Skip to content
Sign in
Artwork for The Rainbow Connection
Kids & FamilyParentingSociety & Culture

The Rainbow Connection

Kristin Mundy

THE RAINBOW CONNECTION is a podcast for mothers navigating the sacred, often silent path of pregnancy after loss. Hosted by Kristin Mundy -- birth and bereavement doula, grief educator, and fellow loss mom. Each episode holds space for real, vulnerable birth stories — from women who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, TFMR, or infant loss. Some are holding their rainbow babies now. Some are pregnant again, and others are still on the path of trying to conceive after loss. All are sharing the truth of what it means to keep going after life shattering grief.

Here, you'll hear stories that aren't often told — the ones full of fear, strength, heartbreak, and hope. These are not your typical blissful birth stories. They are stories of angel babies and rainbow babies. Stories of resilience. Of courage. Of a love that endures.

Here at TRC we believe a rainbow isn't just a baby born after loss — it's a bridge: a connection between what was lost and what may still come. A symbol of strength, love, and healing.

If you're pregnant after loss, trying to conceive, or searching for hope after pregnancy loss, this podcast is for you.

Play
Open in
  • 25 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 1 hr 12 min
  • English

Episodes 25

NewestOldestLongest
All5Unplayed5In progress0Played0
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • S1 · E40
    April 7 · 1 hr 30 min

    “Grief Changed Us” — Mahaley & Ravi Patel on Infant Loss, Marriage, and Pregnancy After Loss

    Mahaley and Ravi Patel join me to share the story of their daughter, Saachi. After complications during birth led to meconium aspiration, Saachi spent five days in the NICU before her parents said had to say goodbye. In this episode, Mahaley and Ravi gently reflect on those early days — the hope, the uncertainty, the sacred time they were given — and the heartbreak of leaving the hospital without their baby. Mahaley, a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in perinatal mental health, grief, trauma, and infant and child loss, speaks openly about what it was like to be supporting families through birth trauma and NICU experiences while navigating the loss of her own daughter. Losing Saachi profoundly deepened and redirected her work — shaping how she now holds space for bereaved parents and ultimately leading her to write her book, Your NICU Story, a resource born from both clinical expertise and lived experience. Ravi shares honestly about fatherhood in grief, the strain and strengthening of their marriage, and what survival mode truly looked like in those first months. Over time, their story expanded to include pregnancy after loss, surrogacy, and the arrival of their rainbow babies — all while continuing to honour Saachi in their everyday lives. We talk about: Saachi’s birth and her time in the NICU Meconium aspiration and unexpected birth complications The sacred and painful experience of saying goodbye Grieving differently within a marriage Supporting one another when both partners are hurting How losing a child reshapes identity and professional calling The creation of Your NICU Story and supporting other NICU families Pregnancy after loss and cautious hope Parenting rainbow babies while carrying enduring love This episode is a reminder that a baby’s life — no matter how brief — can alter the course of a family forever. Saachi’s life continues to ripple outward, shaping the way her parents love, parent, work, and serve other grieving families. Get to Know Mahaley: Mahaley Patel, LMFT, PMH-C is a licensed therapist specializing in perinatal mental health, grief, trauma, and infant/child loss. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from UCLA and a Master’s degree from Pepperdine University. With a compassionate and client-centered approach, Mahaley is dedicated to supporting individuals navigating their journey to and through parenthood. She also serves on the bereaved parent advisory board at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and runs a child loss support group for grieving parents. Beyond her professional work, she is a wife, a mother of four, and a bereaved parent, bringing both personal and clinical experience to her practice. Website: www.mahaleypatel.com Instagram: @mahaleyhpatel Read her book "Your NICU Story": https://a.co/d/07dscQMi Connect with Kristin: 📍 Website: thedoulalife.ca 🌈 The Haven — Pregnancy After Loss Support Program: thedoulalife.ca/haven (use code RAINBOW to save $100) 🕊 RECLAIM — The PAL Birth Course: thedoulalife.ca/reclaim (use code RECLAIM to save $100) 🌸 Mother Like No Other — Loss Mom Community: thedoulalife.ca/mother 📸 Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this kind of support. Your support means so much. We'd love to hear how you enjoyed this episode!

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E39
    March 31 · 1 hr 10 min

    “I Thought 12 Weeks Meant We Were Safe” — Alexa Conlon on Stillbirth, Grief, and Motherhood After Loss

    Alexa Conlon joins me to share the story of her son, Kayde, who was stillborn after a pregnancy that appeared healthy and full of hope. In this episode, Alexa reflects on the shock of stillbirth, the unraveling that followed, and what it means to continue mothering—both the children she holds and the one she carries in her heart. We explore healing after stillbirth, the complexities of motherhood after loss, and the quiet resilience that so many loss mothers embody. We talk about: The shock and disbelief that often accompany stillbirth Letting go of the illusion of “safe” milestones in pregnancy Grieving a baby while parenting living children The long, non-linear path of healing after stillbirth Creating space for grief without trying to fix it Honouring a baby’s legacy through advocacy and community support The quiet strength of mothers who carry both love and sorrow This episode is a powerful reminder that grief and beauty can coexist—and that love continues, even after goodbye. Get to Know Alexa: Alexa Conlon is a nurse, mother of two earthside children, and a loss mom honoring her stillborn son, Kayde. Based in Alberta, Canada, she is the founder and host of Beyond the Birth Story Podcast and the Founder & Coordinator of The Kayde Foundation, a non-profit offering perinatal loss support services. Alexa shares her story with honesty and heart, believing deeply in the quiet strength of mothers who carry both love and sorrow. Instagram: @beyondthebirthstorypodcast @alexaa.conlon @thekaydefoundation The Kayde Foundation: https://thekaydefoundation.wixsite.com/thekaydefoundation Connect with Kristin: 📍 Website: thedoulalife.ca 🌈 The Haven — Pregnancy After Loss Support Program: thedoulalife.ca/haven (use code RAINBOW to save $100) 🕊 RECLAIM — The PAL Birth Course: thedoulalife.ca/reclaim (use code RECLAIM to save $100) 🌸 Mother Like No Other — Loss Mom Community: thedoulalife.ca/mother 📸 Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review—it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this kind of support. Your support means so much. We'd love to hear how you enjoyed this episode!

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E38
    March 24 · 43 min

    “Our Hearts Were Already So Invested” — Deanna on Miscarriage and the Long Road to Pregnancy After Loss

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Deanna shares the story of her miscarriage during an already emotionally heavy season — planning a wedding in the middle of COVID, navigating infertility, and finally seeing two pink lines. Her pregnancy loss unfolded quickly, quietly, and just days before a major life milestone, forcing her to carry grief alongside celebration. We talk about trusting intuition, the complicated nature of early miscarriage, and how pregnancy after loss reshaped her understanding of motherhood, healing, and care. We talk about: Experiencing miscarriage just days before a wedding Early pregnancy loss and the validity of early grief Trusting intuition and body awareness during pregnancy Navigating milestones while grieving Pregnancy after loss and becoming a mother How loss changes identity and life direction Bringing lived experience into motherhood and caregiving Holding grief and gratitude at the same time This episode is a powerful reminder that grief doesn’t follow timelines — and that even early loss can leave a lasting mark. It’s a story about honoring intuition, making space for sorrow, and finding your way into motherhood after loss. Get to Know Deanna: Deanna is a registered nurse, mother of two, and perinatal support provider living in Newtonville, Ontario. After experiencing miscarriage and pregnancy after loss, her personal journey deeply shaped the way she shows up for families in the early stages of parenthood. Through her work, she brings empathy, presence, and lived understanding to the care she offers parents navigating both joy and grief. Instagram: @dee.themamacoach Website: deanna-kennedy.themamacoach.com Life With a Baby: lifewithababy.com Still Held: @still.held Connect with Kristin: 📍 Website: thedoulalife.ca 🌈 The Haven — Pregnancy After Loss Support Program: thedoulalife.ca/haven 🕊 RECLAIM — The PAL Birth Course: thedoulalife.ca/reclaim 🌸 Mother Like No Other — Loss Mom Community: thedoulalife.ca/mother 📸 Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this kind of support. Your support means so much.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E37
    March 17 · 1 hr 19 min

    “We’re Not Meant to Disappear” — Dr. Gertrude Lyons on Motherhood, Loss, and Reclaiming Self

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Rainbow Connection, Kristin sits down with Dr. Gertrude Lyons for a rich, grounding conversation about motherhood, identity, and what so many women quietly grieve after becoming mothers. Together, they explore how loss, transformation, and mothering intersect — and how many women find themselves navigating not only grief for the babies they’ve lost, but for parts of themselves that have shifted, softened, or disappeared along the way. This episode invites listeners into a more expansive understanding of motherhood — one that honors devotion without demanding self-erasure, and makes room for healing, spirituality, and becoming again. We talk about: Motherhood as a transformational initiation The quiet grief of identity loss many mothers carry Rewriting inherited narratives of sacrifice Holding motherhood and selfhood at the same time Loss, healing, and expansion after life-altering transitions Why motherhood doesn’t require our disappearance Reclaiming creativity, spirituality, and wholeness This episode is a powerful reminder that grief and growth can coexist — and that even after loss, there is space for truth, expansion, and remembering who you are. Get to know Dr. Gertrude Lyons: Dr. Gertrude Lyons is an author, coach, and speaker devoted to expanding how we understand motherhood, identity, and creation. Through her coaching, retreats, workshops, and her book Rewrite the Mother Code: From Sacrifice to Stardust, she challenges limiting beliefs around motherhood and gently dismantles the narrow roles women have long been placed in. Her work invites a more expansive truth — that all women mother, that mother energy is accessible to all of us, and that motherhood is deeply connected to spirituality, community, and creation. At the heart of her work is a celebration of women as powerful creators, reclaiming their fullest expression of life. Instagram: @drgertrudelyons Website: https://www.drgertrudelyons.com Connect with Kristin: 📍 Website: thedoulalife.ca 🌈 The Haven — Pregnancy After Loss Support Program: thedoulalife.ca/haven (use code RAINBOW to save $100) 🕊 RECLAIM — The PAL Birth Course: thedoulalife.ca/reclaim (use code RECLAIM to save $100) 🌸 Mother Like No Other — Loss Mom Community: thedoulalife.ca/mother 📸 Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review — it helps these stories and resources reach the women who need them most. And if someone came to mind while listening, please share it with them. Your support truly means so much.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E36
    March 10 · 1 hr

    “I Didn’t Know Life Could Change This Fast” — Alana Fear on Stillbirth, Grief, and Pregnancy After Loss+

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Rainbow Connection, Alana Fear shares the story of her son, Warren, and the shock of experiencing stillbirth after a healthy pregnancy. She reflects on how quickly life can change, the grief that follows when the future you imagined disappears, and how loss reshapes your relationship with hope. Alana also opens up about her pregnancy after loss, navigating fear, cautious optimism, and the reality of carrying new life while continuing to grieve the child who should be here. We talk about: Experiencing stillbirth after a healthy pregnancy The loss of innocence that comes with pregnancy loss Navigating grief when life felt “perfect” before loss Pregnancy after loss and holding hope carefully Living as a mother to both the son she lost and the daughter who came after How loss reshapes trust in your body and the future Finding grounding in simple, ordinary moments after grief This episode is a powerful reminder that grief and beauty can coexist — and that love does not end when a baby dies. Get to know Alana: Alana Fear lives in Etobicoke, Ontario with her husband, Matt, and their dog, Walter. She is a mother to her son, Warren, whom she lives to remember, and is currently pregnant with her daughter, due this November. Alana finds meaning in the simple things — a warm cup of tea, time in nature, music that meets her in the moment — and finds comfort through journaling, creativity, and storytelling. Instagram: @fearalana PAIL Network: https://pailnetwork.sunnybrook.ca/ Connect with Kristin: 📍 Website: thedoulalife.ca 🌈 The Haven — Pregnancy After Loss Support Program: thedoulalife.ca/haven (use promo code RAINBOW to save $100) 🕊 RECLAIM — The PAL Birth Course: thedoulalife.ca/reclaim (use promo code RECLAIM to save $100) 🌸 Mother Like No Other — Loss Mom Community: thedoulalife.ca/mother 📸 Instagram: @the.doula.life If you enjoyed this episode, please don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review — it helps get these stories and resources into the hands of the women who need them most. And please share it with someone who could use this kind of support. Your support means so much.

    • Transcript
Showing 21–25 of 25 episodes