In 1988, President Ronald Reagan designated October as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month with the following proclamation . . .
Each year, approximately a million pregnancies in the United States end in miscarriage, stillbirth, or the death of the newborn child. National observance of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, 1988, offers us the opportunity to increase our understanding of the great tragedy involved in the deaths of unborn and newborn babies. It also enables us to consider how, as individuals and communities, we can meet the needs of bereaved parents and family members and work to prevent causes of these problems.
Did you know?
- One in four pregnancies ends in the loss of a baby.
- The loss of a child is recognized as the most intense cause of grief.
- Parents never "get over" the loss of a child - no matter the age.
- Parents experiencing grief without supportive care can have debilitating consequences such as PTSD, depression and anxiety that could further result in job loss, divorce, difficulties in daily living, or impediments with parenting living children.
- The loss of a baby stays with a family forever, but the emotional and physical impacts are often challenging for others to truly understand.
- Having support through grief is paramount to recovery.
*source: www.nationalshare.org
Support for Families
First Candle - First Candle's "Grieving Families" program includes resources and help for siblings, grandparents, friends and relatives. Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support - Share's mission is to serve those whose lives are touched by the tragic death of a baby through pregnancy loss, stillbirth or in the first few months of life. The organization strives to set a standard of personalized perinatal bereavement care through a lifetime of support, hope and healing - one family at a time. Bereaved Parents of the USA - This nonprofit offers support, understanding, compassion and hope especially to newly bereaved parents, grandparents or siblings struggling to rebuild their lives after the death of their children, grandchildren or siblings.
Bereavement and Milk Donation
At Mothers’ Milk Bank of North Texas, we work closely with many bereaved families who choose to donate breastmilk after the loss of a baby. In addition to facing tremendous grief, many moms must address how to handle the natural process of lactation after childbirth. Many mothers find it comforting to help another baby through milk donation while dealing with their own personal loss. A memorial, known at the milk bank as Carmen’s Tree, displays hundreds of names and birthdates of babies whose mothers donated milk after their passing. It is named for Carmen, the baby of the milk bank’s first bereaved donor, Angela Mendoza. For more information about Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas, click here.