It was over breakfast at Denny’s that Maureen Day and her husband shared some special news with their four children, aged 7 to 20. They were expecting a new baby. The reactions were initially mixed, but it wasn’t long before everyone was embracing the idea of a brand new addition to the family.
Around 8 weeks Maureen began spotting but didn’t think much of it – An ultrasound that allowed her to see her baby and hear that precious heartbeat convinced her everything was fine. But after spotting again at 11 weeks, she was stunned by the nurse’s words, “Well, we’re not seeing what we would normally see….” She says she will never forget the image of the black hole on the monitor as the nurse moved the wand over her belly.
Maureen was amazed by the depth of her grief. For weeks, she was consumed by tears and a feeling of numbness. Despite being surrounded by family and friend, Maureen felt alone.
It was during this tragic time that HeavenBornwas ‘born’. Maureen created it as a not-for-profit that provides a tangible source of comfort – a handmade pillow, as well as a simple booklet that offers help in handling the physical and emotional challenges a mother in this position will face.
Maureen creates the pillows by hand with the help of some generous women. It is her goal to make these pillows available to all mothers who experience this type of tragedy. Many of the HeavenBorn pillows are now being given to mothers in local hospitals at their time of loss. HeavenBorn exists solely based on donations and volunteers who donate their time to create these small tokens of love. If you would like to donate your time…or you are interested in starting a HeavenBorn chapter in your area, email Maureen at Maureen@heavenborn.com.
Join us on a SPECIAL DAY (THURSDAY) for Why Moms Matter on Blog Talk Radio to learn more about Maureen and the amazing work she does for mothers experiencing the pain of miscarriage.
This is a woman who is creating movements, redefining what it means to be a woman and a mother and honoring the value in motherhood with each step she takes every day.
A mother to 4 children – Brody is 20, Blaze is 18, Ali is 16 and Zena is 14 – Joy believes the most important thing she does with her children is to set a positive and loving example on a daily basis, “I’m pretty simple when it comes to ‘mothering’: Feed them, Love them, Listen to them and share my philosophy when it is relevant.”
Three years ago, when Leah gave birth to her first child, a son, she weighed 253 pounds. While she was pregnant, her father was diagnosed with cancer and given only 6 months to live. Five days a week, Leah helped her mother to care for her dying father. Watching him suffer was tremendously painful and Leah found solace in food. 
Knowing how tough it can be to balance being a mom with taking care of yourself, Leah is reaching out – hoping to give a little extra resolve to one mom at a time. Having recently had a second son, Leah is on the ball with getting back into shape one more time – and she has the support of whole bunch of moms on Bookieboo – doing the exact same thing.
Brandy on Dwan: “Dwan is extraordinary because she is a single mother of three children. No matter how hard life may be financially and emotionally for Dwan, she is still a Mom who does extraordinary things for her children. She gives all she has to them and tries her best to make money working from home.”
With Dwan by her side, Gabby sees 6 specialists and 5 therapists on a regular basis. This is modeling unconditional love. And she constantly supports her family on all levels, “I work from home literally around the clock, in between caring for kids, doctor appointments, running errands, maintaining the house and sleeping.”
Balancing life as a work at home mom with raising three children – a 6 year old daughter and 2 sons who are 2 years old and 10 months, Brandy’s days are full. And yet, the only thing she would change would be to have her husband around a bit more. She worries about the stress he endures working a 6 day, 50 hour week.
Clearly, being a Mom is a priority for Brandy, “I hope to teach all three of my children that it is ok to make mistakes as long as you learn something from those mistakes and move forward in a positive direction.”
“I can tell you first hand that she truly cares about people and not in that fake kind of way,” Carissa explained in her nomination. ” And Carissa should know – she and Jyl have partnered on a one-of-a-kind website and social media driven community – 
A mom to 2 beautiful, healthy boys – Chase is 8 and Connor is 6 – Jyl does not take her role lightly. She was faced with an excruciating decision when she decided to have children – as she was not able to go off her medication during pregnancy. Jyl was very concerned about birth defects. Fortunately, both boys are perfect.
She is a mother of 4. She home schools. She runs her 
There are 10 years between Sugar’s oldest daughters, Jasmine and Lauren and her two younger children – Hannah and Ryan. That time has given Sugar a chance to evolve as a parent, “I’m not parenting from a place of fear anymore. I’m trusting myself more and listening to others less. I never even pretend to have this parenting thing down. I love being the mom that says this is a tough job that isn’t always fun. I think it gives moms permission to do the same”.
This week is a bit different.
Today, meet and understand 
