CINCINNATI — A new federal law is being considered that would give grieving parents a chance to take expanded leave from work. One Ohio mother said she knows all too well why it’s needed.
A walk in the park is really not as easy as a walk in the park for Marquisse Watson.
For her, it’s a reminder of what her daughter would’ve been like if she survived.
“She would’ve definitely been a park lover, that’s for sure. I imagine she was such a fighter, she would’ve had a strong personality as well. Even nine years later, we still grieve Alana,” said Watson.
In 2014, when Watson was almost six months pregnant, blood pressure complications forced her to deliver her baby early.
“She was born alive despite their best guess that on her not being able to survive the delivery, so that was a joy, but the next 36 hours definitely came with many mixed emotions,” said Watson.
Alana was born weighing less than one pound, and she passed away the next day.
Watson said the pain of losing her was made worse when the time she needed to grieve was questioned.
“People thought because I was only 24 weeks, like asking now, ‘do you feel like you really need to take the full time off?’ and I’m like, yes, I need to take the time off and off work and every bit of time that I can get. I’m gonna take it cause I need to physically and mentally heal,” said Watson.
She ended up getting the standard six-week maternity leave, but there are some women who lose a baby and don’t get it.
It’s the reason she’s backing a proposed law called the HEALing Mothers and Fathers Act.
If the bill passes, it would expand maternity leave to include parents who’ve suffered a miscarriage or stillbirth.
“Our outcome is much different than people that go home and take their babies home and thankfully we’ve had the experience having rainbow babies and after our loss, so I understand how tiring and all the emotional roller coasters you go through just in a normal postpartum, but I feel like that’s definitely heightening when you do experience a loss,” said Watson.
It’s part of the reason she and her husband started the “Alana Marie Project,” named after their daughter. They provide support in the Cincinnati area for grieving parents.
After their loss, she ended up with three more healthy boys, but she said her baby girl will always be with her.
“Even though we didn’t have much time here with her here on this earth, we’re very proud of the legacy she has left, helping other families that have walked through a similar pathway without their children,” said Watson.
