230: Teachers Deserve Better. Advocating for Bereavement and Paid Family Leave with Jackie Mancinelli

Mom and Mind

We all know that teachers are underpaid, but they are also undersupported emotionally in times of pregnancy loss and postpartum difficulties. The need is great for bereavement and paid family leave. Join us to learn more about how change can happen for educators in our country.

Jackie Mancinelli is a high school English and ESL teacher in New Jersey. She is the mother of two girls, ages 2 and 4, and had a son who passed away in 2016. She is the founder of Start Healing Together, a support organization for educators experiencing pregnancy loss and infertility, as well as the New Jersey ambassador for Count the Kicks. Jackie shares her personal story and the need for bereavement leave for teachers, both in instances of pregnancy loss and failed fertility treatments.

Show Highlights:

• An overview of Jackie’s story that began with her first pregnancy during her first year of teaching in 2014; it ended in a missed miscarriage when she was a few weeks along
• How her second pregnancy with her son went perfectly until about eight months along, when an emergency C-section sent her silent baby to the NICU–where he didn’t survive
• How Jackie found support within her immediate family and from her best friend
• What it was like for Jackie in the 2-3 months following the traumatic loss of her son–and how therapy helped her learn new things about herself
• What it was like for Jackie to go back to teaching after losing her son
• How Jackie was prompted to get into advocacy work to help other parents through Start Healing Together
• How Start Healing Together works with school districts to provide resources and support for educators and help in contract negotiations regarding pregnancy loss, bereavement leave, fertility treatment, and adoption
• Current initiatives being pursued by Start Healing Together
• How you can help the ongoing lobbying efforts
• Jackie’s advice to those experiencing a loss
• What Jackie learned through her pregnancy and loss experiences

Resources:

Connect with Jackie: Website, Instagram, and Facebook

Visit my new website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, to get on the Interest List for the upcoming course. You’ll receive notifications when the course is live, and after you sign up, you’ll be able to watch or listen at your convenience.

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