The Rose and the Sword by Gina Marinello-Sweeney

Jason reached over and poured a few drops of water on him and said, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Emily could feel the vibration of his tiny heart Emily held her new son as gently as she could. He was perfect as he opened his mouth to cry. He was perfect as he struggled to breathe.

His small body was covered with minute white hairs.

He was so perfect and looked identical to their oldest son, Jake. Jason held onto Emily’s shoulder and watched as she cradled the smallest baby they had ever seen. He handed the tiny less-than-one-pound baby boy to his mother. He spoke in a hushed, almost apologetic voice, “There is nothing we can do for him.” After a few minutes, the doctor brought him back, his small form still hidden in the blue hospital blanket. She could hear a nurse referring to “him,” and realized that their child was another boy. A few minutes later, she felt another contraction and her placenta was delivered.

Emily and Jason sat quietly, their hearts heavy with emotion. Emily heard a sound like a kitten crying, then realized that her baby had let out a small, soft, weak cry.Īs soon as the umbilical cord was cut, the nurse immediately carried the baby across the room as the pediatric staff attempted to work on their child. She pushed only twice and her small child was born. “I need to push.” She wanted so desperately not to push, to allow her baby to stay inside of her, and for her to continue to nourish and nurture her child, but her body wouldn’t allow that. This excerpt describes Emily’s loss of baby “Seth.”

One of the themes of my first novel, Emily’s Hope, is pregnancy loss. Here are some of my reflections on pregnancy loss:Īmong Women Podcast Episode 89 (Pat Gohn interviewed me about miscarriage and pregnancy loss)įive Little Souls in Heaven (This article was written 27 years ago and published in the Nazareth Journal)ĭifficult Anniversaries/Responsible Parenthood This month, we remember in a special way these seven little souls (and intercessors) in heaven. James and I are blessed, honored, and grateful to be the parents of five adult sons and three beautiful daughters-in-law (as well as two grandchildren!)īut not a day goes by that I don’t think about those seven precious babies we lost through miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. October 15 is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, but the entire month of October is devoted to Infant Loss Remembrance.

The Rose and the Sword by Gina Marinello-Sweeney