I'm proud of you for taking this step! Please keep us posted...maybe I can get the strength to attend one as well.

The hospital that i had our angel at offers a support group once a month and i been once. Not sure if i will go to the one this month or not. There were about 4 people in the group including the leader and to be honest with you, i found it not useful or helpful. The other women who were there had their loss 2 years ago so i couldnt indentify with the emotional level they were on and the other was a 9 week miscarriage. I am not saying that is not painful but its not in the same book if you ask me. I have miscarried at 9 weeks and it was awful but losing our daughter at 38 weeks...totally different. Good luck~ i hope you have better luck with that than me.

I've been to one support group so far and there is another one tonight that I am going to also! I'm glad that you found a group to go to!
The group actually consisted of only one couple that had been going for almost a year and another couple that was there for the very first time. My friend actually came along with me because my fiance was out of town and I didn't want to go alone. Oh and there also was a Chaplin there who was supposed to be there to lead it, which he didn't really do much... it was more the woman of the older couple that had been going for awhile.
I was the first to really start sharing, I couldn't really help it... it just started pouring out of me and before I knew it, 20 minutes had passed by and I was drenched in tears. I had caused all of the other women to cry also. I felt bad for rambling the way I did but it felt like an amazing release. The woman of the other new couple didn't say much, she seemed quite shy and nervous. I really think that she got a lot out of it though... having others to talk to face to face who can understand the pain. I hope I see her there tonight.
Before I ramble too much more I guess I just really wanted to share with you that it was a very good experience for me. I'm a little nervous to go tonight though because I'll have to go alone.
There is only one way to find out if it is right for you... and that is to go. You don't have to talk or share anything if you don't want, it might just help to listen to what others have to say. I really hope that you go and that it helps you! *hugs*

DH and I are going tomorrow night for the first time. I feel just like you do; I really want to connect with people in iur situation, but I am nervous. Let us know how it goes!

I know people have many different experiences with groups...I hope to eventually try to go~i'm kinda shy in group settings so i'm not sure. My boss has been in a support group for years~she is in one for infertility & she has encouraged me to go for my loss. She said it is nice & often helpful if you can connect with someone going thru the same thing or that has gone thru it. She is aware that I am online here & I have told her it has really helped me & everyone here is so supportive...I wish all of us could have face to face meetings as I feel I have already gotten to know many of you. Right now DS/Stillbirth group is my support team!

I am probably responding too late and you are already on your way to the meeting, but...I have attende two different support groups, one was through Share, a national organization (they came to the hospital and talked with me while in the "moments" of my loss) and the other group is through a hospital (not the one I gave birth at). I liked both, but really felt like I clicked with the one done by the hospital. It was a bit odd at first and it was hard for me to share anything. My first meeting was only 10 days after my loss. Now that I am almost 6 months, I have to say they have been very helpful.

For me it has been nice to see others and connect with people who have "survived" and are moving forward in life. I also liked that there was a mix of people, new angel parents, 3-year angel parents, rainbow parents, ttc rainbow parents...all of us at different points and all wanting to help one another.

I must say though that this site has been the best support overall for me. It is sad that there are so many of us here, but good in that there is always someone available to "talk" to when you need it. The in-person support groups by me are only once a month and sometimes that just isn't enough.

I hope you find your group helpful, but don't feel bad if it doesn't work for you. If you find it to be just "okay", I would suggest you go to another one to really see if it will help you. One time may not be enough.

Good luck!!Hugs!!

Thank you so much, everyone! The group turned out really well. They've only met for three weeks, and I think that helps since then we don't totally feel like the newbies in an already established group. I didn't think I was going to be able to share much without breaking down, so when my turn came, I passed. Then I decided to share a little and got through most of our story, with crying breaks. It was difficult and therepeutic at the same time. There were parallels between our story and those of other group members, and it helps to see that we're not alone.

My husband, on the other hand, had a more difficult time. He just called me from work having a panic attack, and I encouraged him to come home for the day. I think it's definitely been hard for him since he went back to work two weeks after everything happened. I, on the other hand, am still avoiding pretty much everyone we know just because I'm not ready for the looks and comments.

We're supposed to go to another group tonight, run by the hospital where my specialist is located. I'm definitely up to going, but I'm not sure he is.

I love attending my support group. It only meets once a month, but it is also the only time that I feel normal. I actually dragged my boyfriend to the last meeting and he enjoyed it as well.

I am proud of you for attending...it's just another step closer to "normalcy". Sending you thoughts and hugs!!

My husband and I found a group that met once a month and I loved it! I waited 6 months before I went which I think was too long. I wish that I had gone sooner to talk about all the feelings and emotions that we went thru in the beginning. Congratulations on this big step! I hope it works as well for you as it did for us.

Hugs