Books

A Gift of Time is a gentle and practical guide for parents who decide to continue their pregnancy knowing that their baby’s life will be brief.  When prenatal testing reveals that an unborn child is expected to die before or shortly after birth, some parents will choose to proceed with the pregnancy and to welcome their child into the world. With compassion and support, A Gift of Time walks them step-by-step through this challenging and emotional experience―from the infant’s life-limiting prenatal diagnosis and the decision to have the baby to coping with the pregnancy and making plans for the baby’s birth and death.  A Gift of Time also offers inspiration and reassurance through the memories of numerous parents who have loved a child who did not survive. Their moving experiences are stories of grief―and of hope. Their anguish over the prenatal diagnosis turns to joy and love during the birth of their child and to gratitude and peace when reflecting on their baby’s short life.  Full of practical suggestions for parents and for caregivers, A Gift of Time also features the innovative concept of perinatal hospice and palliative care. Caring and thoughtful, the book helps parents embrace the extraordinary time they will have with their child.

https://www.amazon.com/Gift-Time-Continuing-Pregnancy-Expected/dp/0801897629

Waiting with Gabriel is a memoir of the true story of parents who were told that their unborn baby had an incurable heart condition, confronting them with an impossible decision: to attempt risky surgeries to give their baby a chance at a longer life, or to continue the pregnancy and embrace their baby’s life as it would unfold, from conception to natural death. The unforgettable journey that ensued would change not only their lives, but also the lives of everyone who came in contact with them. The book also addresses larger issues including questions about heroic medicine; attitudes and practices regarding pregnancy and infant loss; and new dilemmas created by advances in prenatal testing, including what to do if a test reveals a fatal problem. Waiting with Gabriel has become a premier resource for families in this situation as well as families who have lost a baby under other circumstances, and it is now being used by hospitals and clinics across the U.S. and Canada. Also available as an e-book in Italian, titled “Aspettando Gabriel.”