Meet Riana

 

Living with PCOS, I expected challenges with conceiving—but I never imagined experiencing pregnancy loss. I had two early losses in 2013 and 2015. After those first two losses, I suffered in silence, feeling alone and ashamed, convinced I was the only one going through it. In 2016, we were blessed with our first rainbow baby.

 

In July of 2020, we experienced a missed miscarriage. I was 10 weeks along, but our baby had stopped growing at 7 weeks. That loss was different. I had two living children at home, including a 4-year-old who asked questions I didn’t always have answers for. I had to undergo a complicated D&C during the height of the pandemic—alone in the operating room and overnight in the hospital without my husband, Myles. It was one of the hardest experiences of my life.

 

After that loss, for the first time, we faced infertility. The following years brought fertility treatments, heartbreak, and countless “what-ifs.” Eventually, we conceived our second rainbow baby. Pregnancy after loss was filled with fear and anxiety, but the moment I heard my baby girl cry and held her in my arms, the weight of it all began to lift.

 

I started sharing our story on social media to help others feel less alone. That openness led me to Twinkle Star, where I found community and purpose. Today, I support others by knitting baskets for the Basket Project, offering a listening ear with peer-to-peer support, and serving on the board to advocate for change in the perinatal loss space.

 

“Early loss is real loss. Just because it happened early doesn’t mean it hurts any less. Your grief is valid. Your baby matters.”

 

No one should have to walk this path alone—and I’m here to help others find hope and healing along the way.