15 FebThe Five Stages of Grief
15 FebStepping Stones: A Path to Healing
Stepping Stones: A path to healing after the loss of a child is a blog written by Gabriel’s Mom, Emily. The blog provides many wonderful resources for families experiencing pregnancy loss. It also offers insightful, warm and caring posts. A quote that inspired the blog, “One of the secrets of life is to make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks”.
Here is the blog author, Emily’s story…
On May 8, 2002 I received the news no mother wants to hear. “I am sorry, but this baby does not have a heartbeat”. I spent the next 3 days in the hospital waiting to deliver my stillborn son, Gabriel. He was 21 weeks gestation and apparently died due to ‘cord accident”.
We were blindsided. I had no idea that in this age of modern medicine and in a country as prosperous as the United States that babies still died. I thought it was something that only happened in third world counties, or maybe back in the pioneer days. It is bad enough to lose a child- but to be faced with friends and family who don’t want to talk about it because it is ‘too sad’ or ‘time to get over it feels like I am losing him over again. Gabriel is my child- he just doesn’t happen to be with my family right now, although I have hope I will get to see him again, someday.
After finding SHARE, I realized there is a real need for awareness and memory items for babies that have died. The first item we were talking about on the message boards was a Pregnancy and Loss Awareness Ribbon car magnets, similar to the yellow “Support Our Troops” ribbon. I asked my husband (a graphic designer/illustrator) to create a design for us, which grew to include so many other sayings such as “Mommy of an Angel”, “Daddy of an Angel”, “Grandma”, “Parents”, “Family” and more. I started my site PregnancyLossRibbons.com to keep those orders organized.
15 FebLife After Miscarriage…The “New Normal”
Life After Miscarriage…The “New Normal” is a blog for friends helping friends cope, hope, and heal after a miscarriage. This blog has current, up-to-date posts with many resources for families and friends who have experienced a miscarriage.
14 FebHope Renewed
Fallen.
Drifting aimlessly
on a sea of grief and pain,
the leaf cradles a teardrop.
Offers refuge.
Embodies hope.
Just as winter awakens to spring,
our deepest sorrow harbors the
seed of hope renewed.
Hope renewed.
by Susan Ring
11 FebI Am the Face
The I Am the Face campaign is simple: to spread awareness of pregnancy/infant loss, and raise support for those who are affected by it. “Every single day in the US, 2,000 women lose a baby to pregnancy/infant loss. That’s 700,000 a year, a quarter of every female in this country. So why does no one talk about it?”
This site started as an awareness and fundraising campaign for 2010′s National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day on October 15th, 2010. Our goal was to get 2,000 faces up on the site to represent the 2,000 women who lose a baby every single day in the US alone, which we were able to accomplish. Going forward, Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope is using this site as our main awareness-building tool. Our new goal is to have 14,000 faces up by next October 15th. That’s 14,000 faces to represent the 14,000 women who lose a baby in just one week, and raise $14,000 to support them.
Donations will go to Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope, a nonprofit organization with a mission of providing support and resources for parents who have lost a child through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss and to spread awareness of pregnancy and infant loss throughout the greater community.
11 FebFaces of Loss, Faces of Hope
Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope puts a face on miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant loss. “If you have found this site because you have recently lost a child, first of all we’d like to say we’re so, so sorry you are here, but welcome you just the same. This “babyloss” community is a community no one wants or should ever have to join, but its members are some of the kindest, selfless, most amazing women you will ever have the chance to cross paths with.
We hope that seeing the faces and reading the stories of others who have been where you are brings you a tiny bit of peace as you begin this journey. Please know you are not alone.
At the end of many of the stories here, contact information is listed for the writer; please feel free to reach out to these women. They are here to help.”
11 FebGrieve Out Loud
“Grieve Out Loud was started in January 2010 by a group of parents who understand the pain of losing a baby and are passionate about helping others in their own grieving process. Our stories are different, yet they are the same in that our children have been separated from us through the cruelty of death.
As we began to wade through the raging sea of grief, we all realized how difficult it can be to find resources after the loss of a baby. Many places do exist to assist in the healing process, but they can be scattered and difficult to find, especially for someone who is overcome with sadness. Our desire is to create one place where the bereaved can find everything they need as they cope with their loss, including memorial items, care packages, loss book reviews, loss support through our Pen-Pal Program, as well as a extensive resource page of other web resources that exist for the purpose of assisting you in your healing and keeping your baby’s memory alive.
We are sorry that you have found us, but invite you to walk with us in your journey. Share your story. Express your pain. Grieve out loud.”
09 FebLa Belle Dame Jewelry
La Belle Dame Jewelry is an online jewelry store to nurture and support the spirit. Losing a baby is one of the most devastating events that can happen in a woman’s life – and one of the least acknowledged. A mother who has lost a pregnancy or infant is a grieving mother, and her loss should be recognized. This pendant (pictured) was created to help grieving mothers remember their babies. To keep their memories close, and to help them heal from their loss. It is the perfect choice for someone who prefers a discreet reminder of their little one to wear all of the time that will not generate questions that may be painful. The pendants contain a sterling silver forget-me-not flower, and feature a charm crafted of sterling silver and swarovski crystal or rose quartz.
03 FebAngel Baby Sculptures
D. Antonia Truesdale is the artist who sculpted the angel baby to the left. These sculptures can be purchased at Remembering Our Babies Memorial Keepsake Boutique.
From the artist…”Sculpting the ever-present bond between parents and children who touch the stars too soon is truly my heart’s work and daily I startle at the extreme honor of being so blessed to be able to do this. My goal was to create something for parents to display for others which would then evoke conversation. I really wanted to be able to create some tangible way for parents to show others that it is okay to talk about their children and for my sculptures to be a “starting place”. In my heart of hearts I pray that people see these pieces and realize that despite the overwhelming pain in losing a child, there is healing for parents to simply know people remember.”
03 FebInformation, Healing & Hope
PregnancyLoss.Info is a place to come in your dark and frightened hours. The special features of this website are answers to general questions about pregnancy loss, physical recovery, and subsequent pregnancies. Topics ranging from causes of miscarriage, to prevention, to when to try again for a new pregnancy are also covered.