A New Photo Series Confronts the Devastating Reality of Miscarriages
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A black and white photo series is confronting the taboo and serious heartbreak of miscarriage.
Photographer Dianne Yudelson launched "Lost" following the 10-year anniversary of her eleventh miscarriage. And although as many as 20 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage, it's rare for miscarriages to come up in normal conversation.
Yudelson wants to eliminate the feelings of shame women experience after suffering from miscarriages and show what those losses really mean.
Dianne Yudelson - dianneyudelson.com
"Never hearing a conversation about miscarriage sets up a social, culture taboo," Yudelson told ATTN: via email. "We all need to discuss our experiences. If every child grew up hearing casual conversations regarding miscarriage and learned that there is a period of healing that is short for some and lengthy for other and that both experiences are normal paths to travel in the journey of motherhood, there would be more acceptance and understanding given."
Yudelson, whose photographs include toys, clothing items, name tags, and sonograms, among other things to represent miscarried children, told ATTN: that she believes "everyone knows someone who has miscarried, be it mother, wife, sister, friend or coworker [but] they simply have never spoken of it."
Dianne Yudelson - dianneyudelson.com
"When experiencing this type of loss other people can, in the hopes of being helpful, make insensitive comments inferring your grief is unreasonable-- so you keep it private and locked away," Yudelson continued.
Dianne Yudelson - dianneyudelson.com
Yudelson told ATTN: that she's had immense support for her photo series.
"Personally, what I value most highly is the feedback from hundreds of women and men who have reached out to tell me their appreciation of my subject matter and how the images have not only comforted them, but also, propelled them to speak up and share their experience in an attempt to help another," she said. "Although men do not have the physical pain to deal with, they too suffer a loss and grieve."
Many commenters have opened up about their own experiences with miscarriage as a result of her photo series.
Yudelson told ATTN: that if she could go back in time, she would assure her younger self that "grieving is normal and the process of healing is unique to each person."
Dianne Yudelson - dianneyudelson.com
"The loss of a baby naturally carries grief," she said. "This grief is accompanied by the added residual physical pain of the miscarriage and hormonal transitions associated with pregnancy which add to the emotional toll."
Dianne Yudelson - dianneyudelson.com
