If You’ve Suffered a Pregnancy Loss, Check Out the #IHadaMiscarriage Campaign

Dr. Jessica Zucker is a pioneer when it comes to normalizing pregnancy loss and miscarriages. She created the #IHadaMiscarriage campaign in 2014 (about which we interviewed her at Kveller).

Throughout the past few years, she’s worked on several different projects, including a line of empathy cards for people who have experienced miscarriage and stillbirth, as well as a line of “rainbow baby”-themed T-shirts and tote bags for moms and infants.

Her latest endeavor, however, has been collaborating with illustrators to create beautiful pictures that people can share on social media in order to normalize pregnancy loss–and build a community of support. Zucker was recently featured in the New York Times in a piece that showcased her collaboration with illustrator Ryan Alexander-Tanner. The illustrated discussion is beautiful and shows a lot of ways to be compassionate and supportive of someone who just suffered a loss.

Here’s a piece from the collection below:

✨The body grieves✨ _ My latest @nytimes piece is out today – online and in print! It’s been such a privilege to work with @ohyesverynice on this meaningful topic that impacts countless women and families. _ This – and all of my work related to pregnancy loss – honors my lost daughter, Olive. What a teacher she has been. I love you, girl! I’m keeping your spirit alive, now and always. _ #IHadAMiscarriage #miscarriage #stillbirth #pregnancyloss #motherhood #grief #loss #bodyimage #1in4 // CHECK IT OUT! Link in profile.

A post shared by Jessica Zucker, Ph.D. (@ihadamiscarriage) on Mar 14, 2017 at 10:09am PDT

But don’t forget to check out her other collaborations. Here’s a piece she did with illustrator Nora Leinad.

“Are you there?! Please move!!!”, said every woman who has ever been pregnant after pregnancy/infant loss. _ Anxious A F. _ #IHadAMiscarriage #miscarriage #stillbirth #pregnancyafterloss #rainbowbaby #PTSD #anxiety #motherhood // Genius artwork by @selftherapista.

A post shared by Jessica Zucker, Ph.D. (@ihadamiscarriage) on Mar 13, 2017 at 8:52am PDT

She also made these cool t-shirts normalizing pregnancy loss:

@littlebirddoula of @motherhoodrising is wearing her rainbow mama tee with pride, cuddled up with her sweet rainbow baby and says: “I ask you this… Have you sat with a fellow woman and opened your core to her? Have you poured yourself out at her feet and watched as she wades through the parts of you – no one has seen? _ This depth is rare and feared by so many human beings – not only women. The vulnerability and courage it takes to allow a person inside your mind – without a single pause- in person… is immeasurable and now seemingly impossible. It’s something so many of us miss out on in this new world and finding the community that opens up to you in times of desperate need, can save you. It allows you a window into your own world – through the eyes of another. _ I’ve found this community within so many groups and outlets in this space, but especially with mothers who have suffered loss. _ Thinking about all of you today and always ❤ _ #IHadAMiscarriage #loss #miscarriage #grief #1in4 #rainbowbaby #motherhood #pregnancyafterloss // Tees designed by @annerobincallig. Available in my shop. Link in profile.

A post shared by Jessica Zucker, Ph.D. (@ihadamiscarriage) on Mar 13, 2017 at 8:06pm PDT

Here’s another collaboration with Samantha Hahn:

• Grief knows no timeline, take all the time you need • Commissioned illustration by @samanthajhahn for the #IHadAMiscarriage campaign.

A post shared by Jessica Zucker, Ph.D. (@ihadamiscarriage) on Feb 3, 2017 at 12:22pm PST

When I commissioned @samanthajhahn to create this piece for me, I had grief in mind • Grief following pregnancy and infant loss specifically • We are stronger together: supporting one another, acknowledging the diversity of loss experiences, empathizing, being with each other through the circuitous aftermath of loss • But with the current state of the world being what it is, I think this illustration means even more • Stronger together in a global sense • Is anyone else feeling anxious AF?!?! _ #IHadAMiscarriage #strongertogether #grief #loss #miscarriage #pregnancyloss #anxiety

A post shared by Jessica Zucker, Ph.D. (@ihadamiscarriage) on Jan 29, 2017 at 3:14pm PST

And, here are some of her other groundbreaking Instagram posts:

• The postpartum body without baby • _ @jmaryhayes in Australia shares: “At first I was really disappointed when these big pink lines appeared on my tummy. The lines we call stretch marks. I nearly went through my entire pregnancy with a nice smooth belly. However, I have come to embrace my marks. They are my love marks for the son who grew inside of me. They are the remainders of his home. They are proof that he was here, though he was born sleeping. Born still. They are marks of a Mum and a Survivor. They are all for Elijah and so will pretty much everything I do from here on in.” _ #IHadAMiscarriage #stillbirth #bornstill #angelmum #postpartumbody #stretchmarks #bodyimage #grief #loss #motherhood #postpartum #infantloss

A post shared by Jessica Zucker, Ph.D. (@ihadamiscarriage) on Mar 12, 2017 at 7:45am PDT

@cloudsthatcry in the United Kingdom shares: “Seven years ago today we went for our first ever scan, at that magic 12 weeks. We had made it. I was so excited. But still, part of me knew. Your first time, you don’t know that the time between the wand going on your stomach and the time the sonographer speaks should only be short. The time dragged, I held his hand tighter. And we heard the words, ‘I’m sorry, there is no heartbeat, it appears your baby died at 7 weeks’. Our whole world fell apart. We were supposed to be showing excited grandparents a photo, not telling them this. I was going to call my brother and tell him Happy Birthday Uncle. Instead there was this. I’d been carrying my dead child inside me for weeks. _ That wasn’t to be the last time we heard those words. It wasn’t to be the last time I sat and sobbed in that room, that my husband picked me back up, held me and kept me going. It wasn’t the last time we had to tell people we had lost our child. Or the last time I went under anaesthetic for surgery to my miscarriages. We have lost more children than I kiss good night. Every day we miss them, and on days like today I remember them even more. _ We got our rainbows, our miracles. It took so long, so many tears and so much heartbreak. But they are here, we are still here. Stronger than ever.” _ #IHadAMiscarriage #miscarriage #recurrentmiscarriage #grief #loss #pregnancyafterloss #rainbowbaby #motherhood #1in4 // Image found via @xomatok.

A post shared by Jessica Zucker, Ph.D. (@ihadamiscarriage) on Mar 10, 2017 at 6:17pm PST

Whether you’ve had an abortion, a medically necessary termination, miscarriage, stillbirth, infant loss, and so on – or some combination of these – you are welcome here • We at #IHadAMiscarriage do not exclude any type of pregnancy loss – “choice” or a natural occurrence – we support your journey • My work has shown me the nuanced feelings that emerge in every type of loss experience • Every story is unique • Until we’ve been in her shoes, we haven’t • Opt for empathy • I dare us to acknowledge just how complex these situations can be and to remember that the loss community should be open to various histories • Let’s move away from a loss hierarchy and instead, embrace the messiness that is humanity • _ #IHadAMiscarriage // I’m over the moon to share that I teamed up with the wildly talented @samanthajhahn for this illustration. More coming soon!

A post shared by Jessica Zucker, Ph.D. (@ihadamiscarriage) on Jan 26, 2017 at 4:21pm PST