“Nothing About This Was Easy”: A Story of Stillbirth, NICU Survival, and the Baby Who Changed Everything
Jessalyn shares the deeply personal and emotional story of her angel baby Camila, who was stillborn at 20 weeks, and the high-risk, complicated journey to welcoming her rainbow baby, Colby. In this moving episode, Jessalyn walks us through the shock of pregnancy loss after an uncomplicated first birth, the heartbreaking misidentification of her baby’s gender, and the complex layers of grief that followed. She also opens up about the fear, anxiety, and resilience it took to navigate a subsequent pregnancy filled with complications, including PPROM, hospital bedrest, and a NICU stay.
We talk about:
Experiencing a missed miscarriage after her first healthy pregnancy
Losing her daughter Camila at 20 weeks and discovering her true gender days later
The emotional and physical toll of an induction after loss
The complicated decision to try again while deep in grief
Navigating pregnancy after loss with high-risk care
A ruptured membrane at 26 weeks and hospital bedrest far from home
Bringing her son Colby home after a premature birth and three weeks in the NICU
The ongoing balance of grief, healing, and joy in parenting both her living and angel children
This episode is a tender, honest reminder of the strength it takes to survive life after loss and how joy and sorrow can exist side by side. Jessalyn’s story is proof that even through the most devastating chapters, we can find our way through.
Camila, this one is for you.
Get to Know JESSALYN:
Jessalyn is a 35-year-old mom of three — an angel baby and two living children — living in Clarington, Ontario with her husband Carlos and their rescue dog, José. She grew up in Port Perry and still holds a special love for her hometown, with hopes of moving back one day. Jessalyn and Carlos have known each other since their early teens and have been together since their late teens, with a few years apart along the way. She works in Toronto and commutes a couple of days a week, balancing family life, work, and the ongoing journey of mothering all of her children.
