Trigger Warning: miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and pregnancy loss

Instead of our usual birth after cesarean story, this week, we are continuing to honor Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month by hearing our very own co-host, Lily Wyn, share her experiences with pregnancy loss. Lily’s first pregnancy ended in an early miscarriage, and her second was an ectopic pregnancy that resulted in losing her baby and one of her fallopian tubes. Her two stories of loss were deeply influential in her VBAC journey and have helped shape her into the Lily that we know and love today.

You are invited to attend this “TMI class with Lily,” where she shares the physical and emotional details of pregnancy loss that no one really talks about, but that she wished someone had told her. We believe so much in the power of sharing so others don’t feel alone. If you are currently going through pregnancy or infant loss, or if you are preparing for a birth after a loss, we see you and send all of our love.

Love Wyns Doula

Episode 379 Lily's 66-Hour Waterbirth VBACGlenn Fertility and Wellness

Episode 342 CNM Paige Boran + Lily's VBAC Prep

Find a VBAC Doula

The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents

Online VBAC Doula Training

“This VBAC was so redemptive for me because I felt like it was the first time my body did the things that it was designed to do without the intervention of medicine or doctors. I feel like it healed so many wounds in my soul.”

Sarah was diagnosed with hormone-positive breast cancer at 29, which involved treatment, fertility preservation, and wondering if her body would ever be able to do anything right. After 3 years of hormone suppression, she was cleared to try and get pregnant naturally. Sarah’s birth ended in a cesarean due to arrest of descent, which left her doubting my body again. 3.5 years later, her second baby was born through a redemptive, powerful, primal, and healing unmedicated VBAC!

National Breast Cancer Foundation

The VBAC Link Blog: Failure to Progress

Find a VBAC Doula

The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents

Online VBAC Doula Training

“Our first daughter, Violet, was born at 30 weeks via C-section due to a variety of health complications. She died 12 days later in the NICU, and we love and miss her so much. We were not aware until after she died that she had a fatal condition called triploidy, which was misdiagnosed as Dandy-Walker. 6.5 months later, through immense fear and grief, I became pregnant with our second daughter, Valerie, and I was lucky to find an amazing VBAC-friendly practice that believed in me despite the short interval between births. Valerie was born at 40+5 after 44.5 hours of labor, and her birth had my doula saying, ‘I’ve never seen this happen before!’

I hope my happy ending provides hope and inspiration to listeners, especially those who have experienced loss.”

Rachel’s story is packed with SO MUCH, including but not limited to infant loss, chromosomal abnormality, miracles, a 16.5-month interval between births, pregnancy after loss, hospital VBAC, long labor, doula support, and pivoting from unmedicated plans to an epidural and Pitocin as helpful tools.

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month is a tender time, and we feel passionately that listening to women tell their stories of loss helps us become kinder, softer, and stronger together. We honor Rachel, Valerie, and sweet Violet's memory today.

Baby Loss

The VBAC Link Blog: What to Say After Miscarriage or Stillbirth

The VBAC Link Blog: Length Between Pregnancies

Find a VBAC Doula

The Ultimate VBAC Prep Course for Parents

Online VBAC Doula Training