Perinatal Hospice
Phillip Stumpf Perinatal Hospice Program
ORIGIN:
The Phillip Stumpf perinatal hospice program is named after Phillip who due to maternal medical conditions was delivered prematurely stillborn. Phillip's sudden passing was life altering not only for his parents, siblings, and extended family, but also for the practice of Dr. Freeman Brndjar.
Perinatal hospice is not a place.
It is a way of caring for the pregnant mother, and father, while honoring the baby, and all involved with dignity, compassion and love.
Every life no matter how brief, matters, Phillip mattered. The staff and physician walked alongside the Stumpf family through the entire process of joyful anticipation of Phillip's arrival, to the delivery room, to the planning of and attendance at Phillip's funeral. The emotional toll Phillip's passing had on the family led to the formation of this perinatal hospice program. The family lovingly returned Phillip to Eternal Father. His passing was a lesson that life is a gift to be treasured and honored. Walking with parents who experience a terminal pregnancy, or a poor prenatal diagnosis respectfully assists families in carrying their cross while honoring the life of their unborn child.
The mission of the program is to provide supportive obstetric care for mothers and families whose babies have a terminal diagnosis before birth. Its goal is to carry each baby to its natural fruition and deliver in the fullness of time, having experienced a lifetime together.
Popular culture tells us that termination of pregnancy is acceptable if an imperfect unborn baby has a grave diagnosis. This knee jerk reaction perpetuates the belief that the objective is to avoid suffering due to the child's anticipated brief mortality. Sadly, many doctors perpetuate this recommendation. However, we at The United Hearts Life Mission fully support that there is no rush, it is profoundly better to let nature take its course, and support life at all stages. Above all, we support our patient, with true hospice care for the baby within her womb because we recognize that mothers want to be with their babies, especially when their babies are sick. There is no rush.
Studies have shown that when patients are offered the alternative of Perinatal Hospice care for their unborn baby, 80% choose life. Perinatal Hospice is a viable alternative to pregnancy termination.
Perinatalhospice.org provides quotes from parents who experienced poor prenatal diagnosis:
By giving my son the protection of my body to face the announced death, I was giving him life, all of his life, so that it would be recorded in our family, in all of our history, and in the hearts of each of us. It wasn’t a morbid walk but a formidable surge of love. — Isabelle
I didn’t voluntarily return her to God; I had no choice. I did have a choice in how I could love her, honor her, share our journey and her life with those people that we loved and knew us. We are all better for having followed our daughter’s lead in this story. She was a gift and I am grateful, every day, that we allowed ourselves to receive it. — Alessandra
I really have peace that we carried her to term. I know in my heart that I have given my daughter all that I could and loved her every day of her life. — Annette
I have had an experience that I would not ask to repeat. One that is common, in that nearly all of us have experienced loss. But one that is unusual in that a lifetime’s worth of pain, loss, love, and joy were compressed into a few brief moments. In the short time that has passed since Lily’s death, the experience has come to feel like a great gift, one that has given me a profound sense of one aspect of our being. Thank you, Lily, for giving me such a clear and deep awareness of our innate fitness for loving. — Mark
A perinatologist said things to us like “the outcome will be the same” even if we didn’t induce prematurely. Now that I’m stronger emotionally, I know that the outcome would not be the same. We would not have had all of the special time to share with Gianna during her life in my womb. We would not have been able to share some amazing, precious moments with our baby and our sons. — Jennifer
This journey was beautiful because we were able to celebrate her life and not look at it as a tragedy. All our baby daughter will ever know is love. — John
As a mother, I have always felt that it was my job to identify what my children need and give it to them. Sometimes those needs are simple and straightforward—clean laundry, a healthy meal, a hand to cross the street safely. Maggie’s needs were not like those of my sons. She needed us to give her a safe and peaceful transition from one world to the next. Carrying Maggie to term did that for me—it gave me the opportunity to “mother” her until she didn’t need me anymore. That knowledge made it infinitely easier to make peace with her death. — Alessandra
She didn’t bring sadness. She brought joy, utter joy. — James
This service is offered by the United Hearts Life Mission for patients who are experiencing poor prenatal diagnosis for their unborn child.
Program aims:
Identify babies with poor prenatal diagnosis.
Dr. Freeman Brndjar will discuss the screenings and diagnostic testing for you and your baby and offer in depth discussions and ongoing education concerning your baby's condition.
Educate parents on the option to continue their pregnancy.
Dr. Freeman Brndjar will encourage you that these conditions are not painful for the baby because until birth the mother's body gives the baby everything he or she needs.
Provide excellent medical care to mom and baby and seamless support through pregnancy, delivery, postpartum and a year thereafter.
Offer a complimentary ultrasound and material support.
A free ultrasound as part of the program. Infant loss material support, including a heartbeat bear with the option to record your baby's heartbeat.
Connect families with additional supportive resources. We will provide a list of local and national organizations and resources to assist you.
Additional Resources
Perinatal hospice support for families receiving a life-limiting diagnosis in pregnancy and emergent support for those who experience the loss of a baby in any gestation
Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS) offers the gift of healing, hope and honor to parents experiencing the death of a baby through the overwhelming power of remembrance portraits. Professional-level photographers volunteer their time to conduct an intimate portrait session, capturing the only moments parents spend with their babies. Parents are gifted with delicately retouched heirloom black and white portraits free of charge.
M.E.N.D. (Mommies Enduring Neonatal Death) is a Christian, non-profit organization that reaches out to families who have suffered the loss of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth, or early infant death.
http://www.teamtinytreasures.weebly.com
Team Tiny Treasures is a group of volunteers providing support, clothing and other goods to families facing or experiencing perinatal loss.
Heaven's Gain Ministries provides for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of families before, during, and after the birth of their precious child.