One of the beauties of pregnancy is the thought of what this new life will bring to the family. It is a time of such hope and excitement, so much so that the baby fills a parent’s heart with love before he or she even makes the grand entrance into the world.
Therefore, it’s hard to imagine the pain parents go through if they lose a child before the little one has had a chance to take the first breath outside of the womb, or have a child who was born into the world, but was unable to survive.
While the baby’s moments on earth might have been fleeting, the impact the little life will have had is eternal. This is now thankfully recognized more and more by medical professionals who are the first in line to support the grieving family.
This was recently shared by a registered nurse who goes by the handle of Labor_Junkie_RN. In her post below, you can see the different ways she and her fellow nurses try to support grieving parents, while discreetly honoring the baby’s life.
A beautiful recognition of life
The gesture of this OB department, like many others, demonstrates the importance of recognizing not only the baby’s existence, but the need to delicately support families in their pain. And this can be found in gathering memories that the parents can take comfort from, even years later, that they might not even have realized they needed.
As one mom shared:
Didn’t get to see my angel nothing no proof he existed apart from a scan picture and pregnancy test…26 years I mourn this…no one remembers the loss but me I grieve with no end.”
The weighted teddy bear, for example, is a more unusual addition to these sorts of boxes that grieving parents receive. But being able to hold the weight of their tiny newborn might prove beneficial, if not straight away, in time to come.
This can be seen in the comments that followed the post. Many people shared their birthing stories that ended in sadness. And what seems pertinent is even a generation ago, the loss of a baby wasn’t honored in the way it is today. Now, medical professionals are taking the time and dignity to honor a life, no matter how short it was.
While these keepsake boxes are created to honor a baby’s life, we recognize that people grieve differently and that some parents would prefer to honor their baby differently, or in their own time. If you have suffered the loss of a baby, there are many support groups who can help, such as some listed by the CDC here. You may also be able to find help with your local parish.
And today we celebrate...