Baby Loss. It’s still a bit of a taboo isn’t it? If you sat in a room full of people, the likelihood is that most of them have been affected by baby loss in one way or another. It takes many forms – miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, infant loss. None of them is easy, all of them break hearts.
Each year the 9th-15th October is Baby Loss Awareness Week and throughout the week bereaved parents, family members and friends can commemorate the all-too-brief lives of their babies, knowing that thousands of other families elsewhere in the world will be doing the same. The week also provides a crucial opportunity for people to talk openly about the subject of and raise awareness of baby loss.
The week ends with Baby Loss Awareness Day on 15th October. October 15th is recognised as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day across the world. Here in the UK, there is a global ‘Wave of Light’. On this day, everyone is invited to take part in this global event to remember all the babies that have died during pregnancy, at, during or after birth. Simply light a candle at 7pm and leave it burning for at least 1 hour. This can be done individually or in a group, at home or in a communal space. Wherever you do this, you will be uniting with others across the world in honour of those babies who lit up our lives for such a short time.
I wrote about my own experience of miscarriage earlier this year. IN many ways I was ‘lucky’ – I had a very early pregnancy loss. I had never felt that baby move inside me, or seen it on a scan. But that doesn’t mean my heart didn’t break. The moment you get a positive pregnancy test, that’s a baby, a new life growing inside you. And when that is lost, a piece of you is lost too.
Has baby loss affected you, either as a parent or as a friend/relative of someone who has been through it? Do you have a special way of remembering, or dealing with the grief?
Thank you for raising awareness of such an important topic. My cousin’s baby was born sleeping, and it really hit her hard (as it would). I didn’t know how to help her at the time because I had just found out I was pregnant with my youngest.
Laura x x x
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It’s just such a sad topic, so many are affected 🙁
I don’t have any experience of this but I think an international day of remembrance is a lovely idea.
I always light a candle on the 15th to remember the one that I lost. I am happy to talk about my miscarriage, not because I am not sad, but because it is an important part of remembering. Hugs for your loss xx
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Such an important topic, I lost a baby almost 15 years ago and another two years ago. I always remember them, like you say – as soon as you see that positive pregnancy test you feel a connection, no matter at what stage you loose the baby
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I am so sorry for your losses. xx