sacrifice.  This month, we encourage you to spend some time taking care of yourself and making the necessary changes to reduce the risk of pregnancy and infant loss in your life.  We also encourage you pray for those that have experienced such a devastating loss.