S8E5: Comforting Mothers Who Have Experienced Infant Loss with Elizabeth O’Donnell of Aaliyah in Action

InCast

When a mother has the devastating experience of leaving the hospital without a baby and perhaps only a memory box, many in our society expect them to get on with living and go back to their normal life. But their life is changed forever, and many don’t recognize or acknowledge that. Today we will hear the story of grief, anger, a battle, and finally, a life’s purpose for one mother who had to walk this hard path. Through her mission, she struggled to get family leave extended to grieving parents, so no one would have to suffer as she did. She also discovered the importance of providing resources for self-care and connection to bereavement groups.

Elizabeth “Liz” O’Donnell is a steadfast infant loss advocate leading the charge in raising awareness and prevention of stillbirth and infant mortality. Her daughter, Aaliyah, was born still in 2020. Today, she runs a one-woman non-profit, Aaliyah in Action, keeping her daughter’s spirit alive, supporting mothers and families across the country who experience the pain of losing a baby, and advocating for legislation that could reduce the number of U.S. stillbirths. Liz is also a Director of Awareness for PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy, a grassroots initiative that advocates for evidence-based, respectful, and equitable maternity care aimed at preventing loss when possible. Before her advocacy work, Liz was a dedicated D.C. Public Schools elementary math and science schoolteacher for 7 years.

Listen and Learn:

• What hospitals traditionally do when a baby is born still
• How it feels for one mom to leave the hospital with empty arms
• That some states give FMLA leave for the parents of loss, and some don’t
• Why Liz created this package for other grieving moms
• What is in the Self Care Box and why many hospitals now give out the boxes
• How you can share the importance of post-loss care with your hospital or agency

Resources & Mentions:

• Aaliyah in Action
• Push for Empowered Pregnancy
• Count the Kicks
• Elizabeth O'Donnell - [e-mail]

Related Products from InJoy:

Guide to Grief and Healing After the Loss of Your Baby