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When I See The 9 Pregnant Nurses, I Wonder Who Didn't Get To Be In The Picture

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By now you've probably seen this picture. You've probably heard of the 9 labor and delivery nurses who are all pregnant at the same time.


When I look at this picture, I feel happy for these women and their shared experience. I wish them all the very best in their pregnancy.

But, my heart truly belongs to the woman who isn't in this photo.

I look at this photo and I wonder about the woman who missed their chance to be in the picture.

I wonder about the woman who has yet to see a positive pregnancy test even though it's been months, or maybe years, of trying.

I wonder about the woman whose pregnancy ended before she had a chance to pose with the rest.

I feel for that woman so deeply.

It can be so hard to be the one who's not pregnant.

After losing a baby, being around one pregnant friend, relative, or co-worker is a difficult task. It's an emotional tug-of-war between being happy for them and being insanely jealous that it's not you.

Can you imagine what it's like to be around nine?

I can just imagine her walking by as the photo is taken. Smiling through her tears, she hurries off to the bathroom stall so she can cry. Not wanting to ruin the joy of the moment, but mourning the fact that it's not her joy.

It's so hard to be left out of the picture.

It's hard to be the one on the sidelines wondering...why not me?

I wonder about this woman, because I've been this woman. And chances are, one of the nurses in this photo has been this woman. There's a 1 in 4 chance that one of these nurses has known pregnancy loss and a 1 in 8 chance that they have experienced infertility.

There's a very good chance that one of these nurses knows what it's like to be left out of the picture. And I'm sure she knows exactly what bathroom stall is best for a good cry.

Originally published on the author's Facebook page

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