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If you could think of one topic that most people tend to avoid, it would probably be the topic of death. This is certainly not the case for Angela Alberto who is a death midwife. I could totally relate to her perspective that life is short and it’s best to be prepared, most likely from my experience in the emergency room. She joined me today to talk all about what a death midwife does and how she helps families going through the process of taking care of a terminally ill family member.
Angela shared that she never shied away from death or felt that discomfort about it that most people do. Her spirituality has helped her answer her calling and help those suffering in their last weeks or months of life.
What I didn’t know, though, are the different options out there to plan ahead to make sure the burden isn’t left for your family to figure out. She also shared great advice for speaking with your child about death that will create a comfortable experience for everyone. Most people are afraid of death because of the unknown, and the information Angela gives in this episode will take all the fear out of the conversation.
In this episode we discuss:
- What a death midwife is and how it has become more common
- The different options for disposing of human remains
- How to breach the topic of death with your children
- Steps to prepare for the future so your family doesn’t have to
Resources:
- National End of Life Doula Alliance: find a death worker in your area!
- Developmental Responses of Children, Dougy Center
- Youtube Video: We Need to Change how we Bury our Dead
- The Order of the Good Death Podcast
- Miscarriage/Stillborn Support
- Book: An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination, by Elizabeth McCracken
- Book: Holding Space on Loving, dying and letting go: by Amy Wright Glenn
- Book: What God is Honored here? Writings on Micarriage and Infant Loss by and for Native Women and Women of Color: edited by Shannon Ginby and Kao Kalia Yang
- Rich Roll Podcast Episode
Connect with Angela Alberto:
- Website
- Instagram: @heartwisewoman
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Questions Asked In The Episode:
- When did the idea of a death midwife come to fruition?
- Do families hire you specifically for their loved one or do you mostly care with those that are in hospice?
- What are the more sustainable methods to dealing with remains?
- How do you talk to parents about discussing death with their children?
- How do you recommend grieving in front of your child?
- How do you suggest keeping the memory of a loved one alive after they’ve passed?
- Is there anything a parent should avoid saying to their child about a family member’s death?
