A mother's candid and heartfelt reflections about pregnancy after miscarriage - the joy and grief, excitement and worry - are providing comfort to other mums experiencing the same conflicting emotions.
"Pregnancy after miscarriage(s) can be a hard/weird thing," writes Allie Boss in a post to her Facebook page. "After losing two babies, I question everything."
Ms Boss explains that, at eight weeks pregnant following her losses, she finds herself scrutinising every sign and every symptom. "Is that pain normal?" she writes. "Why don't I feel sick? Is the baby growing right?"
Being pregnant after experiencing loss is hard, Ms Boss admits. And while she notes that pregnancy is hard in and of itself, and that it's normal to question symptoms, the experience is heightened after loss.
"[At] times I get anxiety of losing another," Ms Boss writes. "Times I question if this baby is going to grow to full term."
Pregnancy after loss, she says, is scary - and has left her questioning her decisions.
"I questioned if we shared too early because what if something happened again?" Ms Boss writes. "But here I am 8 weeks 5 days and I'm not going to hide it."
Sharing her belief that mums should never feel that they have to hide a baby until after the first trimester, Ms Boss writes, "I want to celebrate everyday I carry this baby. Heaven forbid something happens. I'm going to celebrate, share and savour every single day. Because this baby deserves it. Because I'm growing a precious longed for, prayed for and wanted life inside of me and that deserves to be celebrated from day one."
Ms Boss's words have been shared widely, many mums commenting with their own reflections of pregnancy after grief and loss. And posting of their own miracle rainbow babies.
"So beautifully put," one mum wrote. "I was told I was unlikely to carry my daughter to term after suffering 2 losses in my 20's. Her message of positivity in the face of that fear is really wonderful, and so brave."
"Good for you celebrating every moment! I have 4 children and 3 losses. I heard some comments about sharing about the losses too soon but the support that came with those losses was so valuable..."
"Don't let FEAR steal your joy!!" was another mum's message of support. "That's what I had to tell myself MANY times!!"
In another recent post to her page, Ms Boss shares more details about her previous pregnancies, writing that the question, "How many pregnancies have you had?" left her with a lump in her throat at her recent antenatal appointment.
"One baby in my arms. One ectopic. One miscarriage and one inside me," she writes.
"Seems like such a simple question and I never had really thought about that til that moment. 4 babies. 4 pregnancies. All different."
Acknowledging that she doesn't know what tomorrow might bring, Ms Boss explains that for now, she's choosing to live in the moment.
"Right now ... in this moment ... I have a little grape sized baby dancing in my belly right where he or she is suppose to be."
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