I was in labour - 20 weeks too early. The doctor was hopeful that they could slow the contractions and delay labour as my membranes had not yet ruptured. He did an ultrasound, sending images of our baby boy onto the small monitor. The baby was okay but if he was born they wouldn’t be able to do anything to save him – viability was still three weeks away.

What happens when a baby is stillborn? It isn't something that is often discussed and we are rarely prepared for it.

In April 1999, my second son Brendan was stillborn at 20 weeks, his birth was traumatic as were the years following with grief and loss.

Megan Warren is an aspiring writer living in Esperance WA. She has a Master of Arts (Writing and Literature) and has facilitated writing and creativity workshops. Megan writes on the topics of pregnancy loss, stillbirth and grief.

Writing My Way through Grief in Surviving My First Year of Child Loss: Personal Stories from Grieving Parents, Nathalie Himmelrich, Ed. 2017.

Acknowledgements:

Memoria was written,  produced, edited and presented by Natalie V.

I carried him was written and read by Megan Warren.  The story was sound edited by Jen Farrow.

Music in this episode was by Blue Dot Sessions,   Sage the Hunter, When in the West and The Envelope.

Illustrations by Peta Manning. Her book, See Me Doodle, is out now.