By Kristin Rover
Sun staff
Jay and Melanie Rubenstein are not strangers to the heartbreak that comes with infertility and pregnancy struggles.
The couple’s first daughter, Sienna, passed away before being born in 2010.
“My husband and I tried starting a family,” Rubenstein said. “It wasn’t a success so we moved on to reproductive treatments.”
Rubenstein said the treatments were successful and they were soon expecting their first little girl.
“Everything was normal as far as the pregnancy, until my first ultrasound appointment,” Rubenstein said. “They noticed my fluids were low and they recommended me to have a level two ultrasound.”
When the doctor was called in and the ultrasound began, Rubenstein said he didn’t look at the ultrasound long before saying ‘That’s enough.’
“At that moment, my heart sunk, and I knew something was wrong,” Rubenstein said. “Our world came crashing down.”
The doctor told Melanie and Jay that their daughter had died, and Melanie was admitted to Anderson Mercy where she gave birth to Sienna after six and a half hours of labor.
“They never found anything wrong with her,” Rubenstein said about Sienna.
Rubenstein said doctors believe her placenta may have been a factor, but their explanations didn’t leave her feeling comfortable about becoming pregnant again.
That’s when Rubenstein became involved with March of Dimes.
“I never knew March of Dimes did anything with miscarriage and still birth,” she said. “We found out there is grant money they use to find out what is going on.”
Rubenstein said the research helped doctors better monitor her during her next pregnancies.
And after developing a plan of action, Rubenstein delivered her daughter Attisen, 2, and her son, Maddox, 1.
Also thanks to the March of Dimes, the Rubenstein’s have found a way to honor Sienna by helping to give back.
The family has participated in the March of Dimes March for Babies walk since April of 2010.
Rubenstein said that in the past four years they have raised more than $17,000 for the organization, and hope to continue raising money this year.
Their team is named after Sienna.
“I don’t get to throw my daughter birthday parties,” Melanie Rubenstein said. “This is the one big thing we do every year. As long as I am living, she lives through me.”
This year, March for Babies will be held at 9 a.m. May 10 at Miami Meadows Park in Miami Township.
For more information about the event, visit www.marchofdimes.com/ohio. To view the Rubenstein’s fund-raising page visit https://marchforbabies.org/s_team_page.asp?seid=1992207.