This is Pregnancy After Infertility and Loss

Are you finally pregnant after losing your baby or babies?

Are you wondering why you aren't feeling unbridled excitement, luxuriating in your own bubble of happiness?

Feeling cautiously optimistic one minute and stricken with anxiety the next?

Have you tried to explain how you're feeling about being pregnant to someone who hasn't lost a baby, only to be met with the words "It'll be fine this time. You need to relax". Absolutely not helpful.

Now imagine having your feelings validated by other women who understand, because they also expected the years of trauma, heartbreak, and anxiety following infertility and loss to disappear as soon as they saw two lines. Would this help you right now?

The contributors in This is Pregnancy After Infertility and Loss share their honest experience of finally being pregnant. They know how important it is to tell you that these emotions are normal and that you will be OK. They share:

• About survivor's guilt and feeling like an imposter
• Not feeling grateful enough whilst being so thankful it's their turn
• Wanting to be pregnant but dreading the next nine months
• That it is possible to enjoy your pregnancy by taking one day at a time, and having the right support behind you.

This is Pregnancy After Infertility and Loss is required reading for:

• Someone who's never struggled to get pregnant or lost a baby
• Patient facing staff who have never experienced infertility or loss themselves
• Practitioners who are supporting infertile/loss men and women now they're pregnant, and
• Health care professionals who are caring for men and women who are pregnant after infertility and loss.

If you're one of the above, now you'll understand why women and men are anxious about finally being pregnant, and you'll steer clear of inadvertently saying something insensitive. Sadly, finally being pregnant does NOT guarantee a baby in nine months. Please be understanding and validate their feelings.

The Finally Pregnant community can be found between these pages, offering empathy and understanding so that you can discover how to embrace finally being pregnant. You are not alone.