DiscoverOur TFMR Stories | Our decisions, our grief, real true parent storiesLife after TFMR for rare genetic diagnosis: Rachel's physical & emotional recovery, and pregnancy after loss PART 2 OF 2
Life after TFMR for rare genetic diagnosis: Rachel's physical & emotional recovery, and pregnancy after loss PART 2 OF 2

Life after TFMR for rare genetic diagnosis: Rachel's physical & emotional recovery, and pregnancy after loss PART 2 OF 2

Update: 2025-10-24
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In Part 2 of 2 of Rachel Polans' TFMR story, we move into what happened after her baby’s rare ‘de novo’ genetic mutation diagnosis. The D&E procedure in Brooklyn, the physical reality of being postpartum without a baby. Rachel talks about what it was like being in a general surgery pre-op area with people there for all kinds of procedures, not a space designed for pregnancy loss.

Rachel shares about the haunting due date, seeing other people who were pregnant at the same time have their babies, and struggling with the medical record that says "elective termination" when that's not what this was at all.

Rachel also opens up about how being a genetic counselor shaped her grief differently - she never even knew the term TFMR existed until after her loss, even though she had counseled families through this exact experience.

If you're postpartum without your baby, if you're struggling with how the medical system names (or doesn’t name) what happened to you, if you work in healthcare and nobody prepared you for living through this yourself, or if you're trying to find your people and don't know what to search for: I hope Rachel's honesty about finding the TFMR community and now navigating pregnancy after loss will help you feel less alone.

Thank you, Rachel, for sharing your baby's story with us 💜

Rachel also wants to share her Instagram profile if you’d like to reach out to her:

https://www.instagram.com/rachel_polans


START 1on1 SUPPORT NOW:

📧 Email me, I want to hear from you: sabrina @ the tfmrdoula . com You can have specific grief support in the heartbreak of TFMR.

📅 If you’ve received a devastating diagnosis and want emotional support through deciding what’s next, book a Decision Support call here: https://www.thetfmrdoula.com/decision-support.html


MORE TFMR GRIEF SUPPORT RESOURCES:

For more TFMR support, join us over on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/thetfmrdoula

💜 Join our Facebook group: https://www.thetfmrdoula.com/facebookgroup


🎙 Want to share your story on Our TFMR Stories?
Email Sabrina sabrina @ the TFMR doula . com to be featured on the podcast


Music credit:
Pamgaea by Kevin MacLeod
Creative Commons License
Links: https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=usuan1300036
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Life after TFMR for rare genetic diagnosis: Rachel's physical & emotional recovery, and pregnancy after loss PART 2 OF 2

Life after TFMR for rare genetic diagnosis: Rachel's physical & emotional recovery, and pregnancy after loss PART 2 OF 2

Sabrina Fletcher | Pregnancy Loss Doula supporting grieving parents