“I Didn’t Think It Would Happen to Me” – A Stillbirth Story of Love, Pregnancy after Loss, and Honouring Keelan
Lin Yuan opens her heart to share the story of her son Keelan, born still at 38 weeks, and the life-altering moments that came before and after his birth. She takes us into the day she realized he wasn’t moving, the surreal drive to the hospital, and the moment she saw his face — knowing instantly that he was both hers and gone.
Lin reflects on the early days of grief while parenting her toddler son, the quiet and everyday ways she continues to honor Keelan, and the complicated emotions of her pregnancy after loss with her daughter, Logan. She speaks candidly about navigating fear, reclaiming her birth preferences, and the power of calling her stillborn son into the birth space of her rainbow baby. Today, Lin carries Keelan’s legacy into her work as a doula, walking alongside other parents facing the unimaginable.
We talk about:
The sudden and heartbreaking loss of Keelan at 38 weeks
The moment of meeting her son and feeling both love and loss
Parenting a toddler while grieving a baby who isn’t coming home
The quiet, everyday ways of honoring a baby after stillbirth
The complexity of pregnancy after loss — holding hope and fear together
Advocating for birth preferences after loss
Welcoming her rainbow baby, Logan, and calling Keelan into that space
Turning grief into purpose through bereavement doula work
This episode is a tender, raw, and hope-filled reminder that grief and love can coexist — and that a baby’s legacy can live in the quietest moments.
Keelan, this one is for you.
Get to Know LIN:
Lin is a proud mom of three beautiful children and calls Brooklyn, NY home. In April 2023, she lost her middle baby, Keelan Paxton, at 38 weeks—a heartbreak that changed everything. In his honor, she founded A Little Peace, a doula practice in NYC dedicated to pregnancy after loss and bereavement care. Lin has found her life’s work in helping families who walk this path feel less alone. She finds joy in arranging Trader Joe's flowers, baking birthday cakes for her kids, and commiserating with fellow Brooklyn parents over a glass of wine (or three). You can connect with Lin at littlepeacedoula.com.
Connect with MJ:
Instagram: @linyuan15
Little Peace Doula: @littlepeacedoula
