What I Would Have Missed: Part 4

February 19, 2024

When parents join our Verity’s Village community, they have often received a “fatal fetal diagnosis” according to their doctors. At Verity’s Village, we choose the phrase “life-limiting” prenatal diagnosis, as we know and our parents know that their babies have a time to be with their parents however long that might be. In the post below, and in Parts 1, 2, and 3 of “What I Would Have Missed” our parents share with us the precious moments of life that they treasure. Read below to know more about what our parents would have missed if they had not continued their pregnancy with their baby with a “fetal diagnosis.”

Didn’t catch PART 1, 2, or 3?
Read Part 1 here or Part 2 here or Part 3 here.

We have realized that a life-limiting prenatal diagnosis doesn’t come with an “easy out.” Ending a pregnancy will not remove the grief and actually often adds guilt to the grief. Instead in our Verity’s Village community, we encourage parents to ask, “How can we go on loving our baby through the pain and the grief?” “How can we focus on the moments with our baby that will give us hope to walk this out?”

Our Verity’s Village community parents have answered the question “What would I have missed if I had not carried my baby with a prenatal diagnosis to term?” We hope their answers bless you, give you hope, and allow you to focus on those precious moments you DO have.

“I would have missed the kicks and wiggles. Every time I talked and pushed at him, he would push back!” – Jill G.

“We would have missed out on the 9 days we were given with Jackie. My older girls would have missed the opportunity to meet their baby sister, the opportunity to sing to her and read to her and color pictures for her. They would have missed the spa day that was orchestrated for my 3 girls. I would have missed out on hearing Jackie cry the 3 little cries she gave us when she was born. I would have missed the life lessons that Jackie taught me, to slow down and live in the moment because tomorrow is never promised. To be present with our children who are still earth side. To know that time is a gift and to appreciate the moments that we have together.” – Kori P.

“I would have missed holding him as long as possibly could.” – Mary C.

“I would have missed out on the indescribable peace that only God can provide, learning that only because of Him we can find, see, and feel the joy through the trials and experiencing a love so strong that it makes every tear worth it!” – Lisa M.

We encourage you not to miss a second. Our parents insist that their babies are both compatible with life and compatible with love, yet they are often told that their babies are “incompatible with life” and have a “fatal fetal diagnosis.” Parents love their baby in the womb, and this does not disappear when a diagnosis is received. At Verity’s Village, we support families who have received a life-limiting diagnosis during their pregnancy. Our desire is to connect parents with a community of other parents who are dealing and have dealt with a prenatal diagnosis. We also send our parents a care package to encourage them on their journey. Thank you for learning more about our Verity’s Village community, their experiences, and we invite you to check out Parts 1, 2, and 3 if you have not yet done so!

Thank You for Following Us through Part 4!

Follow us on social media to continue to see the relevant content Verity’s Village shares about our community, about prenatal diagnoses, and how to support our non-profit.

How to Join with Verity’s Village

➊ If you are a parent who has received a life limiting prenatal diagnosis for your baby, join our community group to connect with other parents who are also facing a diagnosis → https://www.facebook.com/groups/diagnosistodelivery

➋ If you want to find out more about our mission and what we do here at Verity’s Village, sign up for our e-mail list → https://veritysvillage.com/join-the-village/

➌ If you love what you see and want to partner with Verity’s Village to support families who have received a diagnosis as well as our future projects to educate the community on the value of these precious lives, become a monthly donor here → https://donate.veritysvillage.com/donate?amount=50&term=monthly

Brooke Shambley

Public Relations and Social Media for Verity’s Village