Confessions of a Grieving Mother

Emma's Footprints
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Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Death affects more families than you may realize. Tracy and Julie (two grieving mothers) are here to help educate, support and break the stigma behind this topic of pregnancy and infant loss. Join us as laugh, cry and remember our babies!

  1. 2D AGO

    𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲: 𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙈𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚

    In this episode Julie and Khristina talk about what real support looks like after the loss of a baby. Drawing from their own experiences and the countless stories shared with Emma’s Footprints over the years, they unpack the practical, emotional, and deeply human ways people can show up for grieving parents—and the ways support can sometimes miss the mark. This episode is a compassionate guide for anyone wanting to support loved ones through pregnancy or infant loss, and an affirming reminder to grieving parents that their needs are valid, their feelings matter, and they are not alone.

    21 min

  2. MAR 26

    𝗧𝗮𝗯𝗯𝘆 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗼𝗻: 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙀𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙨 𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙬 & 𝙀𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙚

    Type of loss: Early term loss, life-limiting diagnosis, multiple losses More about this story: Tabby shares the story of her two precious babies, Elias Matthew Barton and Eden Marie Barton. Tabby’s journey to motherhood began with many challenges. Diagnosed with uterus didelphys, diminished ovarian reserve, and fallopian tubes that never attached to her ovaries, natural conception was not possible. IVF became the only path forward. After multiple rounds, Tabby and her husband welcomed three embryos. One resulted in an early term loss, another didn’t implant, and their final embryo became their daughter, Eden Marie. Eden’s story is extraordinary from the very beginning. Born at 32 weeks and 3 days, she entered the world with multiple rare and complex diagnoses, including Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, Pulmonary Hypertension, ALCAPA, and PAPVR. Despite arriving two months early and facing overwhelming odds, Eden surprised her medical team again and again. She was strong, spirited, and wonderfully unique—known for her sass, her bows, her blankets, and her love of mirrors, mobiles, and snuggles. Tabby shares the emotional journey of advocating for Eden across eight renowned children’s hospitals, hoping for a surgical path forward. Each declined, acknowledging the complexity of Eden’s anatomy and the low chance of survival. Yet Eden continued to shine. She fought with a fierce, radiant strength for 105 days in the NICU before going to her heavenly home.

    1h 15m

  3. MAR 19

    𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗵 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗵𝗶𝗰: 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙅𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙚

    Type of loss: Life limiting diagnosis, Infant loss More about Sarah's story: Josie’s story is one of unimaginable strength, resilience, and love. From a prenatal diagnosis of a congenital heart defect and Down syndrome, to navigating a pregnancy with little support, Sarah opens up about the challenges she faced long before Josie entered the world. Born three months early at just 1 lb 14 oz, doctors warned she likely wouldn’t survive—but Josie had other plans. Over the course of six months, Josie defied the odds time and time again. Sarah shares of the three months they spent in a step-down unit, the hope surrounding Josie’s heart procedure, and the devastating complications that followed—including blood clots, strokes, infections, and ultimately cardiac arrest. Even after being placed on ECMO and fighting her way off, Josie’s body had endured more than most ever will. She passed peacefully in her mother’s arms, leaving behind a legacy far greater than her time on earth. Sarah honors Josie through two nonprofits: The Threefold Cord Project, which provides comfort boxes to NICU and pediatric cardiac ICU families, and Josie’s Wind Chimes of Hope, which gifts wind chimes to loss families within the Down syndrome community. Learn more about The Threefold Cord Project here.

    1h 31m

  4. MAR 12

    𝗞𝗮𝗿𝗮 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗼: 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙂𝙚𝙢𝙢𝙖 𝙃𝙤𝙥𝙚

    Type of loss: Stillbirth, Delayed twin interval birth More about Kara's Story: In this episode, Kara Catalano shares her journey through infertility, enduring seven unsuccessful rounds of IVF after being told she had less than a 1% chance of conceiving with her own eggs. On the eighth round, she finally received the news she had been praying for — she was pregnant with twins. But at her first ultrasound, the joy quickly turned to fear when she was told she should terminate one of the babies within 24–48 hours due to concerns about fluid levels. Kara opens up about the complex pregnancy that followed, including multiple losses and the experience of delayed twin interval birth, as she honors the love she has for each of her babies. Trusting her instincts, Kara chose to wait. A week later, a new doctor confirmed that both babies were doing well and there was no longer any need to consider termination. For a moment, hope returned. But at 17 weeks and 5 days, Kara went into spontaneous labor and delivered her daughter stillborn. In the midst of that devastating loss, something extraordinary happened — her son remained safely in the womb. What followed was a rare and complex medical situation known as a delayed twin interval birth. Kara carried her son for another 12 weeks before delivering him prematurely.

    44 min

  5. MAR 5

    𝗖𝗵𝗲𝘆𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲: 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙈𝙞𝙡𝙖 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙈𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙠

    Type of Loss: Twin loss, stillbirth More about this story: Cheyanne Horne shares the story of her twins, Mila and Maverick. Cheyanne’s journey to her babies was layered and complex — marked by infertility, medical complications, and the emotional weight that comes with fighting so hard to grow your family. After experiencing two previous pregnancies that resulted in her living children, this pregnancy carried both hope and history. But this chapter would unfold differently.

    1h 3m

  6. FEB 26

    𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗼: 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙅𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙥𝙝 𝘼𝙣𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙮, 𝙅𝙧.

    Type of loss: Stillbirth More about Lauren's story: Join us as we talk with with Lauren Cicero as she shares the story of her son, Joseph Anthony, Jr. Nearly halfway through her pregnancy, Lauren experienced a catastrophic uterine rupture caused by undiagnosed placenta percreta — a life-threatening condition where the placenta grows through the uterine wall. What followed was an emergency surgery to stop severe internal bleeding. Her son, Joseph Anthony, Jr., was stillborn. Lauren nearly lost her own life. In order to save her, doctors performed a full hysterectomy. She received 16 blood transfusions. At just 33 years old, Lauren awoke not only to the devastating loss of her baby boy, but also to the sudden loss of her fertility.

    58 min

  7. FEB 19

    𝗘𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝗯𝗲𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗲: 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙒𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙣

    Type of loss: TMFR, Life-limiting diagnosis More about Elizabeth's story: In this episode, Elizabeth Beadle shares the story of her son, Weston Arthur Beadle. Elizabeth and her husband were overjoyed to learn they were expecting their first baby boy. But at their anatomy scan, they received devastating news — doctors identified concerning markers suggesting Weston may have had a severe genetic condition causing shortened limbs and likely complications incompatible with life. In the face of unimaginable heartbreak, Elizabeth and her husband made the loving and agonizing decision to terminate the pregnancy for medical reasons (TFMR), knowing their son would likely pass before, during, or shortly after birth. At 24 weeks and 3 days, Elizabeth delivered Weston vaginally. In this conversation, Elizabeth shares her experience in her own words — the shock, the decision-making process, the grief, and the enduring love she carries for her son. This episode holds space for the complexity of TFMR, honoring the parents who make impossible choices rooted in profound love.

    30 min

  8. FEB 12

    𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗞𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗻𝗶𝗸

    Not every episode has to hold tears, sometimes, it’s about laughter, connection, and getting to know the hearts behind the mission. In this lighthearted episode of Confessions of a Grieving Mother, we’re welcoming our newest team member, Lauren Kraynik, Executive Assistant at Emma’s Footprints, to the podcast! Lauren gives us a glimpse into her life behind the scenes — from her role supporting our team and keeping everything running smoothly, to her life as a wife to John and mom to Bradley and Henry.

    27 min
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Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Death affects more families than you may realize. Tracy and Julie (two grieving mothers) are here to help educate, support and break the stigma behind this topic of pregnancy and infant loss. Join us as laugh, cry and remember our babies!

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