Mama, have you ever felt forgotten? In this Faith & Encouragement episode, I share my own story of solo parenting four kids, asking for help and being turned away, and learning to lean into God's presence in the loneliest moments. Together we sit with what Scripture says to the Mama who feels forgotten, from Isaiah 49 and Psalm 13 to the story of Hagar, the woman who named God "the God who sees me." We talk about why needing people doesn't make your faith smaller, what to actually say when you need help, and one small thing you can do this week.

Grab a warm drink and pull up a chair. This one is just you and me, like we're on the couch.

• Why feeling forgotten is so common, and why it isn't a sign something is wrong with you
• What God says to the Mama who feels forgotten (Isaiah 49, Psalm 13)
• Hagar, the God who sees, and the well that was there all along
• Leaning into God's presence in the hard moments
• Why trusting God and needing people go together
• Words you can use to ask for help
• A Doula Insight on asking for specific help
• One small step for this week

Translation read in the episode: [HCSB, confirm]

• Isaiah 49:13-16
• Psalm 13
• Genesis 16:7-13 and Genesis 21:14-19 (Hagar)
• John 14:16-18
• Romans 8:26
• Galatians 6:1-10
• Isaiah 66:13

Just one thing to try this week.

• Pregnant: tell one person, "I could use someone to check in on me, not just the baby."
• Postpartum: send one honest text to one safe person.
• Any season: pray one honest sentence tonight.

Faith & Theological Sources:

• Scripture references listed above. BibleGateway.
• Vroegop, M. (2019). Strong Churches Speak the Language of Lament. The Gospel Coalition.

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General Motherhood & Psychology Sources:

• Adlington, K., et al. (2023). 'Just snap out of it': the experience of loneliness in women with perinatal depression: A meta-synthesis of qualitative studies. BMC Psychiatry.

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If what you're feeling is heavier than lonely, please reach out to your care provider. You can also call or text:

• National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: 1-833-852-6262 (24/7, call or text)
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988
• Postpartum Support International HelpLine: 1-800-944-4773

Reaching out for professional care is not a failure of your faith.

• Website: https://familyblessingsaz.com
• Linktree: https://linktr.ee/belovedmotherhood
• DM me on Instagram or Facebook, or leave a comment and tell me what encouraged you. And if you know a Mama who needs to hear this today, send it her way.

The information shared in this episode of Beloved Motherhood is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your care provider for personalized guidance.

Beloved Motherhood is hosted by Rebecca Engel, Doula & Motherhood Transition Guide.

Content note: this episode discusses miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant loss.

In honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, I share my own miscarriage story and talk honestly about grief after loss: what happens in your body, what the research says, what to say (and not say) to a grieving mama, and where God is in the heartbreak.

If you've lost a baby, you are a mother, and your grief makes sense. If you're supporting someone who has, this episode is for you too.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

- About 15 out of every 100 recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage, and about 1 in 175 U.S. births is a stillbirth.

- Grief doesn't move in five neat stages, and it often comes back on due dates and anniversaries.

- After a later loss, your body goes through recovery, and your milk can come in. You have options.

- Short, talk-based counseling has been shown to help with grief, anxiety, depression, and trauma symptoms after loss.

- Researchers haven't proven memory-making protects mental health, but mothers given an unpressured choice are glad of what they chose.

- Lament is a form of faith, not a failure of it.

SCRIPTURE MENTIONED

- Isaiah 66:13

- Psalm 13

- Psalm 22:1 and Matthew 27:46

- Psalm 34:18

- John 11:35

- Jeremiah 31:15 and Matthew 2:18

- Romans 8:26

- Verses often misused with grieving mothers: Romans 8:28, 1 Corinthians 10:13, and 1 Thessalonians 4:13

"As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you." (Isaiah 66:13, ESV)

RESEARCH MENTIONED

- Miscarriage rates: Quenby et al., 2021 (The Lancet)

- Stillbirth and infant death: CDC, 2024; CDC/NCHS, 2026

- Grief is not stages: Stroebe, Schut & Boerner, 2017

- Mental health after loss: Farren et al., 2020; Herbert et al., 2022; Westby et al., 2021

- Counseling and support after loss: Li et al., 2024

- What helps and hurts after loss: Jansen et al., 2022; Bellhouse, Temple-Smith & Bilardi, 2018

- Memory-making: Koopmans et al., 2013 (Cochrane); Hennegan, Henderson & Redshaw, 2015; Atkins et al., 2023

- Faith and grief: Hawthorne et al., 2016; Nuzum, Meaney & O'Donoghue, 2017

RESOURCES

- Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop (on lament, written after his daughter was stillborn)

- BibleProject Psalms series, especially the episode on Psalm 22

- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988

- Postpartum Support International HelpLine: 1-800-944-4773

This episode is for educational purposes and isn't medical or mental health advice. Please talk with your provider about how you're feeling.

Learn more at Beloved Motherhood or connect with Rebecca

Take my hand mama, let's do this together.

Whether you're packing for a flight or dreading the "when are you coming to visit?" text, this episode is for you. I walk through what's actually happening in your body after birth, what the research says about blood clots, complications, and newborn travel, and where the experts honestly disagree. You'll get practical tips for planes, road trips, pumping on the go, and bringing older siblings along, plus the warning signs every traveling mama should know by heart. And because knowledge and truth belong together, I anchor it all in Scripture, from Isaiah's shepherd who gently leads nursing mothers to Jesus inviting His tired disciples to come away and rest.

Who This Episode Is For

Pregnant mamas who already know a trip is coming after baby arrives, new mamas getting pressure to visit, and the husbands, grandmas, and mothers-in-law who want to understand what a new mama is carrying.

In This Episode

• What's happening in your body after birth, and why the first two weeks matter most for blood clot risk
• What the experts say (and disagree on) about when a newborn can fly
• Practical tips for flying, road trips, pumping, and traveling with older kids
• Warning signs for mom and baby, and why "I gave birth on [date]" are the words to say

Key Takeaways

1. Recovery is not a calendar. Plan the trip around your body, not the other way around.
2. Clot risk after birth is highest in the first two weeks and settles close to normal by about three months. Long sitting, by car or plane, adds a little more.
3. The AAP suggests waiting until two to three months to fly with a baby when possible. The CDC and Canadian Paediatric Society set no minimum age. It's a judgment call, not a settled line.
4. Rest with support, plus gentle movement, fits both the midwifery tradition and the clot research.
5. Know your warning signs, save the nearest ER and children's hospital before you go, and never apologize for getting checked.

Scripture Mentioned

• Isaiah 40:11: the shepherd who gently leads those with young
• Genesis 33:13-14: traveling at the pace of the children
• Mark 6:31: "Come away by yourselves and rest a while"
• Psalm 121:7-8: the Lord keeps your going out and your coming in
• Philippians 4:13 and Proverbs 31: passages often misused to push tired mothers

Sources and Further Reading

The research behind this episode comes from the following. Look them up directly before sharing specifics.

• Ficheur et al., 2017, large French study on postpartum pulmonary embolism risk over time
• Johnson et al., 2022, systematic review on long-distance travel and clot risk
• Vethanayagam & Kahn, 2019, review of air travel and clot risk in pregnancy and postpartum
• Clarke et al., 2021, Cochrane review on compression stockings for airline passengers
• American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) on flying with babies, and the AAP fever guideline for infants 8 to 60 days
• CDC Yellow Book, traveling with infants and children, and the CDC breastfeeding and travel chapter
• Canadian Paediatric Society, 2007, air travel with infants
• AWHONN POST-BIRTH warning signs
• ACOG Committee Opinion on optimizing postpartum care, 2018
• Kalkur et al., 2007, survey on driving after cesarean
• Volling, 2017, NIH-funded study on firstborns adjusting to a new baby
• Thompson-Lastad et al., 2024, community midwives and postpartum rest
• Yang et al., 2023, systematic review on postpartum confinement practices

This episode is educational and is not medical advice. Talk with your provider and your baby's pediatrician about your own situation before you travel.

If you or someone you love is in crisis, call or text 988. For chest pain, trouble breathing, seizures, or thoughts of hurting yourself or someone else, call 911.

If this helped, send it to a mama with a trip coming up. Follow the show, leave a review, or DM me at Beloved Motherhood.

Find more information at https://familyblessingsaz.com.

Today's episode is a little different. Instead of birth prep or postpartum recovery, we're pausing to remember September 11th — and honoring the one-year mark of Charlie Kirk's death along the way. We sit with grief honestly, lean on Scripture for comfort without skipping past the hard parts, and hold space for the families still carrying loss from both. Grab a candle, join me in a moment of remembrance, and let's walk through this one together.

In this episode:

🕯A personal tradition: lighting a candle from 8:46–10:03 AM in memory of 9/11

🕯A brief tribute to Charlie Kirk's Christian faith and legacy, one year after his death

🕯Reflecting on 25 years since 9/11 through a doula's lens on life and loss

🕯Psalm 46:1 — God as our refuge in real catastrophe

🕯Psalm 34:18 — nearness to the brokenhearted

🕯Matthew 5:44 — loving enemies without excusing evil

🕯A caution on how Psalm 46:10 is often misapplied

🕯A closing quote from President George W. Bush, November 2001

🕯A short closing prayer for all who are grieving today

Scripture Referenced:

Psalm 46:1 (ESV/NIV)

Psalm 34:18 (ESV/NIV)

Matthew 5:44 (ESV)

Psalm 46:10 (ESV/NIV) — context note

Quote Referenced:

Charlie Kirk, June 2025 interview: "I want to be remembered for courage for my faith."

President George W. Bush, remarks on September 11th, November 2001

A note on this episode: This is a remembrance episode outside our usual content rhythm — no Doula Insight segment this week. We'll be back next Tuesday with our regular content.

Take my hand mama, let's do this together.

Beloved Motherhood

Nurturing mothers, strengthening families, building legacies.