About this episode

Stephanie Briggs shares her heartbreaking story of losing her daughter to CMV and raises awareness about the virus.

Have you heard of congenital CMV? Many haven’t, including Stephanie Briggs, who learned of it for the first time while simultaneously experiencing the most devastating moment of her family’s life. Steph lost her second daughter, Charlotte Hope - or Charlie - as a result of CMV at 35 weeks gestation. Now the founder of The Hope Initiative for CMV, a charity created to raise awareness of this common but unknown virus, Steph shares her motherhood journey and the legacy of Charlie. In this raw yet eye-opening conversation, we discuss… Steph’s trouble with ovulation and journey to conceiving her first daughter Her second pregnancy juggling appendicitis, placenta previa, constant flu and nausea Getting the medical news no parent wants to hear and the limbo that follows How do you cope with hearing your unborn baby won’t survive? Cytomegalovirus (CMV) - what is it? Giving birth (and grieving) when you know your baby has passed away The unexpected logistics of a stillborn baby Explaining to their toddler that her sister wouldn’t come home Grief and how little society understands it How to be vigilant of CMV when pregnant Conceiving after loss and following CMV infection Health anxiety…

People in this episode

Hosts: Jayde Couldwell, Sophie Pearce

Guest: Stephanie Briggs

Topics covered

• grief
• stillbirth
• CMV awareness
• motherhood journey
• health anxiety
• pregnancy complications

Keywords

• CMV
• stillbirth
• grief
• motherhood
• pregnancy
• health anxiety
• awareness

Sponsors

First Five Years

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Hope Initiative for CMV

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