Unexpecting
Real Talk on Pregnancy Loss
About
What to Expect When You're No Longer Expecting
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.
"The guide that all parents experiencing pregnancy loss need when leaving the hospital grief-stricken, without a baby in their arms."--LINDSEY M. HENKE, founder of Pregnancy After Loss Support
Endorsements
"Rachel Lewis has created THE guide that all parents experiencing pregnancy loss need when leaving the hospital grief-stricken, without a baby in their arms. In Unexpecting, Rachel wraps you in a warm embrace and takes your hand as she gently walks you--the newly bereaved--through your heartbreaking 'new normal' of what to expect when you are no longer expecting."
Lindsey M. Henke, MSW, LICSW, founder of Pregnancy After Loss Support
"Rachel has an authenticity that few are able to convey with such compassion. She is relatable because she's been there. She's struggled with the same faith questions and platitudes and has done the work to find where her strength and joy truly come from. She doesn't shy away from hard things that we all-too-often like to avoid or wrap with bows to cover up the heartache, and she shares her heart in the most positive and uplifting way."
Lori Ennis, MS Ed, editor, Still Standing Magazine
"Rachel's book provides a much-needed resource for a common, yet rarely spoken of, time in many women's lives. She speaks tenderly and yet candidly about the physical and emotional experience of losing a baby, providing reassurance to any parent who reads her words. I have had multiple children pass away at various ages, and this book would have been an invaluable resource during those times."
Diana Stone, editor, Still Standing Magazine
"After experiencing miscarriage and stillbirth, I searched for community and that is exactly what I found while reading Unexpecting. Rachel's writing is validating of an experience that others urge you to ignore. She helps you embrace the heartbreak of loss and reminds you that you're not alone in doing so."
Rachel Whalen, author of An Unexpected Family Outing blog
"Unexpecting is a comprehensive, gentle, and real conversation with a friend who intimately understands the complexities and heartache involved in pregnancy loss. Rachel compassionately helps parents who have lost a baby navigate the unrecognizable land of life after loss, all while assuring them their grief is valid and necessary."
Jenny Albers, loss mom, founder of the Still Loved pregnancy and infant loss community, and author
"Rachel Lewis is a well-known inspirational leader for women who've navigated infertility and pregnancy loss. She speaks into the lives of women with vulnerability, hope, and encouragement. Across the nation, women read her words so they can connect with someone who offers them truth and light in a time of personal darkness."
Sarah Philpott, PhD, founder of Loved Baby Support Group, author of Loved Baby
"The power in Rachel's story is matched only by the strength of her writing. Her ability to connect at a soul level with her readers is a rare gift. Hurting moms will be heartened by her message of hope, hard-earned through her own struggles to build a family."
Kathi Lipp, bestselling author
"Rachel Lewis is a powerful storyteller. Part of what makes her writing so captivating is that she holds nothing back, sharing experiences and the resulting emotions that so many women can relate to (pregnancy loss, self-doubt, sadness) but are unable to talk about themselves. Her voice represents all of us who have lost a child. I would snap up her book in an instant!"
Heather Morgan Shott, former editor in chief of Momtastic and Today Show contributor
"Rachel Lewis does a masterful job of portraying the heartbreaking reality of miscarriage, infertility, and loss with an honesty and rawness that draws readers in and lets them know they are not alone. But, in a stunning way, she weaves a beautiful tapestry of hope and strength, even through the darkness, through her words in Unexpecting. This is a must-read for any person who has personally gone through this type of loss."
Mike Berry, author of Winning the Heart of Your Child
"I personally haven't experienced pregnancy loss, but Rachel's words always draw me in and captivate the readers on our website. She has a way of igniting compassion for those who have dealt with loss while simultaneously teaching and leading gently through a topic many people see as taboo. Her words captivate and teach all at the same time, and I have no doubt that her message will help many people."
Meredith Ethington, author, Mom Life; editor, That's Inappropriate
"As the editor for the Mommies Enduring Neonatal Death (M.E.N.D.) magazine, I see firsthand how personal stories of loss and infertility benefit and encourage families who struggle to travel the same road. Rachel's unique way of writing captures every moment and thought, the battles within our hearts and minds. While we struggle to make sense of it all, Rachel's experience and insight help us to understand our own grief of empty arms. While pregnancy loss is very common, there are not enough resources to minister to us during this journey. Rachel has that ability to reach women in a way others cannot."
Jennifer Harrison, writer and editor, M.E.N.D. magazine
"The journey after pregnancy loss is often a lonely, unlit path, full of the unknown. Through her writing, Rachel becomes a gentle guide for the reader--shining a light on the path and leading them through the twists and turns that follow loss. As a woman who has experienced pregnancy loss firsthand, I found encouragement and hope in Rachel's story and her trust in God throughout her journey."
Kim Nowlin, life coach and former pastor
"Rachel has the ability to draw you in, tell a story, and educate you, no matter what topic she is covering. I have had the pleasure of working with Rachel, as she served on my leadership team for a local pregnancy loss support group. Her invaluable experience and words helped many people feel as though someone understood them. Rachel truly has a gift for putting her thoughts on paper, and it is through her struggles that she writes what so few are able to and reaches families who are struggling with loss."
Stacy McGhee, M.E.N.D. chapter director for NW Washington
The Author
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© Delayna Schneider Rachel Lewis
Rachel Lewis (www.thelewisnote.com) is the founder of Brave Mamas, an online community offering support to thousands of bereaved moms. Rachel is a well-known contributor to Still Standing magazine and Pregnancy After Loss Support. She's the creator of...
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