Did you know 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage, 1 in 160 deliveries end in stillbirth, and 2% of all pregnancies are ectopic? Sarah Philpott has written a sensitive devotional for moms who find themselves caught in those statistics. Life doesn’t always happen the way we hope, but Loved Baby can bring comfort from someone who’s been there.

Sarah Philpott had two miscarriages and used her pain to springboard the Loved Baby pregnancy loss support group and the #HonorAllMoms Mother’s Day movement. She shares the stories of more than 40 women so that others will feel less alone in the journey of grief.

I tucked this hand-size book into my carry-on bag, to read during  the airplane trip to my aunt’s funeral, and was reminded we all face death in some form or another. Whether grieving the loss of a baby, parent, spouse, sibling, or friend, there are some universal truths about grieving. There are no easy steps to follow; no time table that will be the same for all. Everyone grieves uniquely. You may feel a pang of guilt while experiencing a glimmer of joy. But, that’s normal. Laughter and tears intermingle.

The book promises to come alongside someone who has experienced the loss of a baby. Sarah says the only way to process grief, is to embrace it. And, “Understanding how we grieve can help us navigate this walk.”

The question of “why?” surfaces. But Sarah says asking “why” sabotages our story. We can second-guess our actions, but never feel released from the guilt of loss. Instead, she says the better question is “What now?” What steps forward can I take now? Where do I go from here? How will I reach out to others that are hurting?

Loved Baby is an important work to read, even if you’ve never experienced the loss of a baby. Some parts of Loved Baby echo the loss I felt after my total hysterectomy. I would never be able to have children again and felt loss of my choice to do so. This book enables you to get a glimpse of the pain, so that you can more effectively show compassion to one who is hurting. It equips and educates, so that hurtful words will not be said unintentionally as result of misinformation.

“The release of Loved Baby coincides with the National Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness month. Throughout the month of October the launch team will be spreading pregnancy loss awareness and offering hope to mamas – so they know they are not alone and that they are loved.”

“We are also excited to partner with Fashion & Compassion. F&C has created a stunning, custom gold dangle bracelet to be the perfect companion to pair with this devotional. This bracelet will only be available with the purchase of Loved Baby through Fashion & Compassion October 2 – 25, 2017 for a special bundle price of $39.99.”

Sarah challenges moms to find something to cherish. “Cherishing forces us to stop fixating on the negative and instead search for the positive gifts God has provided.” So, for the giveaway question, answer this: What positive gift has God given you today?

I am giving away a copy of Loved Baby, courtesy of Broadstreet Publishing, to one reader in the continental United States. Leave a comment on my blog (at the top of this post, under the title) and answer this question, “What positive gift has God given you today? You will be entered into the drawing to be held three days from now, October 7. I can’t wait to hear the blessings you’ve noticed!

Sally

Disclosure of Material: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through The Blog About Network book review program in exchange for a fair and honest review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR Title 16, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”