My Story
I am a Christian obstetrician-gynecologist who cares for the medical needs of a mother and her baby. And yet, sometimes I find myself more like a grief counselor as I help mothers reconcile their expectations with reality.
For the past 16 years, I have taken care of women through preconception, their pregnancies, deliveries, and motherhood journeys. I have the privilege of handing a squirmy baby to new parents. I have cried happy tears with new daddies as they have cut their baby’s umbilical cord. I love the hallmark experience of childbirth. These are the highlights of my job.
But it is the woes of the womb - the lowlights - that have caused me to draw on my relationship with Jesus. Because the truth is, pregnancy and motherhood are not all daisies.There are shadowed crosses amongst the daisies. But amongst these crosses is gospel hope for all of us.
I have walked with women through infertility. Miscarriage. Unplanned pregnancies. Debilitating pregnancy symptoms. Unexpected diagnoses. Cesareans. Stillbirth. Postpartum depression. Motherhood isolation. Disappointing parenting journeys. Mothering woes continue past the womb.
I have personally walked through the woes of my womb. I did not plan to be a special-needs mother. But when my perfect little girl was given the diagnosis of Angelman’s Syndrome, I learned (and am still learning) to die to my expectations of motherhood. I wrestled with a God I thought I had known. But my story did not end with her diagnosis. Instead, it was only the beginning. My non-verbal daughter became my muse. She taught me that Jesus loves me more than I could ever know. God redeemed my broken heart by the perfectly blemished fruit of my womb.
Have you ever wondered if there is more to motherhood, and if there is purpose in your grief? There is more to your motherhood story than your broken heart.
I pray that whatever phase of motherhood you are in - you will find that God’s tender love can seal your heartbreak.
You were woven for a purpose.
Your child was woven for a purpose.
And there is more to your story.
Your friend,
Rachelle
Meet Rachelle
Rachelle Keng, MD, FACOG is an author, podcaster, and a board-certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist. She is the author of “Woven in the Womb: Peace for the Pregnant and Postpartum Soul” as well as the podcast host of “Woven Motherhood: Stories of Hope in Unconventional Motherhood.” As an OBGYN, she has cared for women through their normal pregnancies but has also cared for women when they experience reproductive and parenting grief. She desires to help women find hope when motherhood is unexpected. Rachelle is a busy mother of two girls and an advocate for her oldest daughter with Angelman Syndrome. When she’s not delivering babies, she empowers overwhelmed mothers with a unique blend of honest reflections and biblical wisdom.
© 2023 by Rachelle Keng.
