Surviving My First Year of Child Loss

by Nathalie Himmelrich

A stunning collection of real, heartbreaking, yet hopeful stories written by a community of bereaved parents who courageously share their first year of grief.
– Carly Marie Dudley, Project Heal

The death of a baby, whether through miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal loss, or the death of an older child, is the worst experience a parent can endure. Parents often don't know how – or if – they will survive such an earth-shattering event. Just as each individual’s grief journey is different, so is each parent’s experience.

This book includes twenty-six heart-wrenchingly honest essays by parents who convey their personal challenges and the ways they coped during the first twelve months after losing their children.

This book shows you how to:
- Build resilience in the midst of despair and hopelessness
- Nurture your mind, body, and soul as you grieve
- Discover hope without masking the reality of your pain
- Find ways to live with purpose, not just survive
- Feel supported and know that you are not alone

This book also helps friends and family understand a grieving parent's struggle and how best to provide support. Let this book be your companion on your grief journey or as you support the bereaved.

210 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2017

About the author

Nathalie's professional background is as a relationship and grief recovery coach. As a bereaved mother herself she believes that supportive relationships (intimate and to other support people) are the foundation for a healthy grieving experience.

She loves helping people find their way back to a life of joy, laughter and happiness through her role as a Transformational Coach & Counsellor in her business Reach for the Sky Counselling & Coaching.

It is her passion to write and re-think human behaving and emoting. She is processing her experiences through her own writing. You can also read her blog written from the perspective of my daughter: Ananda Mae’s blog - Letters to Hope, where she writes letter to her identical twin sister, who left her body at the age of 3 days following being born with Potter’s Syndrome.

In life she holds Ananda Mae’s hand, in my heart she holds Amya’s presence and the memory of two miscarriages.
¸.•´*¨`*•✿ Nathalie Himmelrich
❥ My website: www.nathaliehimmelrich.com
❥ About the book: www.grievingparents.net

Reviews

[Karen Prisco · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I'd only be able to read one or two of the essays a day but my reading compulsion took over and I 'had' to finish it. I found the essays easy to read and I felt the unique sense of hope and courage in each persons story more than the grief and heartbreak. I felt connected to the other contributers and felt I was in a 'safe' place to journey with them but not 'carry' them because the essays were giving rather than taking from me emotionally.
The thought of reading the book was quite confronting and I had to force myself to start, the first few essays were hard but I was determined not to give up. As I read I became consciously aware of the connected/collective grief which enabled me to move through the book more easily. I realised I didn't need to take on 'more' the grief was the same it was how we managed to take those first few tentative steps away from the epicentre that was different. I had thought that reading the essays would smother me in the grief of others but once I figured out the contributers weren't emptying their bucket of grief on the reader but filling the readers bucket with love and hope it wasn't so diificult to travel through the book. Each of the contributors took steps that honoured their child(ren) and their grief the book has become less a book on grief but more a book on love.

[Joy Simon Bornstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS is the book I wish I'd had after my son died.
I love how real, relatable, and heartfelt this book is. Each story reaches out to touch the reader and connect them to the supporting community of loss parents, to let them know they're NOT alone and that there is, somehow, a way to live without one or more of your children. This book is obviously a heartfelt work of love from each of the contributors.

[Tina Su · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is THE book I was waiting for, one that gives me hope on this hard and lonely journey. The contributors share their personal experience on how they are traveling this road of child loss. I know I will always recommend this book to any family grieving their child, no matter the age or reason of why they died. It is a well needed resource for parents as well as people who support them.

[Saskia Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a truly remarkable collection of stories written by bereaved parents. When you are faced with the soul destroying loss of your child, be it during pregnancy, or childhood, even into adulthood, it is beyond comforting to read stories from other parents and to feel that you are not so alone.

If you have lost a child, I am truly sorry for your loss and send you lots of love. Buy this book, I promise it will help at least a tiny bit. Most of all, remember that we all grieve differently, be kind to yourself and do whatever it takes to get through the days.

If someone you know, has lost a child, buy this book and hand it over with a big hug and an “I am sorry for your loss, I am here if you need me”

[Sarah Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

After losing our son Rowan in March, I had a huge need to read other people's stories. All of the ones on stillbirth are identical to what happened to us. It was somewhat comforting to not feel like the only person this has happened to, but it's such a terrible thing to go through. I hope noone else will need to buy a copy of this book. Thank you every person who has shared their stories. Seeing other people being able to continue living made me realize that I could surely do the same. And that there is room to love and grieve at the same time.