Jessica Petit

Mom of Jamie who passed away in early 2020

“I was pregnant with my second child and we decided on a home birth since my first hostile birth was traumatic. Once I established whom my home birth midwife was and which new hospital I was going to get Co-care at, I was already 12 weeks. We went in for our first patient appointment and the midwife could not find a heartbeat so she suggested we get an ultrasound. My ultrasound was 2 days later and we heard the words no one ever wants to hear. ‘I'm sorry but there's no heartbeat.’ I had what was called a missed miscarry and my son died at 8 weeks and I got a D and C at 13 weeks. We named our son Jamie.”

Jessica attended our monthly Miscarriage and Early Pregnancy Loss Support Group following her loss, which she now co-facilitates monthly!

At the time of your loss, what did you find most helpful?

The pandemic happened and I was stubborn and refused to do anything online, so I turned to exercise as a way to process feelings.

Lately, what resources are you turning to for support?

I follow Instagram and Facebook accounts such as Gathering Hope, ihadmiscarriage, miscarriagemomma, Blue Dot Project, Postpartum Support International. I read books like Bearing the Unbearable by Joanne Cacciatore, My Little Jellybean by Brandylynn Snyder, and It's Ok That You're Not Ok by Megan Devine. I also attend Empty Arms support groups and I wrote my own book about my journey: Postpartum Healing: A Woman's Journey by Jessica Petit.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about your loss?

I didn't realize how long grief lasts and how it ebbs and flows and it'll always pop its head up and anniversaries are really hard as well as holidys

Jessica and her family live in South Carolina