I copied this text from my mom's blog (with her permission), because it's very important to me that people hear this information. Please read, copy, post anywhere you can... It's so important that we don't let these children die without (at the very least) something for their parents to keep to acknowledge they didn't just dream the whole thing up. Thanks for taking the time... Please help us raise awareness, and hopefully we can change things for the better.
States are finally grappling with decisions about whether or not to issue a birth certificate in the case of stillbirth. When I gave birth to Seth, there was nothing to take home with me. A death certificate was issued and we had to come up with money to pay for the delivery and bury the baby, yet, no recognition of life was ever offered. In fact, at that time things were so bad they wouldn't even let me spend much time with the baby at all - he was whisked away to the morgue and when I asked if I could see him again a few minutes later, the staff looked at me like I was crazy. There was no emotional support for me. They adhered strictly to the hospital policy of only one visitor in the labor room (my husband) even though circumstances were vastly different (he was also grieving and not able to be the support I needed) - forcing my mother to wait in the waiting room rather than being with me and helping me get through the difficult labor that would have no happy result.
Politically, what is happening is that some states are afraid to allow a birth certificate because abortion activists worry this will jeopardize that cause. If they acknowledge life, how can they support voluntary death? Allowing a grieving parent a certificate that indicates the mother gave birth to a baby does not interfere with anything. It is irrational fear. Fortunately many states have acknowledged this and offer the parents a "certificate of birth, resulting in still birth."
There is a terrible sense of unreality about this kind of experience. Everyone expects you to go on as though nothing happened and nobody wants to talk about it. Everyone, that is, except the family. The mother who carries the baby never forgets it and knows the baby once lived, kicked, and moved. The heart did beat and the mother bonded with the baby. Most hospitals now give mementos, even take photographs (my son Jon is a volunteer photographer for such work) and the staff is more understanding. This is a good thing.
I can never get a certificate of birth for my lost baby (although how can you have a death certificate if you never had a birth?). But many other parents could have this document to verify the nine months that really happened. It doesn't jeopardize anything for anyone but it can do much for the parents.
Here is a good video that recorded a couple's recent experience:
Alaska and Connecticut are the most recent states to refuse to enact the Missing Angel Bill that would allow this, due in part to opposition from "pro choice" legislators who failed or refused to understand that his is not a "choice" issue. This is an important video.
If you know one of the millions who have experienced such a loss as this, you may want to tell them about the MISS foundation at http://www.missfoundation.org/
No comments:
Post a Comment