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'I remember her everyday': Dublin hospital director helping women after pregnancy loss after losing her own baby there in 1997

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, and Michelle Smith says there's been a lot more conversation on the topic since she lost her daughter in 1997

DUBLIN, Ga. — In Dublin, there's one woman making a difference by helping moms who lost their babies, after she lost her own baby nearly 27 years ago. 

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, and while getting a positive pregnancy test is an exciting time for a lot of women, about one in four women end up having a miscarriage, according to the World Health Organization. 

Michelle Smith is a part of that statistic- she lost her daughter Mackenzie in 1997.

"I remember her everyday and I want everyone else to too," Smith said. 

It's still a raw conversation to have, after nearly three decades. Her baby girl died after Smith suffered complications in pregnancy. She lost her baby after delivering her at 40 weeks. 

"I don't feel like as a healthcare community, that people knew enough or had enough knowledge, to put into that for the care," Smith said. 

But times have changed- and so has Smith's career. She was planning to go into critical care when she was finishing up her nursing degree in 1997. She was treated at Fairview Park Hospital after she lost her daughter, and that created a passion for helping other women who also suffered a pregnancy loss. 

Today, she works at Fairview Park Hospital as Director of Women's Services.  

"I do go and visit with them and talk with them and let them know about the resources and just the care and compassion that we have and that there's always someone that they can talk to," Smith said. 

After she lost her daughter, she said nurses went out of their way to console her. And today, she's part of a team that makes memory boxes for families who just suffered a loss. 

Credit: Michelle Smith

"You know, I ask them, what did you name your baby, what is your baby's name? And make them talk about because so that they realize- this, this is normal. This is, this is your child. We want to you know, talk about your child and remember your child. And have them know that that baby is you know, will be remembered," Smith said. 

Today she's got two boys of her own, but still helps other moms remember their babies with an honor walk at the hospital each October.

Credit: Michelle Smith

"So that we would honor those children that never would get to take the steps," Smith said. 

While that honor walk already happened this year, it's an annual tradition that you can catch next year at the hospital. You can follow them on Facebook to stay updated. 

   

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