Today I am featuring a non profit organization that helps families, with their rainbow pregnancies. A rainbow pregnancy is any pregnancy after the loss of a child.
Rainbow Babies" is the understanding that the beauty of a rainbow does not negate the ravages of the storm. When a rainbow appears, it doesn't mean the storm never happened or that the family is not still dealing with its aftermath. What it means is that something beautiful and full of light has appeared in the midst of the darkness and clouds. Storm clouds may still hover but the rainbow provides a counterbalance of color, energy and hope.
Tiny Heartbeats was started by Dana and Joe Kern, after they lost their son Ethan in June of 2007. Dana was 27 weeks pregnant, when she stopped feeling Ethan move. It was impossible to make sense of anything, but I knew that I had to do something, and I knew that I could never survive another pregnancy without a doppler. I started looking into them and came to realize that they were quite expensive. Even rentals were pricey. I decided to start a non profit so that I could make them accessible to anyone who had lost a baby.
They named their organization Tiny Heartbeats, because her husband had kept saying, " Ethan's tiny heart just stopped beating." They thought Tiny Heartbeats was a fitting name.
They started out with 4 dopplers, that they offered to lend out to her support group. However news traveled quickly, and now they are up to 80 dopplers and shipping internationally. To rent a doppler you must be at least 12 weeks pregnant, have had a previous loss or are in a high risk pregnancy, a doctor's prescription, and a 1 page liability release. They ship the dopplers, batteries and gel. The only cost is for shipment back to them when you are done with it.
They are a non profit, and run strictly on donations. All of the donations go to the supplies and shipping.
This organization keeps my son's memory alive. Every day I get emails and thank you notes, and they keep me going and keep Ethan's legacy alive. I also am blessed now to have 2 toddlers who were born after my loss. I could not have gotten through either of those pregnancies without a doppler, and I work hard to eliminate our waiting list as much as possible so that we can help anyone who needs us.
You can reach Tiny Heartbeats at:
Rainbow Babies" is the understanding that the beauty of a rainbow does not negate the ravages of the storm. When a rainbow appears, it doesn't mean the storm never happened or that the family is not still dealing with its aftermath. What it means is that something beautiful and full of light has appeared in the midst of the darkness and clouds. Storm clouds may still hover but the rainbow provides a counterbalance of color, energy and hope.
Tiny Heartbeats was started by Dana and Joe Kern, after they lost their son Ethan in June of 2007. Dana was 27 weeks pregnant, when she stopped feeling Ethan move. It was impossible to make sense of anything, but I knew that I had to do something, and I knew that I could never survive another pregnancy without a doppler. I started looking into them and came to realize that they were quite expensive. Even rentals were pricey. I decided to start a non profit so that I could make them accessible to anyone who had lost a baby.
They named their organization Tiny Heartbeats, because her husband had kept saying, " Ethan's tiny heart just stopped beating." They thought Tiny Heartbeats was a fitting name.
They started out with 4 dopplers, that they offered to lend out to her support group. However news traveled quickly, and now they are up to 80 dopplers and shipping internationally. To rent a doppler you must be at least 12 weeks pregnant, have had a previous loss or are in a high risk pregnancy, a doctor's prescription, and a 1 page liability release. They ship the dopplers, batteries and gel. The only cost is for shipment back to them when you are done with it.
They are a non profit, and run strictly on donations. All of the donations go to the supplies and shipping.
You can reach Tiny Heartbeats at:
Website: www.tinyheartbeats.org.
Email: dana.kern@yahoo.com.
*** Please make sure that you consult your doctor before renting a doppler from Tiny Heartbeats, or any other organization!!!!
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2 comments:
I so wish I had heard of this when I was pregnant with my rainbow baby, it was too expensive to rent one so I convinced myself it would be better not to have one at all. Luckily with my high risk status I was getting ultrasounds and NST's 2 to 3 times a week during my last trimester which put my mind at ease.
Im glad this service is available for bereaved parents. Thank you for posting this, I will be sure to pass it on.
Love this! I bought my own doppler or I would have used this
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