1. The Mourning Sister - Josefina Sanders
Specific to Pregnancy + Infant Loss. Faith-based.
This is my go-to read/gift for pregnancy loss. This book is a a collection of poetry and prose that explores the journey of grief and joy. In short, easy to read chapters, Josefina walks through a season of healing after suffering a traumatic miscarriage.
2. What God is Honoured Here? Writings on Miscarriage and Infant Loss by and for Native and Women of Color - Gibney + Yang
Specific to Pregnancy + Infant Loss.
A powerful, literary collection of voices of Indigenous women and women of color who have undergone miscarriage and infant loss.
3. Out of Sorts - Sarah Bessey
Not specific towards loss. Faith-based.
Sarah does share bits of her loss journey in this book and how she walked away from the church for a while. This book is about "Making Peace with an Evolving Faith" and really helped me to understanding that our faith is ever changing, and how we need to learn the lost art of lament.
4. Rising Strong - Brené Brown
Not specific to loss.
This book is about how we all stumble and fall, and how we rise from those fallings. It's all about learning how to lean into the discomfort of our emotions and rumbling with our stories. "Rising strong after a fall is how we cultivate wholeheartedness. This process teaches us the most about who we are."
5. Grieving the Child I Never Knew - Kathe Wunnenberg
Specific to Pregnancy + Infant Loss. Faith based.
A devotional for comfort in the loss of your unborn or newly born child. This devotional has seven parts - Hiding, Suffering, Questioning, Forgiving, Relating, Seeking, and Sharing your Story. Each part consists of easy to read segments with journal prompts at the end. I really enjoyed this devotional because you can revisit different parts depending where you are in your grief journey.
6. The Magic of Motherhood - Ashley Gadd from Coffee + Crumbs
Not specific to loss. Faith based.
A collection of short essays from women on their motherhood journey. "The good stuff, the hard stuff and everything in between". Includes stories on loss, adoption, infertility, faith, and more. A honest look at the joy and heartache of motherhood.
7. It's OK that You're Not OK - Megan Devine
Grief focused.
Offers a profound new approach to both the experience of grief and the way we try to help others who have endured tragedy. Debunks the culturally prescribed goal of returning to a normal, “happy” life, replacing it with a far healthier middle path, one that invites us to build a life alongside grief rather than seeking to overcome it.
8. The Hot Young Widows Club: Lessons on Survival from the Front Lines of Grief - Nora McInerny
Grief focused.
A wise, humorous roadmap and caring resource for anyone going through the loss of a loved one—or even a difficult life moment. Full of practical guidance and explores how readers can educate the people around them on what to do, what to say, and how to best to lend their support.
9. Empty Cradle, Broken Heart - Deborah L. Davis, Ph.D.
Specific to Pregnancy + Infant Loss.
A gentle guide that will walk you through the loss of your baby during pregnancy, around birth, or in infancy. Filled with a plethora of resources, this book was given to me by the social worker at the hospital.
10. Healing Your Grieving Heart after Stillbirth - Wolfelt + Maloney
Specific to Pregnancy + Infant Loss.
Explores the common feelings of shock, anger, guilt, and sadness that accompany a stillborn child, offering suggestions for expressing feelings, remembering the child, and healing as a family.
11. Unspeakable Losses: Healing from Miscarriage, Abortion and Other Pregnancy Losses - Kim Krueger-Bell
Specific to Pregnancy + Infant Loss.
Kim Kruger-Bell, a therapist specializing in the psycho dynamics of losing a child before birth, whether to abortion, miscarriage, or other loss, strips away the shrouds of silence surrounding this unique pain. She gives new voice to these “unspeakable losses”, in a culture that has rendered its discussion taboo.
Hope you find these resources helpful. I will continue to add to and modify this list.
To view these books and more visit our amazon list.