Confessions of a Grieving Mother

Listen as Jaime shares her feelings about getting the diagnosis of Down Syndrome and delivering Josiah preterm at 25 weeks gestation. Josiah lived for 21 days and passed away on November 15th, 2020. Jaime pumped her breast milk for six months and gave back to families in honor of Josiah. That is just the beginning of how she has shown up as his mother. 

All in for Allegheny is a special campaign dedicated to supporting families in our local community who have experienced a pregnancy or infant loss. Our goal is to raise $10,000 to provide emotional support, compassionate guidance, and financial assistance for burial, cremation, memorialization, and counseling services— helping families feel supported and less alone as they navigate their grief.We are inviting 100 families to give $100 or more in support of this effort. While this campaign focuses on families in Allegheny County, you do not need to live locally to participate. Families and supporters from anywhere who feel called to honor their baby’s life in this way are welcome to join us.Families and babies memorialized through this campaign will be lovingly honored at our Pittsburgh Memorial Walk this September, a time to gather, remember, and hold space together.Support this campaign here.

In this episode Julie and Khristina talk about what real support looks like after the loss of a baby. Drawing from their own experiences and the countless stories shared with Emma’s Footprints over the years, they unpack the practical, emotional, and deeply human ways people can show up for grieving parents—and the ways support can sometimes miss the mark.This episode is a compassionate guide for anyone wanting to support loved ones through pregnancy or infant loss, and an affirming reminder to grieving parents that their needs are valid, their feelings matter, and they are not alone.

Type of loss: Early term loss, life-limiting diagnosis, multiple lossesMore about this story: Tabby shares the story of her two precious babies, Elias Matthew Barton and Eden Marie Barton.Tabby’s journey to motherhood began with many challenges. Diagnosed with uterus didelphys, diminished ovarian reserve, and fallopian tubes that never attached to her ovaries, natural conception was not possible. IVF became the only path forward. After multiple rounds, Tabby and her husband welcomed three embryos. One resulted in an early term loss, another didn’t implant, and their final embryo became their daughter, Eden Marie.Eden’s story is extraordinary from the very beginning. Born at 32 weeks and 3 days, she entered the world with multiple rare and complex diagnoses, including Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, Pulmonary Hypertension, ALCAPA, and PAPVR. Despite arriving two months early and facing overwhelming odds, Eden surprised her medical team again and again. She was strong, spirited, and wonderfully unique—known for her sass, her bows, her blankets, and her love of mirrors, mobiles, and snuggles.Tabby shares the emotional journey of advocating for Eden across eight renowned children’s hospitals, hoping for a surgical path forward. Each declined, acknowledging the complexity of Eden’s anatomy and the low chance of survival. Yet Eden continued to shine. She fought with a fierce, radiant strength for 105 days in the NICU before going to her heavenly home.

Type of loss: Life limiting diagnosis, Infant lossMore about Sarah's story: Josie’s story is one of unimaginable strength, resilience, and love. From a prenatal diagnosis of a congenital heart defect and Down syndrome, to navigating a pregnancy with little support, Sarah opens up about the challenges she faced long before Josie entered the world. Born three months early at just 1 lb 14 oz, doctors warned she likely wouldn’t survive—but Josie had other plans.Over the course of six months, Josie defied the odds time and time again. Sarah shares of the three months they spent in a step-down unit, the hope surrounding Josie’s heart procedure, and the devastating complications that followed—including blood clots, strokes, infections, and ultimately cardiac arrest. Even after being placed on ECMO and fighting her way off, Josie’s body had endured more than most ever will. She passed peacefully in her mother’s arms, leaving behind a legacy far greater than her time on earth. Sarah honors Josie through two nonprofits: The Threefold Cord Project, which provides comfort boxes to NICU and pediatric cardiac ICU families, and Josie’s Wind Chimes of Hope, which gifts wind chimes to loss families within the Down syndrome community.Learn more about The Threefold Cord Project here.

Type of loss: Stillbirth, Delayed twin interval birthMore about Kara's Story: In this episode, Kara Catalano shares her journey through infertility, enduring seven unsuccessful rounds of IVF after being told she had less than a 1% chance of conceiving with her own eggs. On the eighth round, she finally received the news she had been praying for — she was pregnant with twins.But at her first ultrasound, the joy quickly turned to fear when she was told she should terminate one of the babies within 24–48 hours due to concerns about fluid levels. Kara opens up about the complex pregnancy that followed, including multiple losses and the experience of delayed twin interval birth, as she honors the love she has for each of her babies.Trusting her instincts, Kara chose to wait.A week later, a new doctor confirmed that both babies were doing well and there was no longer any need to consider termination. For a moment, hope returned. But at 17 weeks and 5 days, Kara went into spontaneous labor and delivered her daughter stillborn. In the midst of that devastating loss, something extraordinary happened — her son remained safely in the womb.What followed was a rare and complex medical situation known as a delayed twin interval birth. Kara carried her son for another 12 weeks before delivering him prematurely.

Type of Loss: Twin loss, stillbirthMore about this story: Cheyanne Horne shares the story of her twins, Mila and Maverick.Cheyanne’s journey to her babies was layered and complex — marked by infertility, medical complications, and the emotional weight that comes with fighting so hard to grow your family. After experiencing two previous pregnancies that resulted in her living children, this pregnancy carried both hope and history. But this chapter would unfold differently.

Type of loss: StillbirthMore about Lauren's story: Join us as we talk with with Lauren Cicero as she shares the story of her son, Joseph Anthony, Jr.Nearly halfway through her pregnancy, Lauren experienced a catastrophic uterine rupture caused by undiagnosed placenta percreta — a life-threatening condition where the placenta grows through the uterine wall. What followed was an emergency surgery to stop severe internal bleeding. Her son, Joseph Anthony, Jr., was stillborn. Lauren nearly lost her own life.In order to save her, doctors performed a full hysterectomy. She received 16 blood transfusions. At just 33 years old, Lauren awoke not only to the devastating loss of her baby boy, but also to the sudden loss of her fertility.

Type of loss: TMFR, Life-limiting diagnosisMore about Elizabeth's story: In this episode, Elizabeth Beadle shares the story of her son, Weston Arthur Beadle.Elizabeth and her husband were overjoyed to learn they were expecting their first baby boy. But at their anatomy scan, they received devastating news — doctors identified concerning markers suggesting Weston may have had a severe genetic condition causing shortened limbs and likely complications incompatible with life.In the face of unimaginable heartbreak, Elizabeth and her husband made the loving and agonizing decision to terminate the pregnancy for medical reasons (TFMR), knowing their son would likely pass before, during, or shortly after birth. At 24 weeks and 3 days, Elizabeth delivered Weston vaginally.In this conversation, Elizabeth shares her experience in her own words — the shock, the decision-making process, the grief, and the enduring love she carries for her son. This episode holds space for the complexity of TFMR, honoring the parents who make impossible choices rooted in profound love.

Not every episode has to hold tears, sometimes, it’s about laughter, connection, and getting to know the hearts behind the mission. In this lighthearted episode of Confessions of a Grieving Mother, we’re welcoming our newest team member, Lauren Kraynik, Executive Assistant at Emma’s Footprints, to the podcast! Lauren gives us a glimpse into her life behind the scenes — from her role supporting our team and keeping everything running smoothly, to her life as a wife to John and mom to Bradley and Henry.

Type of Loss: Stillbirth, Multiple LossesMore about Jade's Story: In this episode of Confessions of a Grieving Mother, Jade Buckley shares the story of her children, Arlo and Emmie, and the profound losses her family has endured.After welcoming her son Lucas in 2020, Jade and her partner decided to grow their family again, knowing pregnancy is physically challenging for her. Her pregnancy with Arlo was complicated, and at 37 weeks, Jade went to the hospital expecting monitoring and answers. Instead, she learned that Arlo no longer had a heartbeat. He was stillborn in February 2024 due to a true knot in his umbilical cord.Still longing to add to their family, Jade became pregnant again with Emmie. During an 18-week appointment, Emmie’s heartbeat could not be found, and Jade later learned her daughter died of heart failure.

As one year comes to a close and another begins, this final episode of our holiday series offers space to reflect, breathe, and look forward with gentle hope. Together, we recap the moments, themes, and lessons of 2025—both the heavy and the meaningful—while creating space to acknowledge the continued presence of grief alongside growth. We also look ahead to 2026 with intention, discussing how to carry our babies with us into a new year, set realistic expectations, and find grace for whatever comes. This episode is an invitation to reflect without pressure and to step forward with tenderness and courage.

Grief changes us—and often, it deepens our compassion in ways we never expected. In this episode, we explore intentional acts of kindness as a way to honor our babies and their legacy. Whether it’s paying it forward, serving another grieving family, volunteering, donating in your child’s name, or simply showing up for someone who is hurting, these acts become living tributes to the love we carry. Together, we reflect on how kindness can be healing, how it connects us to purpose, and how our babies continue to make an impact through our hearts and hands.

Rituals create rhythm, grounding, and special space for remembrance—especially in seasons filled with memory and emotion. In this episode of our holiday series, we talk about what rituals can look like after loss and how families can thoughtfully incorporate them into everyday life and holiday traditions. From lighting candles and saying names out loud to annual acts of remembrance and quiet moments of reflection, we explore how ritual doesn’t have to be elaborate to be powerful. Join us as we discuss how these sacred practices can help us grieve, remember, and continue carrying our babies with us in intentional ways.

The holidays can make loss feel even heavier—especially when the absence is so deeply felt. In this special holiday series kickoff, we explore the power of physical remembrance and the many ways grieving parents and families honor their babies during this season and beyond. From memory boxes and ornaments to tattoos, journals, and sacred spaces in the home, this episode invites you to reflect on how tangible reminders can hold love, legacy, and connection. Whether you’re just beginning your grief journey or years into it, this conversation offers gentle ideas and heartfelt encouragement to honor your baby in ways that feel meaningful to you.

In this fun and relaxed episode of Confessions of a Grieving Mother, Julie, Tracy, and Falon step away from the heavy topics and invite listeners into a lighthearted “get to know us” conversation.From favorite snacks to go-to activities and small joys that brighten their days, this episode gives you a chance to hear the voices behind the mic in a more personal way. It’s an opportunity to laugh with us, learn something new, and feel a little more connected to the women who show up each week to hold space for grieving families.Whether you’re a longtime listener or tuning in for the first time, this episode offers a sweet glimpse into who we are beyond our roles and our stories. Grab a snack of your own and join us for something a little lighter.

Type of loss: Twin loss, TTTS Stage 4More about this episode: In this episode of Confessions of a Grieving Mother, we talk with Rachel Badalamenti as she shares the incredible, emotional, and deeply complex journey that brought her both her sons...Dean and Robbie.After years of infertility, multiple failed IUIs and IVF cycles, and finally finding the right doctor, Rachel learned she was pregnant with twins. What began as overwhelming joy quickly shifted when, at 23 weeks, she was diagnosed with Stage 2 Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS). Despite the fear and uncertainty, Rachel and her husband chose laser surgery in hopes of saving both babies.When Rachel woke from surgery, she learned that her son Dean had passed away due to heart failure. She carried him with his brother, Robbie, all the way to 35 weeks, a gift she calls nothing short of a miracle. On Easter Sunday, Rachel delivered both of her boys, holding the heartbreak of losing Dean alongside the profound gratitude of welcoming her surviving son, Robbie.Rachel opens up about the grief that resurfaces as Robbie reaches milestones, the strength she found through hope, and the vulnerability she brings in sharing both her love and her loss. Her story is a powerful reminder that no parent walks this journey alone.

Type of Loss: StillbirthMore about Maggie & Dave's Story:In this episode of Confessions of a Grieving Mother, Maggie and Dave Geier share the heartbreaking story of their daughter, Hannah Marie.After a long journey through infertility and surgeries to restore Maggie’s ability to carry a pregnancy, the couple was overjoyed to be expecting their second child. But at just over 17 weeks, Maggie’s water unexpectedly broke, and their world changed in an instant. Despite their prayers and the small hope that Hannah might survive, Maggie went into labor the following day and delivered their precious daughter.Maggie opens up about the trauma of her medical experiences, the compassion and challenges they faced in the hospital, and the deep ache of leaving the hospital without their baby. Together, she and Dave share how they’re navigating the grief that comes after such a devastating and complex loss.

Type of Loss: Stillbirth, Life-limiting diagnosis, Multiple lossesMore about Michael Ann's story: In this episode of Confessions of a Grieving Mother, we talk with Michael Ann Thomas as she shares the story of her daughter, Amelia.After experiencing an early miscarriage, Michael Ann and her husband were thrilled to be expecting their baby girl. Everything appeared normal until their 20-week anatomy scan revealed anomalies consistent with a lethal form of skeletal dysplasia. Amelia’s diagnosis meant her chest and limbs were too small to support life outside the womb. At 21 weeks and 5 days, Michael Ann was induced and surrounded by family as they welcomed and said goodbye to their daughter.Michael Ann also reflects on her ongoing journey, now pregnant with a healthy baby boy, and the complex emotions of carrying new life while holding space for grief. Her story is one of love, loss, and the courage to find hope again.

For the month of October, in honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, we will be sharing special interviews with Pamela Presler, LCSW, CPLC.In this episode, Pam shares an interesting phrase with us 𝙂𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙛 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚. She shares what it is and how you can have Grief Confidence.