Customer Reviews

Ended Beginnings: Healing Childbearing Losses

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4 star:		(3)
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A hospital social worker lent me this book after I suffered my second miscarriage in one year, and it helped me enormously to deal with the terrible emotional impact of both losses.

I looked at a few other books on miscarriage, but none of them displayed the empathy and understanding of this book, which takes you through the stages of grief (based on Elisabeth Kuhbler-Ross's theory) and provides heartfelt, and often heartrending stories of parents who have suffered through such losses.

I'm now pregnant with healthy twin girls, and am buying this book for a friend who just suffered a loss. It's worth every penny.

This book was one of the ones that I read after a pregnancy loss that were a real help to me. I felt my grief was validated, and that was a significant step in my healing.

You may find this book difficult (emotionally) to read but it has wonderful information and guidance that is outstanding.
It lets the reader know they are NOT losing their mind or going crazy. It helps you deal with friends/family that wish you would just get over "it" and move on, when you know deep down you can not at the moment and it may take time and that is OKAY.
It helps one to NOT feel so lost after a pregnancy loss or any type of loss. It covers so many topics--such as handling intimacy issues. My grief counselor sent me her copy since mine was going to take a while to get to me and I am happy she did. I know I will keep this book in my home library (my copy) and read it again when times get tough. I have already read it twice. I strongly recommend it to women facing these issues. It was the best money I have spent on the subject!

This book covers each kind of childbearing loss: infertility, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth, sudden infant death syndrome, abortion, adoption as well as emotional disappointments: disabled babies, cesarean sections, premature and traumatic births. It also includes: loss statistics, grieving, physical and emotional impact of loss, nutrition, mental attitudes, mourning, and resolution.

This book was given to me by a friend who also had lost a child. I can't say enough about this wonderful book and how it helped me to get through the most difficult experience of my life. If you or a friend have had to endure such loss and don't know where to turn or how to help this is a good place to start. This book saved my life and probably my marriage as well.

This book covers each kind of childbearing loss: infertility, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth, sudden infant death syndrome, abortion, adoption as well as emotional disappointments: disabled babies, cesarean sections, premature and traumatic births. It also includes: loss statistics, grieving, physical and emotional impact of loss, nutrition, mental attitudes, mourning, and resolution.

Absolutely the best book dealing with stillborn birth and related issues. If you only buy one book on this issue, this is the one.

Ended Beginnings is required reading for the Birth Works, International childbirth educator training program in which I am enrolled. I had a difficult time getting through this book, because it's so emotionally charged, but I'm glad I read it. As the authors state repeatedly, we are a death denying culture. An aura of fear surrounds death and expressions of grief. Most people in our culture do not know what to do when confronted with the depth of loss experienced by bereaved parents. We wonder how can we offer real comfort and assistance. The authors do a beautiful job of uniting grieving parents and giving legitimacy to all kinds of childbearing losses, including the death of the dream of a peaceful birth following a traumatic or medically invasive delivery. On some level all of us have been touched by loss and can draw on that experience to connect meaningfully and compassionately with others.
The authors know personally the monumental effort it takes to heal and they offer a holistic, integrated approach. They recommend starting with the body. Grieving parents suffer physically, often unable to eat or sleep, and need to regain their physical health before they can begin to heal emotionally. Grieving is physically exhausting and unless the impact on the body is addressed, it can lead to illness and further childbearing losses.
I cannot say enough good things about this book. Although the subject matter is heavy, there is a wealth of help offered within the pages of this sensitive and empathetic book.