It's the first of its kind in San Antonio. A new course that teaches nurses how to help mothers who've delivered stillborn babies is now offered at University Hospital.
Who is teaching the course? Two mothers who know exactly how it feels.
"I hope they got a view into the aftermath of what it's like to go through an experience like this," said Jennifer Soos.
It's been years since Soos lived through the experience of losing her baby, Wheeler, after carrying him for 7 months. Wheeler was stillborn.
So was Nicole Visser's son, Ryan. News 4 WOAI first caught up with Nicole and Jennifer back in 2006, when they started the San Antonio Chapter of the MISS Foundation. The MISS Foundation is a support group for parents who've lost their little ones.
Now, the two women are teaching nurses at University Hospital how to help other mothers get through one of the most devastating moments of their lives.
"Even though this is a horrible tragedy you're going through, you can look back and really remember how great your nurses were, "explained Visser.
It can be the little things that nurses may not think about, like the sound of a baby's heart monitor in the room next door, or the sound of a crying baby in the hallway, that can make all of the difference.
"For her to say that she lost a baby and then in the next room she could hear the other person's baby heartbeat, was just, it made me want to cry," nurse Kristine Talamante told News 4 WOAI.
Talamante was very surprised to learn that some of the things she may take for granted mean the world to a grieving mother.
"The tape measure that you measure the baby's head with, we just throw them away," said Talamante "Now I'm thinking I'm going to save every little thing."
But one of the biggest lessons these nurses learned was there's nothing more important than compassion.
"I think the best thing that she told us is to acknowledge it," explained Talamante. "It's okay to talk to them. It's okay to cry with them, if that's what you feel."
University Hospital is the only hospital in San Antonio offering the class. The MISS Foundation hopes that will change soon.
For more information about the MISS Foundation,
CLICK HERE.
