Comfort packs aim to help with pregnancy loss

In November 2016, Kirsten Fugiel experienced a miscarriage — the loss still hurts.

“But every day it gets a little better,” she said. That’s due, at least in part, to a new mission she and fellow members of MOMS Club of Vancouver-Southwest Washington — a connective group for at-home mothers that does service projects — have undertaken.

Last month, Fugiel and MOMS Club donated 100 comfort packs to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center.

The comfort packs are filled with resources and gifts that can help a mom when she’s experienced pregnancy loss. The packs include a mini notebook, tea, resources for bereavement services, a tea light candle, Portland Bee Balm, handwritten notes from members of MOMS, a butterfly charm and tissues.

Fugiel said about one in four women experience a miscarriage in their life, but it’s still something that isn’t always openly talked about.

“It’s an incredibly isolating experience,” Fugiel said. “It’s so personal.”

While there’s nothing tangible to grieve, she said, the mother still experiences the same grieving process. Fugiel found support for her grief through friends, who had similar experiences. They would have a glass of wine and cry together.

Fugiel, who lives in Vancouver with her husband David, 28, and 4-year-old daughter Natalia, said she also wrote “a lot of bad poetry that made me feel better,” and painted elephants on rocks and hid them around the area as part of Vancouver Rocks.

Fugiel said dropping off the comfort packs was a cathartic experience for her. MOMS plans on giving comfort packs to both PeaceHealth and Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center next year.

“I was welcomed with open arms,” Fugiel said of dropping off the packs. “They were so ready to put these out there. … It was incredibly healing for myself.”