Empty Arms: Coping with Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Infant Death

Twelve years ago we lost our son Jason to a cord accident a week before our due date. Our hospital had no materials at the time, but the wonderful nurses told us about a conference they had been to with Sherokee and about the book. We went out and got it along with others and "Empty Arms" along with a 2nd book "I'll Hold You in Heaven by Jack Hayford" were the most helpful. We have been supplying both of these books to our hospitals' OB ward and to anyone we know who needs them for 12 years. These books are both wonderfully helpful and comforting at an unimaginably difficult time. I would highly recommend them not just for the parents but for extended family & friends who are trying to help and cope themselves. Thank-you to both authors for helping so many with such a tragic loss.

Sherokee Isle wrote this wonderful book that touches on all that I went through. I have recommended it to many friends with similar experiences and it has helped them cope with the loss of their little Angels too. I even wrote to her (her address is in tha back of the book) to thank her for helping me, and she sent a hand written personl note back to me telling me how sorry she was for my loss. There are many things she suggests doing to help you through this hard time. She validates your feelings and discusses her personal stories. She is a voice of experience.

This book has it all. It covers real emotions from someone that's "been there." It helped me to understand and accept my own feelings. It also helped my family and friends understand what I was going through. I have talked with several grieving parents and have recommended this book to each one of them.

MY LITTLE CHRISTOPHER WAS STILLBORN ON JULY 4, 1999. I WAS DEVASTATED. MOST PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE EMOTIONS, FEELINGS, HOPELESSNESS OF LOSING AN INFANT. MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO REACT OR WHAT TO SAY. THEY TRY TO COMFORT YOU IN THEIR OWN BLIND WAY BUT MOSTLY THEY JUST MAKE THINGS WORSE. READING THIS BOOK AND EXPERIENCING HOW OTHER PARENTS FELT AND DEALT WITH THIS HORRIBLE TRAGEDY MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS WITH PEOPLE WHO KNEW AND REALLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT IT WAS LIKE. SO MANY THINGS THAT WERE DISCUSSED THAT THESE PARENTS WISHED THEY HAD DONE OR HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO TO REMEMBER/MEMORIALIZE THEIR CHILDREN WERE SO HELPFUL IN MY DECISION MAKING PROCESS AND BURIAL OF MY SON. IT WAS LIKE LEARNING FROM THE REGRETS OF OTHERS. IT DEFINITELY AIDED IN THE HEALING PROCESS. EVERY HOSPITAL SHOULD HAVE A COPY AVAILABLE FOR PARENTS WHO LOSE AN INFANT!

I recently purchased this book after suffering the stillbirth of my daughter Emily Rose. Like the author, I, too, had previous miscarriages so the death of my daughter was even more traumatic. Reading "Empty Arms" -- a very appropriate title -- helps me realize that I'm not alone and that my feelings are "normal". I'm deeply grateful to the author for publishing this book.