The Rainbow Connection

“She Arrived Almost to the Minute He Left” — Krista Wilson on Preterm Labor, Saying Goodbye, and Welcoming Her Rainbow

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2500004/open_sms] In this deeply moving episode, grief coach and mother of three, Krista Wilson, shares the story of her son, Harrison, who was born at 23.5 weeks after an unexpected preterm labor during a winter trip to Whistler. Krista recounts the ambulance ride down the Sea-to-Sky Highway, the NICU moments she will never forget, and the heartbreaking choice she and her husband had to make when machines became the only thing keeping Harrison alive. She also opens up about her pregnancy after loss, including a high-risk journey marked by cervical sutures, nine weeks of hospital bedrest, and the emotional birth of her rainbow baby, Julia — born almost to the minute Harrison passed. This is a story about infant loss, pregnancy after loss, and the extraordinary resilience of a mother’s love. We talk about: - The night Krista went into preterm labor at 23.5 weeks - The ambulance ride through a snowy mountain highway - Meeting Harrison, holding him, and saying goodbye - Pregnancy after loss while navigating trauma, fear, and hypervigilance - Nine weeks of strict hospital bedrest for her rainbow pregnancy - Julia’s premature birth and the cord around her neck - The moment Krista realized Julia arrived almost exactly nine months after Harrison’s death - How grief ultimately shaped Krista’s calling to support others through pregnancy and infant loss This episode is a tender, powerful reminder that grief and beauty can coexist — and that birth, even in loss, can absolutely be sacred. Get to know Krista: Krista Harrison lives in Richmond, BC with her husband, John, and their youngest daughter, Jaina. After raising two biological children and fostering four others over 25 years, Krista felt called into grief work following the loss of her son, Harrison, and the high-risk pregnancy that brought her rainbow baby, Julia, into the world. Today, she is a life and grief coach specializing in pregnancy and infant loss, supporting families through some of the most tender and transformative moments of their lives. Krista brings warmth, lived wisdom, and deep compassion to every woman she supports. Instagram: @kristaharrisoncoaching Connect with Kristin: 📍 Website: thedoulalife.ca 🌈 The Haven — Pregnancy After Loss Support Program: thedoulalife.ca/haven [http://thedoulalife.ca/haven] 🕊 RECLAIM — The PAL Birth Course: thedoulalife.ca/reclaim [http://thedoulalife.ca/reclaim] 🌸 Mother Like No Other — Loss Mom Community: thedoulalife.ca/mother [http://thedoulalife.ca/mother] 📸 Instagram: @the.doula.life [https://www.instagram.com/the.doula.life/] If you enjoyed this episode, please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And feel free to share this episode with someone who could use this kind of support. Your support means so much.

“The Baby Who Saved My Life” — Channing Hart on Loss, Love, and Pregnancy After Loss

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2500004/open_sms] In this powerful episode, Channing Hart shares the heartbreaking story of losing her sons—Leo, who she and her husband lovingly chose to release at 16 weeks after a Jacob syndrome diagnosis, and Oliver, who was stillborn at 26 weeks following severe intrauterine growth restriction, reverse blood flow, and rapid decline. While navigating her grief and fear in pregnancy after loss, Channing also faced a shocking diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma at just eight weeks pregnant. Through impossible decisions, profound love, cancer treatment, and the quiet work of rebuilding her life, Channing speaks openly about grief, survival, motherhood after loss, and the hope she now holds for trying to conceive again.  We talk about: * Channing’s surprise first pregnancy and the TFMR decision for her son Leo * Navigating stigma, grief, and family dynamics after termination for medical reasons * Becoming pregnant again and receiving a cancer diagnosis at eight weeks * Severe IUGR, reverse blood flow, and the loss of her son Oliver at 26 weeks * The agonizing decision between labor & delivery and a D&E for Oliver * Post-loss cancer surgery, healing, and the meaning she found in timing * How she honors both her sons daily and keeps their memories woven into her life * The role of community, connection, and storytelling in her healing * Moving toward trying to conceive after loss with fear, courage, and hope This episode is a tender, powerful reminder that grief and beauty can coexist—and that birth, even in loss, can be sacred. Channing’s story invites us all to slow down, soften, and honor the complicated, courageous truth of motherhood after loss. Get to Know Channing: Channing Hart lives just outside Washington, DC with her husband and their two cats, Boots and Joni. She is the mother of two angel sons—Leo, who she and her husband released at 16 weeks, and Oliver, who was stillborn at 26 weeks in February 2025. Channing is also a recent thyroid cancer survivor, diagnosed at eight weeks pregnant with Oliver, and now finds deep purpose in connecting with other mothers navigating cancer during pregnancy. With a background in Studio Art, she finds joy in interior design, photography, cooking, and time spent near the ocean. She is profoundly grateful for the community of mothers she’s found through The Doula Life, walking this path of grief and healing together. Instagram:  @channing.hart Hope for Two - The Pregnant with Cancer Network: https://hopefortwo.org/ [https://hopefortwo.org/]   Connect with Kristin: 📍 Website: thedoulalife.ca [https://www.thedoulalife.ca/] 🌈 The Haven — Pregnancy After Loss Support Program: thedoulalife.ca/haven [https://www.thedoulalife.ca/haven] 🌸 Mother Like No Other — Loss Mom Community: thedoulalife.ca/mother [https://www.thedoulalife.ca/mother] 📸 Instagram: @the.doula.life [https://www.instagram.com/the.doula.life/] If you enjoyed this episode, please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review—it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And feel free to share this episode with someone who could use this kind of support. Your support means so much.

“I Needed to Be a Mother” — Laurel Schaffman on NICU Loss, Fetal Growth Restriction, and Pregnancy After Loss

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2500004/open_sms] In this tender episode of The Rainbow Connection, Laurel Schaffman shares the heartbreaking and beautiful story of her son Miles, born at 24 weeks after severe fetal growth restriction and complications that led to his passing just two days later. Laurel speaks honestly about their NICU time, navigating grief, and the overwhelming return home to a quiet nursery. She also invites us into the truth of pregnancy after loss, the fear that surfaced when she conceived again, and the careful, monitored journey that brought her rainbow baby Theo safely into her arms. Through her story, Laurel reflects on motherhood after loss, honoring Miles, and learning to live in the present with her son on earth. We talk about: * The whirlwind beginning of her first pregnancy and the first signs of concern. * Receiving devastating news at 24 weeks and the decision to deliver early. * The two precious days Laurel and Josh spent with Miles in the NICU. * The disorienting early grief, funeral arrangements, and advocating for her son even after his passing. * The longing to try again and the emotional complexity of pregnancy after loss. * Navigating fear, frequent monitoring, and finding the right support team. * Setting boundaries during PAL and choosing who to tell — and how. * The redemptive, carefully planned C-section that brought Theo safely into the world. * How motherhood after loss reshapes everything: language, presence, gratitude, and identity. * Honoring Miles while raising Theo, and learning to mother both her boys in different ways. This episode is a tender, powerful reminder that grief and beauty can coexist — and that birth, even in loss, can absolutely be sacred. Get to Know Laurel: Laurel Schaffman is an elementary school teacher and mother from West Hartford, Connecticut. She is the mom of two beautiful boys — her angel baby, Miles, and her rainbow baby, Theo. Typically a private person, Laurel found that walking through pregnancy loss, NICU loss, and pregnancy after loss opened her heart in new ways. She now shares her story so other women walking this path know they are not alone, and so Miles’ life continues to be honored through the ways she mothers. Guest Links: Instagram: @lshaff13   Connect with Kristin: 📍 Website: thedoulalife.ca [https://www.thedoulalife.ca/] 🌈 The Haven — Pregnancy After Loss Support Program: thedoulalife.ca/haven [https://www.thedoulalife.ca/haven] 🌸 Mother Like No Other — Loss Mom Community: thedoulalife.ca/mother [https://www.thedoulalife.ca/mother] 📸 Instagram: @the.doula.life [https://www.instagram.com/the.doula.life/] If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories into the hands of the women who need them most. And feel free to share this with someone who could use this kind of support. Your support means so much.

“Heaven Felt So Close” — Julie Wells on Losing Her Son Gabriel and Navigating Pregnancy After Loss

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2500004/open_sms] In this tender and faith-rooted episode, Julie Wells shares the story of her son Gabriel, who she lost at 14 weeks after a traumatic and mishandled ER experience. She walks us through the early joy of his pregnancy, the sudden shift into contractions, her water breaking in the hospital hallway, and the heartbreaking moment she delivered him after a sneeze. Julie speaks vulnerably about holding Gabriel, naming him through tears, and navigating the deep grief that followed — as well as the regret and acceptance that came with his burial. She also opens her heart about pregnancy after loss, fearfully approaching the 14-week mark again, and the miraculous, spiritually-charged birth of her rainbow baby girl, Amayah, born after a fast labor while her husband was sick with norovirus. This is a story of grief, motherhood, faith, and the thin places between earth and heaven. We talk about: * The early symptoms, sickness, and intuition Julie had during Gabriel’s pregnancy * The ER experience where her concerns were dismissed and minimized * The moment her water broke, the instant grief, and giving birth in the hallway  * Holding Gabriel, naming him, and finding meaning in the sacredness of his life * Navigating postpartum grief without a baby in her arms * Wanting to conceive again and becoming pregnant a month later * The fear of reaching (and passing) 14 weeks in her rainbow pregnancy * The powerful birth of her daughter Ameya and the “veil” feeling thin between worlds * How she honors Gabriel today — scones, ducks, keepsakes, and connection * Walking alongside other loss moms as a way of honoring her son’s life This episode is a tender, powerful reminder that grief and beauty can coexist — and that birth, even in loss, can absolutely be sacred. Get to know Julie: Julie Wells is a Minnesota-based mama to three: her toddler son, her angel baby Gabriel, and her rainbow baby girl, Ameya. A former certified midwife for developing nations and a full-time mother, Julie carries a deep passion for maternal health, faith, and creating everyday adventures with her little ones. Her heart for loss families shines through everything she does — honoring Gabriel by supporting other mothers walking through pregnancy after loss.  Instagram: @mrs.juwells Connect with Kristin: 📍 Website: thedoulalife.ca 🌈 The Haven — Pregnancy After Loss Support Program: thedoulalife.ca/haven 🌸 Mother Like No Other — Loss Mom Community: thedoulalife.ca/mother 📸 Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this kind of support. Your support means so much.

“She Was Loved Every Second” — Kristine McNeil on the Loss of Her Daughter Banks and the Path to Her Rainbow Baby

Send us a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2500004/open_sms] In this tender and courageous episode of The Rainbow Connection, Kristine McNeil shares the story of her daughter Banks, the profound loss that reshaped her life, and the emotional landscape of navigating miscarriage, trying to conceive after loss, and pregnancy after loss. Kristine opens up about the early signs she tried to ignore, the intuition she wishes had been heard, and the grief that followed the moment everything changed. She also reflects on the journey toward her rainbow baby—what it meant to carry both fear and hope, how she rebuilt trust in her body, and the ways she continues to honour Banks in her motherhood today. This episode holds space for the complexity of stillbirth, pregnancy loss, healing after miscarriage, and the transformative path of motherhood after loss. We talk about: - The early signs and intuition that something wasn’t right - The devastating moment of losing Banks - Navigating grief, trauma, and the unraveling that followed - The fear and emotional weight of trying to conceive after loss - How pregnancy after loss changed the way she trusted her body - Rebuilding connection with herself while honouring her baby - The birth of her rainbow baby and the emotions that came with it - Motherhood after loss and living with both grief and gratitude - The ways Banks continues to shape her life - What healing now looks like for Kristine 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 Kristine: Kristine McNeil lives in Greenville, South Carolina with her husband, Shawn, and their three beautiful children Earthside—Cadence, Sutler, and Cash. She also carries the love of her daughter, Banks, who lives forever in her heart. Kristine is a devoted mother, a lover of home decorating, and someone who finds joy in cheering her kids on from the sidelines and spending time with the people she loves most. Having walked through profound grief, she approaches life with gratitude, tenderness, and a commitment to finding beauty and purpose in every moment. Instagram: @kristineemcneil Connect with Kristin: 📍 Website: thedoulalife.ca 🌈 The Haven — Pregnancy After Loss Support: thedoulalife.ca/haven [https://www.thedoulalife.ca/haven] 🌸 Mother Like No Other — Loss Mom Community: thedoulalife.ca/mother [https://www.thedoulalife.ca/mother] 📸 Instagram: @the.doula.life [https://www.instagram.com/the.doula.life/] If you enjoyed this episode, please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And feel free to share this episode with someone who could use this kind of support. Your support means so much.