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Bereavement

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My baby's funeral this week

214 replies

AnxiousKeziah · 21/04/2015 22:23

And am broken. Devastated. Isolated.
No one wants to know when no baby comes home. Everyone comes when a new life is in a house.
So alone with awful thoughts. My dh is broken, not able to support me at all and I am, just angry with the whole world; raging at the unfairness.

After 10yrs of ttc, infertility treatment - we have a funeral. He never came home. I feel I failed him. Am on maternity leave - had plans for perhaps going to baby groups and making connection, people to meet up with at parks/over coffee, maybe even a friend. Bought tiny baby clothes, nappies, lanisoh and looked up local sling library. Thought about names, what he would look like. Would he look like ds? Got ds baby things our of loft - what not given away. Age 40, my dreams of what for me was normal and what many people have easily, were to be realised.

No longer felt punished - not good enough to have more than one child. Went without holidays, ran an ancient car, no treats to fund medical bills. Life of ds put on hold to try to give him a sibling, to quench that desire in me I could not quash. As soon as had first scan that desire ceased. We were complete. Found out a second boy. That was just fine - any child was a blessing.

Then it all started going wrong - my fears were realised. Baby stillbiirth, too poorly plus had IUGR and on top it was too much for us all to bear.

And this week we bury him. Bury a child we never got to know. Never got to change a nappy for or dress. His brother never met him. We bury our homes and dreams.

I have wanted to yell and shout and scream at everyone who told me, we had a miscarriage and went on to have multiple number of children, or even had a death and had 3 beautiful daughters for eg. Firstly, my son is dead. Nothing can change it. Secondly this is the end of the road - there is no more money for expensive medical bills to try to conceive and maintain a oregnancy. More importantly I obviously have few healthy eggs left.

After 10yrs of longing we are burying our precious son.

And only one person had visited us in the weeks inbetween. How many if I had brought home a baby or had a baby in NICU? People offer support for babies, ignore losses. Feel so alone. Had a card today from a person expecting a baby same time as me; saying not coming to the funeral. No - she has everything I have lost. And so does everyone I see around me, with bumps, pushing prams, with grandparents. We have no family, no grandparents to push a pram here.

I am selfish. One person accused me if behaving as if my one dc was not enough; whilst they had chosen to have 3 healthy children. Why have more than 1 of what she said was true - one is enough.

He needs a sibling. I needed a baby to hold in my arms, to feed, to nurture.

Life decided I needed a funeral. A funeral bill not a childcare bill. A gaping whole in the ground and a gaping wound in my heart that can never heal.

OP posts:
BeaufortBelle · 22/04/2015 20:40

Been thinking of you all day too. Not least because what you are going through now is what I went through nearly 20 years ago. The hardest thing of all was my DH and me dealing with each other's grief when we hadn't gone through anything like that together before, couldn't handle our own, and didn't know how to handle each other when we were at rock bottom. 20 years later we have also lost a parent each and have grown together and shared our highs and lows and understand now how we each react and what the other needs when the very serious stuff happens. It doesn't necessarily come naturally in even the best marriages but somehow you find a way.

I think it's extra cruel that these things happen in the early years of a relationship/marriage (and I mean the first 10) when you haven't together necessarily dealt with other griefs. It's an additional "bereavement" of support to deal with it. But give it time please, because it will come when it is all a little less raw.

Thinking of you, praying for you, and loving you and yours. >>hugs

BeaufortBelle · 22/04/2015 21:02

Am also wondering if "the Woollies" could step in at this stage. The woollies arrange for little blankets to be made for bereaved parents as a keepsake to hang on to; to represent the loving that there is. Would that help OP?

EnriqueTheRingBearingLizard · 22/04/2015 21:51

You don't know me Keziah, but I would like to offer you, Dylan and your family some love and support Flowers

In time you'll come to understand that we don't earn or deserve the life of our loved ones; life is so much more fragile than that and it doesn't come with any reference to how we ourselves have lived or worked or loved to earn it.

Please do all be kind and gentle to yourselves and try hard not to rail against the world. Life really isn't fair and none of us know the whys and wherefores as to how it pans out. I can feel and sense your pain and hurt, like we all can and wish I could say something or do something that would help.
I am so, so sorry that Dylan couldn't be with you for longer.

50ShadesofXmas · 22/04/2015 21:53

I am so very sorry for you, the loss of your baby boy, Dylan Charles. It was not your fault and you are not to blame. Your pain is so raw and evident in what you write.
Please know that we hold your hand tonight.

Preminstreltension · 22/04/2015 22:04

Keziah I'm so sorry. This must feel so desolate and empty. And so sad that DP can't bring you comfort at this time when you need each other most.

How is your DS1 reacting?

Thoughts and strength from me x

EllieFredrickson · 22/04/2015 22:18

Keziah

You and Dylan have been in my thoughts today. X

Crazyqueenofthecatladies · 23/04/2015 00:22

I lit a candle tonight. Please don't be MM x

GraysAnalogy · 23/04/2015 00:25

So so sorry for your loss.

3littlebadgers · 23/04/2015 04:33

Kehzia, my baby daughter was stillborn 42 days ago. She was overdue and it was totally unexpected. My heart is shattered into a million pieces that I just can't put together. I understand how you feel. I wish I could help how you feel, but I can't, all I can do is understand. Facing the next minute ahead is terrifying and confusing and so full of pain. I am sending you all my love from one mummy to another x

ChishandFips33 · 23/04/2015 06:14

So sorry for your loss too Badgers Life is just not fair

Lolly86 · 23/04/2015 06:18

I'm so so sorry for your loss x

Dumdedumdedum · 23/04/2015 06:32

Oh, dear Lord, I logged on to see how you were doing after the funeral, Keziah. 3littlebadgers, my heart bleeds for you, too. Wishing you both the strength to keep on and survive this agony. More virtual hugs (it's all I can do).

Justusemyname · 23/04/2015 07:48

I'm so sorry 3littlebadgersSad.

HootyMcTooty · 23/04/2015 07:54

3littlebadgers, I'm so so sorry for your loss too, my heart is breaking for you and keziah. Sending you strength and love Flowers

Northernlurker · 23/04/2015 08:14

3littlebadgers I'm so, so sorry.

Keziah - thinking of you. With regard to eating and cooking, it's a very normal reaction to grief to be unable to do this. Sometimes even swallowing can feel like an effort. For you I would suggest thinking about tinned soup and ice cream. Easy to eat, no prep time and will keep you going. It probably feels additionally hurtful that you husband hasn't struggled with this but just used everything you'd prepared? That is hard but it does reflect that people's bodies to react differently to grief. He's going to have get familiar with ready meals for a bit I think.

niminypiminy · 23/04/2015 08:31

3littlebadgers and Keziah, thinking of you as you start another day without your beloved little ones.

BeaufortBelle · 23/04/2015 08:43

With love to Keziah, 3littlebadgers and all who are suffering in this way. I have suffered it and remember it. Be kind to yourselves.

Newquay · 23/04/2015 09:33

Keziah and 3littlebadgers - I'm so sorry. I hope that seeing how much support there is for you through MN will give you some strength to simply breathe, eat and sleep. I cannot imagine your agony but, like everyone, I limp for you both as I think of your pain. Your babies knew they were very loved by you.

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 23/04/2015 11:40

Oh Badgers - so sorry to hear of your loss too, just devastating :( Thanks

Itscurtainsforyou · 23/04/2015 11:56

Keziah - I am so sorry. I lost babies in similar circumstances a couple of years ago and it's devastating.
Everything you described struck a chord with me.

There is no making sense of what happened, there never will be. Over time I've been able to think of my boys without crying (although not always) and have begun to enjoy time with their big brother again (similar age to yours) but the loss never goes away.

We are here to talk if you need us.

ChillySundays · 23/04/2015 13:39

I am so sorry 3litttle badgers.

Although early days for you I hope that Itscurtainsforyou's post has helped in so far as there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

AnxiousKeziah · 23/04/2015 15:00

Thank you for so many posts - the kindness of strangers is overwhelming.

Off to read the whole thread now so can reply properly.

The service was beautifully heartbreaking, a warm spring day and the vicar was comforting in the service.

OP posts:
PacificDogwood · 23/04/2015 17:19

Keziah and 3littlebadgers and all mothers with empty arms Thanks

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 23/04/2015 18:49

Keziah- I never normally post on these threads. I haven't been personally affected by bereavement in this way and I always feel that anything I could say would sound hollow. But I wanted to you know that there is another stranger out there who has been thinking of you, and holding Dylan in my thoughts over the last few days.

I am so sorry. So, so sorry. I wish I knew you in RL so that I could just sit with you.

BeaufortBelle · 23/04/2015 19:35

I am glad the service was a comfort and helped you. I have thought long and hard about posting this but although my son would be 18 this summer, it has given me great comfort to have had a headstone (I know others who have a plant and/or a plaque in memorial gardens) and I still visit it often and sometimes just sit and talk to him. I imagine him as he might be now (Like you I have an older son). He will always be my second son; nothing will ever stop that but it doesn't hurt like it used to - not so much and not so often and it is bearable.