I gave birth to my son, Declan. He weighed 6.2 pounds and was 20½ inches long—a beautiful baby boy. I went through labor. I delivered him. I held him. I named him. And then I had to bury him. After losing my son to stillbirth, I returned home without my baby—and not long after, I was forced to figure out how to go back to work.

In Massachusetts, parents are given time to recover medically after childbirth, and time to bond with their baby. But in cases of stillbirth, that bonding leave is not recognized. Despite everything we go through—labor, delivery, and the loss itself—we are denied that time. If my son was not considered born in the eyes of the state, then why was I treated like a parent in every responsibility—but not in recognition?

After giving birth, I was:

- Required to name my son

- Given a death certificate

- Required to make decisions about burial or cremation

- Required to pay state-required medical examiner fees

- Responsible for handling funeral arrangements

But I was not given:

- A birth certificate

- PFML bonding leave

Parents who lose their babies to stillbirth are still parents. We deserve time not just to heal physically, but to grieve, process, and begin to carry a loss that never leaves us. This petition is to advocate for an amendment to Massachusetts PFML—what I am calling Declan’s Law—to include bonding leave for parents who experience stillbirth. It’s about making sure no other family is left unsupported in one of the most devastating moments of their lives.