Many mothers will tell you that being a mother is worth the turmoil and one of the most rewarding things in the world. However, it should also be noted that it does come with its risks, especially in the pregnancy stage. First-time mothers and mothers with several children are depicted to squeal with delight when they find out they are pregnant. Not to say this isn’t true, but many mothers are also forced to face the tough conclusion that they cannot bring a healthy baby into the world at this time. According to statista.com, “…in 2019 the number of live births in the United States was around 3.75 million. The birth rate in the United States has been steadily decreasing over the past few decades as younger people now have fewer children than the previous generations and some decide not to have children at all. Some of the leading reasons for having difficulty getting pregnant among those who had difficulty conceiving include polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (female factor), low sperm production (male factor), and endometriosis (female factor).”
If you ask a mother, many might tell you that it’s worth the risk, but there aren’t many things more heartbreaking than losing a child you’ve been growing inside you for months. According to another source, livescience.com, about one out of every five pregnancies ends in a miscarriage, or about twenty percent. Unfortunately, this statistic can’t really be stopped. Miscarriages happen for a wide variety of reasons, including the mother’s health, genes, or other determining factors.
Holly and Katie are two mothers, wives, and founders of the One Wing Foundation. Katie’s pregnancy was described as perfect right up until the unthinkable. During a normal check-up, the baby was found to have lost his pulse. Katie was instantly taken to the labor and delivery wing at the hospital. The next day at nearly two in the morning, her son, Hudson John, was born. He weighed in at just over three pounds and passed soon after. Holly and her husband had been married for five years and had a previous history of miscarriages. They were hoping this time would be different. A day came where Holly wasn’t feeling right and wanted to have a check-up to make sure the baby was still fine. The doctors informed Holly her baby was without a heartbeat. Both mothers have gone on to have several healthy children after their loss.
In January of 2016, the two mothers created the One Wing Foundation. Through donations, they are able to fund education, advocacy, research, and more. The official statement says that “One Wing Foundation’s priority is to give to as many organizations as we can while spreading our funds to various types of support needs for the pregnancy and infant loss community. Our purpose is to help these organizations accomplish their missions by providing funding for already-established programs.”
