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After Miscarriage: A Catholic Woman's Companion to Healing and Hope
After A Catholic Woman's Companion to Healing and Hope is a book about grief, healing, and hope after miscarriage. Not afraid to examine the raw emotions that accompany such an experience, the author tells women that they are not alone in reacting strongly, even frighteningly, to their loss and reassures them that hope and healing will come. Having experienced multiple miscarriages herself, Karen shares excerpts from her personal journals, as well as other women's stories, rich quotes about grieving and the healing process, and practical advice. A helpful resource section includes a wide variety of information from both Catholic and secular sources.
132 pages, Paperback
First published February 13, 2012
2 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Karen Edmisten
8 books13 followersAuthor of After Miscarriage, Companion Book of Catholic Days, Deathbed Conversions, You Can Share the Faith: Reaching Out One Person at a Time, Through the Year With Mary, and The Rosary.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 30, 2012
I read this entire book mere days after my miscarriage, when the grief and devastation were still so raw and unrelenting. My heart and soul were crying for answers. I always turn to books when I need more information, but this time I needed more than information—so much more—and I found it in After Miscarriage: A Catholic Woman's Companion to Healing & Hope by Karen Edmisten.
This book is perfectly titled. It won't give you long-winded insensitive medical theories. Instead, it addresses the all-too-often overlooked issues of how much a woman's heart and soul and faith are wounded by miscarriage. A woman needs to know she's not alone or overreacting in feeling like her world has ended, and the real-life stories in this book give you that sense of shared suffering. They helped me to wrap my mind around the hard reality, but in a completely compassionate, therapeutic way.
The connection with other women and their stories is made even deeper because we share the same faith, yet with an understanding that faith doesn't mean that miscarriage is easier for us or any less devastating. It also lets you know that that no matter what anyone may think or say, you have the right to mourn and remember your child—no matter how tiny that child, no matter how short a time your child lived. It is perfectly normal to love and miss your child beyond measure.
And as a Catholic, the fact that my baby had not been able to be Baptized before dying, hit hard. I found immense comfort in the words in this book: “[God] loves our babies even more than we are able, and the best thing we can do is to place all our trust and hope in Him. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: 'God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments' (CCC, #1257). In other words, God gives us the rules ('Baptism is necessary for salvation') because we need them, but He can 'break' His own rules.”
After Miscarriage is priceless, yet it is so extremely affordable that every Catholic woman who has experienced a miscarriage should own a copy. It is full of true stories, facts, quotes, and helpful resources, including information on supportive websites and memorial items. This book is also compact enough so that if you did want to carry it with you in your purse, you could. Chapters are short enough so that you can easily stop and start reading as needed, or as you can handle. Yes, you most likely will cry reading it. I knew I would, but . . . I was crying anyway. We need to. Only then can the healing begin.
A book dealing specifically with miscarriage for Catholic women is long overdue. Think about it: Catholic women, in their willingness to be mothers (and in their complete rejection of contraception) are likely to become pregnant more often than many women. And since statistics show that about one in five pregnancies ends in miscarriage, a Catholic woman's chances of facing a miscarriage are, sadly, rather high. As the author of this book said after multiple miscarriages: “For me, being open to life means being open to death.”
The author and all those contributing stories to After Miscarriage were very brave and charitable in their willingness to revisit the pain and share with others in hopes of helping them heal. I count myself blessed that this book was available for me when I desperately went searching for something . . . something to help.
And it has. More than two months after my miscarriage, I reread After Miscarriage. I still cried, but not as much. I found more words of wisdom to help me heal. And now, finally, I was able to write this review.
Another step toward healing and hope.
Reviewed by Therese Heckenkamp, author of Past Suspicion and Frozen Footprints
http://www.thereseheckenkamp.com
This book is perfectly titled. It won't give you long-winded insensitive medical theories. Instead, it addresses the all-too-often overlooked issues of how much a woman's heart and soul and faith are wounded by miscarriage. A woman needs to know she's not alone or overreacting in feeling like her world has ended, and the real-life stories in this book give you that sense of shared suffering. They helped me to wrap my mind around the hard reality, but in a completely compassionate, therapeutic way.
The connection with other women and their stories is made even deeper because we share the same faith, yet with an understanding that faith doesn't mean that miscarriage is easier for us or any less devastating. It also lets you know that that no matter what anyone may think or say, you have the right to mourn and remember your child—no matter how tiny that child, no matter how short a time your child lived. It is perfectly normal to love and miss your child beyond measure.
And as a Catholic, the fact that my baby had not been able to be Baptized before dying, hit hard. I found immense comfort in the words in this book: “[God] loves our babies even more than we are able, and the best thing we can do is to place all our trust and hope in Him. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: 'God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments' (CCC, #1257). In other words, God gives us the rules ('Baptism is necessary for salvation') because we need them, but He can 'break' His own rules.”
After Miscarriage is priceless, yet it is so extremely affordable that every Catholic woman who has experienced a miscarriage should own a copy. It is full of true stories, facts, quotes, and helpful resources, including information on supportive websites and memorial items. This book is also compact enough so that if you did want to carry it with you in your purse, you could. Chapters are short enough so that you can easily stop and start reading as needed, or as you can handle. Yes, you most likely will cry reading it. I knew I would, but . . . I was crying anyway. We need to. Only then can the healing begin.
A book dealing specifically with miscarriage for Catholic women is long overdue. Think about it: Catholic women, in their willingness to be mothers (and in their complete rejection of contraception) are likely to become pregnant more often than many women. And since statistics show that about one in five pregnancies ends in miscarriage, a Catholic woman's chances of facing a miscarriage are, sadly, rather high. As the author of this book said after multiple miscarriages: “For me, being open to life means being open to death.”
The author and all those contributing stories to After Miscarriage were very brave and charitable in their willingness to revisit the pain and share with others in hopes of helping them heal. I count myself blessed that this book was available for me when I desperately went searching for something . . . something to help.
And it has. More than two months after my miscarriage, I reread After Miscarriage. I still cried, but not as much. I found more words of wisdom to help me heal. And now, finally, I was able to write this review.
Another step toward healing and hope.
Reviewed by Therese Heckenkamp, author of Past Suspicion and Frozen Footprints
http://www.thereseheckenkamp.com
April 19, 2016
Karen Edmisten was gracious enough to donate a copy of After Miscarriage: A Catholic Woman's Companion to Healing and Hope to my church's Elizabeth Ministry. I count myself blessed and lucky for having had the opportunity to read and review this beautiful book.
Not only is Edmisten’s book full of comfort and inspiration, it is very easy to read. I would liken it to Chicken Soup for the Soul for those who have had a miscarriage. The small book is divided into short chapters with various contributions from different authors, including some beautiful poems.
While I myself have been spared (so far) from the tragedy of a miscarriage, I have family members and friends who have had to suffer this great loss. As a reviewer of this book, I got glimpse at what these women endure. Edmisten's book would be my number one recommendation for a mother or a couple who has experienced the loss of a child. After Miscarriage would also be an excellent book to read if you are a brother, a sister, or a friend of loved one who has suffered a miscarriage. It will give you, the outside party, a perspective on the loss. It will help you from unintentionally saying insensitive things. It will help give you confidence to administer comfort. The idea of grieving a child that you have not officially "met" might be hard to understand. There is a quote in Edmisten's book that says "once they are loved, they are missed." I think that about sums it up for couples who lose a pregnancy. Though it may be difficult to explain how deeply you feel your loss, it is a loss nonetheless.
Not only is Edmisten’s book full of comfort and inspiration, it is very easy to read. I would liken it to Chicken Soup for the Soul for those who have had a miscarriage. The small book is divided into short chapters with various contributions from different authors, including some beautiful poems.
While I myself have been spared (so far) from the tragedy of a miscarriage, I have family members and friends who have had to suffer this great loss. As a reviewer of this book, I got glimpse at what these women endure. Edmisten's book would be my number one recommendation for a mother or a couple who has experienced the loss of a child. After Miscarriage would also be an excellent book to read if you are a brother, a sister, or a friend of loved one who has suffered a miscarriage. It will give you, the outside party, a perspective on the loss. It will help you from unintentionally saying insensitive things. It will help give you confidence to administer comfort. The idea of grieving a child that you have not officially "met" might be hard to understand. There is a quote in Edmisten's book that says "once they are loved, they are missed." I think that about sums it up for couples who lose a pregnancy. Though it may be difficult to explain how deeply you feel your loss, it is a loss nonetheless.
December 28, 2017
A great resource, with more resources in the back, for anyone who has experienced a miscarriage.
August 2, 2013
In June, we lost a baby as a result of an ectopic pregnancy. I bought this book shortly after and read through it bit by bit as I could. (It's strange how grief works. Some days it was difficult to keep reading, but I didn't really want to read anything else). I finished it last night and will go back to the beginning and start again.
Edmisten subtitled this book "A Catholic Woman's COMPANION to Healing & Hope" and that's truly what reading this book feels like-- connecting with other women who have experienced the sorrow of miscarriage and drawing love and hope from those connections. Edmisten weaves excerpts from her own journals together with reflections by other women, lovely quotes, and practical suggestions in order to touch the depth of emotion that accompanies a miscarriage.
As she reflects on God's presence during her own losses, Edmisten quotes from Isaiah 42: "I will lead the blind in a way that they know not, in paths that they have not known I will guide them." These lines reminded me of the excerpt from Lumen Fidei that says, "Faith is not a light which scatters all our darkness, but a lamp which guides our steps in the night and suffices for the journey." This little book is a beautiful traveling companion.
Edmisten subtitled this book "A Catholic Woman's COMPANION to Healing & Hope" and that's truly what reading this book feels like-- connecting with other women who have experienced the sorrow of miscarriage and drawing love and hope from those connections. Edmisten weaves excerpts from her own journals together with reflections by other women, lovely quotes, and practical suggestions in order to touch the depth of emotion that accompanies a miscarriage.
As she reflects on God's presence during her own losses, Edmisten quotes from Isaiah 42: "I will lead the blind in a way that they know not, in paths that they have not known I will guide them." These lines reminded me of the excerpt from Lumen Fidei that says, "Faith is not a light which scatters all our darkness, but a lamp which guides our steps in the night and suffices for the journey." This little book is a beautiful traveling companion.
June 19, 2024
Incredible and so healing to read
I had two back to back miscarriages and it was unbearably hard to process and emotionally unpack. This book had incredible stories, perspectives, quotes, prayers and more. It was incredibly healing to read and helped me process so much of my grief. I would recommend it to any mom going through the grief of losing a baby. Whether you are mad at God or feel frustrated with your situation there are so many stories of mom's who have been there and are here to love and help you through it.
I had two back to back miscarriages and it was unbearably hard to process and emotionally unpack. This book had incredible stories, perspectives, quotes, prayers and more. It was incredibly healing to read and helped me process so much of my grief. I would recommend it to any mom going through the grief of losing a baby. Whether you are mad at God or feel frustrated with your situation there are so many stories of mom's who have been there and are here to love and help you through it.
March 27, 2022
You will cry as you grieve, but you're definitely not alone. Even if you're not Catholic, this book makes you feel heard in the depths of your despair while pointing you to the One who can carry your burdens. His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30).
June 29, 2024
I read this book 3 weeks after my miscarriage and it was incredibly helpful. It provides better insight into the faith and the healing process. I recommend this book to every woman who has had a miscarriage.
April 9, 2015
This is definitely a good book to reflect on the gift of your baby. Like many women in this book, the grieving is extremely hard, but just like them all, I have turned to my God for strength and comfort.
Unfortunately, I lost my baby. I did not get a chance to hear his little heart beat. The Lord saved me from further pain and suffering. I have something good to hold on to though. I felt so much joy and so much happiness to dwell on my loss. I am thankful everyday that I at least got a chance to love my little baby with everything I had. What a surprise and truly wonderful gift from God to me - I had life within me.
Unfortunately, I lost my baby. I did not get a chance to hear his little heart beat. The Lord saved me from further pain and suffering. I have something good to hold on to though. I felt so much joy and so much happiness to dwell on my loss. I am thankful everyday that I at least got a chance to love my little baby with everything I had. What a surprise and truly wonderful gift from God to me - I had life within me.
October 20, 2021
This book was highly recommended to me after my recent miscarriage. While it was a quick and easy read (love the short chapters that I could read in the lulls of every day life) it didn't really do anything for me.
April 19, 2012
My review will be published as a Book Pick for the National Catholic Register in time for Mother's Day.
July 8, 2012
Reading this book has been a beautiful way to mourn my losses.
March 21, 2013
Every Catholic woman who experiences miscarriage should be given this book. A true gift during a horrible time of a woman's life. Thank you Karen Edmisten for writing this book!
May 13, 2015
Beautiful and sad, but profoundly sensitive and helpful with dealing with such a profound loss.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews