Watching TV is Good for You!

so when i first entered this world of miscarriages/infertility, i felt like suddenly my eyes were opened to all the references in the media on the subject. like when you buy a new car, you start to see that car EVERYWHERE on the street (why are there so many canary yellow volkswagen routans with faux wood paneling around here all of a sudden?). so while i think there's still a lot more to be said about this difficult subject since it effects so many people (1 in 5 pregnancies end in miscarriage, 1 in 5 couples have issues with infertility), i have been noticing it pop up more and more often in pop culture.

just recently, there was a miscarriage on the ABC show "Brothers and Sisters" as well as a miscarriage/stillbirth (not sure gestational age) on "Private Practice"...a show that follows, among other MD's, a fertility specialist (pretty cool!).

movies i've watched this year seem to contain the theme, too. "Away we Go" is a PHENOMENAL movie that everyone should see, and shows a most poignant/heart-wrenching scene of a woman dealing (in her own, quirky burlesque-y way) with her 5th miscarriage. she has happily adopted a joyful family of kids, and yet still pines for pregnancy and grieves her lost babies. so tender and sweet, and devastating. really well done.

the cartoon movie "Up" which was nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture this year and won Best Animated Film also shows a sweet montage where the couple loses a baby and then is unable to have another.

"the time traveler's wife"...she miscarries again and again. eventually they learn it's because the fetus is time traveling from the womb. and even though her husband in current time gets a vasectomy to prevent her from trying and losing again, she gets freaky with her husband from the past as he time hops and she gets pg with one that sticks. ok...so this one is a little far-fetched, but it still shows the bloody sheets and disappointment.

and "Julie and Julia" about julia child only barely touches on it, but it shows julia's longing for a baby and her joy/tears when she learns that her younger sister is expecting.

i'm sure there are countless more. can you think of any that have been especially notable to you? if ever we do a workshop or something on infertility/miscarriage it would be great to have a collection of TV/movie clips.