“I Had to Learn How to Hope Again” - Bethany Womack on Stillbirth, PTSD, and Birth After Loss
In this deeply moving episode, Bethany Womack invites us into her decade long journey through recurrent miscarriage, preeclampsia, emergency birth, postpartum PTSD, NICU trauma, and the heartbreaking loss of her son Gabriel. She speaks honestly about the emotional and physical toll of pregnancy loss, the impossible decisions she faced, the grief that reshaped her, and the long, winding path toward her rainbow baby, Teddy, born after years of fear, healing, and rebuilding trust in her own body.
Her story is a powerful testament to the truth that joy and grief can coexist — and that motherhood after loss unfolds in many forms.
We talk about:
Recurrent early miscarriages and the shock of becoming “the statistic”
Bowen’s traumatic birth, preeclampsia, hemorrhage, and postpartum PTSD
Navigating a 22-day NICU stay during Hurricane Harvey
The emotional and physical devastation of losing Gabriel at 20 weeks
The sacred, heartbreaking moments of saying goodbye
How trauma shaped her next pregnancies and birth choices
Anxiety, hypervigilance, and learning to feel safe in her body again
The long journey to her rainbow son, Teddy, and his 28-day NICU stay
Grief within marriage and how she and her husband supported each other
What it meant to finally leave the hospital with a living baby after so much loss
This episode is a tender, powerful reminder that grief and beauty can coexist — and that birth, even in loss, can be sacred.
Get to Know BETHANY:
Bethany Womack lives in Houston, Texas with her husband, Mark, and their three sons, Bowen, Jack, and Teddy, while lovingly holding the memory of their son, Gabriel. Her journey through motherhood has carried her through recurrent miscarriages, preeclampsia, traumatic birth, postpartum PTSD, and the tender complexities of NICU life. A photographer and storyteller at heart, Bethany shares her experiences with honesty and warmth, helping other loss mothers feel seen in their pain and reminding them that joy and grief often live together. She is passionate about creating space for women to feel less alone in the aftermath of loss.
Instagram: @bethanybwomack
