The actor is opening up about a painful experience he and his wife Kimberly have gone through.
James Van Der Beek is opening up about a painful experience he and his wife, Kimberly, have gone through.
In a recent Instagram post, the 41-year-old actor revealed that Kimberly has suffered three miscarriages. Van Der Beek and his wife share five kids together, their youngest being daughter Gwendolyn, whom they welcomed in June.
The former Dawson's Creek star expressed that he didn't like the term "miscarriage," because it implies fault in the woman.
"Wanted to say a thing or two about miscarriages... of which we’ve had three over the years (including right before this little beauty)," Van Der Beek wrote alongside a photo of the couple cradling Gwendolyn. "First off -- we need a new word for it. 'Mis-carriage,' in an insidious way, suggests fault for the mother -- as if she dropped something, or failed to 'carry.' From what I’ve learned, in all but the most obvious, extreme cases, it has nothing to do with anything the mother did or didn’t do. So let’s wipe all blame off the table before we even start."
"Second... it will tear you open like nothing else," he continued. "It’s painful and it’s heartbreaking on levels deeper than you may have ever experienced. So don’t judge your grief, or try to rationalize your way around it. Let it flow in the waves in which it comes, and allow it it’s rightful space. And then... once you’re able... try to recognize the beauty in how you put yourself back together differently than you were before."
Van Der Beek goes on to express that as devastating as experiencing a miscarriage is, sometimes, one is able to grow in unexpected ways as a result.
"Some changes we make proactively, some we make because the universe has smashed us, but either way, those changes can be gifts," he wrote. "Many couples become closer than ever before. Many parents realize a deeper desire for a child than ever before. And many, many, many couples go on to have happy, healthy, beautiful babies afterwards (and often very quickly afterwards -- you’ve been warned). I’ve heard some amazing metaphysical explanations for them, mostly centering around the idea that these little souls volunteer for this short journey for the benefit of the parents... but please share whatever may have given you peace or hope along the way... Along with a new word for this experience. #miscarriage #WeNeedANewName #MoreCommonThanYouHearAbout @vanderkimberly."
In May, Scandal star Katie Lowes also candidly opened up about suffering a miscarriage. Watch the video below for more:
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