These days, pregnancy is so much safer than it used to be that we don't always take the time to talk about the dark, tragic moments in the process.
There are so many assumptions about pregnancy, it's still considered downright taboo to discuss the dangers of childbirth, to say nothing of the heartbreaking cases where either the mother or her baby don't survive the pregnancy.
In fact, doctors estimate that as many as one in four pregnancies will end in miscarriages or stillbirths. However, many women miscarry so early that they don't even realize they were ever carrying a child.
Stillbirths and late-term miscarriages, on the other hand, are often profoundly physically and emotionally painful, as we saw in the heartbreaking story of the mom who held her baby girl for just two hours before the infant passed away.
That's because, in many cases, a mom who desperately wants her baby must go through labor knowing that her little one is unlikely to survive.
That was the heartbreaking case for Darl Rivera Maclintal and her husband, PJ, when they discovered that their much-longed-for baby girl was already making her way into the next world.
PJ and Darl were so excited to welcome their little one into the world. Then, right around 24 weeks into the pregnancy, they discovered the heartbreaking truth: Though she had been healthy up to this point, the baby's heart had stopped beating, and the doctor knew that Darl would need to deliver soon or risk her own life.
Darl and PJ took the day to grieve, then came back to deliver their little one just as they had always intended, even though they knew that their baby girl was already gone.
They had already named their little girl Darliza ("Izzy" for short) and had spent months reading aloud to her and buying tiny baby clothes.
When Izzy was born — perfect, small, and already an angel — Darl grieved by commemorating her life in a beautiful poem.
As she told LittleThings, "She didn't have to breathe to change our lives or to make us feel loved. Even with the very short time she's been with us, she lived her life to the full because she completed her purpose."
Scroll through below to read Darl's beautiful words to her perfect daughter.
Our beautiful angel
born silent into this world.
It didn't matter,
the moment we saw you
it was pure joy.
All questions, all pain and fears,
flew away into the darkness of the night;
as I held you on my chest,
cherishing our time.
"Half past midnight the priest came,
to bless and baptize you in Christ's name.
We may not know exactly when
your heart stopped beating
to an end.
Our child, know that
if love could have saved you,
you would live forever.
For now, God will carry you in his arms
as we carry you in our hearts
until we can hold you in heaven.
Thank you for showing me
how much your tatay [father] loves me,
how much our family and friends love us.
Thank you for showing us
the power of God's love.
I guess you were made
too beautiful for Earth.
You were born with wings,
you were meant to fly.
Your place is in heaven.
You may be stillborn
but you
were
still
born.
If you'd like to help other families affected by the tragedy of stillbirth, consider supporting BC Angel Dresses, which makes funeral clothes out of wedding gowns for very tiny babies like Izzy, and Powell River Hospital, which supported their family through the birth.
Darl also tells LittleThings that she's going to perform a random act of kindness in Izzy's honor around the holidays, and hopes that other readers will join her in making the world a happier place in Izzy's memory.
Please SHARE this powerful poem to spread the word and help encourage people all around the world to remember Izzy and other babies like her by performing random acts of kindness in their communities!
