“When a child loses his parent, they are called an orphan. When a spouse loses her or his partner, they are called a widow or widower. When parents lose their child, there isn’t a word to describe them.” – Ronald Regan, October 1988
I am sorry for your loss. You are in my thoughts and I grieve with you. So that we may learn ways to cope with trauma and so that we may learn that we are in fact strong, here is a growing list of resources that I have complied to begin my healing process. It is my sincere hope that these resources will be of benefit to you in your healing.
PREGNANCY & INFANT LOSS AWARENESS RIBBON
Get a free memorial ribbon for your Facebook profile photo at Twibbon.
ANGEL REMEMBRANCE
October 15th – the official site of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day with links to online support groups and activities and walks to honor the day.
LOCAL & NATIONAL SUPPORT GROUPS
Center for Infant & Child Loss – committed to assuring Maryland families facing the sudden unexpected loss of their infant or child have access to bereavement interventions, counseling, and information based on best practices and current research.
The Compassionate Friends – nationwide support group for parents who have lost children at any age, gives local support groups information & various grief related information. Also includes sibling grief.
AWARENESS ORGANIZATIONS
Go Pink and Blue – advocates for and provides resources for prenatal care, infant care and families affected by pregnancy and infant loss.
Lettered Hope – Christian resources for grieving mothers that provides encouragement and inspiration for women walking through similar unfortunate circumstances.
March of Dimes – bereavement materials to cope with loss & grief, available free of charge to parents or other family members who have lost a baby between conception and the first month of life.
READINGS
Loved Baby: Helping You Grieve and Cherish Your Child after Pregnancy Loss – 31 Devotions offering Christ-filled hope and support to women navigating grief.
You Are the Mother of All Mothers – a beautiful gift book to uplift the hearts and souls of bereaved mothers everywhere.
Still Standing Magazine – an online magazine filled with articles written by loss parents. Not just for infant loss but child loss and infertility.
READINGS FOR DADS
Grieving Dads: To The Brink and Back – aa book and blog designed to bring awareness to the impacts that child loss has on fathers and to let them know they are not alone.
Miscarriage: A Man’s Book – a father and husband who has been there validates the difficult feelings a man experiences after a miscarriage. He discusses grief, shock, pain, physical reactions, depression, loneliness, guilt, and anger. And especially the ways in which this experience can affect a marriage or other relationship.
Sometimes I Cry In The Shower: A Grieving Father’s Journey to Wholeness and Healing – the inner thoughts of a man who has lost the most precious of gifts, his child. The book provides encouragement, insight, and hope to men who are “in a club no one wants to belong to.
HEALING PROJECTS
For Your Tears – organization sends out a handkerchief to women who have recently lost a child.
Joy Comes in the Morning – a Christ centered ministry designed to encourage and support women who have lost a child through miscarriage.
Molly Bears – non-profit organization that creates weighted teddy bears for families coping with any form of infant loss (ordering opens once a month on the 30th).
Umbrella Boxes – boxes of comfort items for parents of children lost to miscarriage, stillbirth, and abortion.
PRECIOUS KEEPSAKES
A Beautiful Remembrance – a beautiful selection of thoughtful, comforting gifts for those grieving the loss of a child through death, stillbirth, and miscarriage.
#IHadaMiscarriage – created by Dr. Jessica Zucker, a Los-Angeles-based psychologist and writer specializing in women’s reproductive and maternal mental health. Dr. Zucker created a line of pregnancy loss cards with the aim of filling a gaping hole in the cultural conversation.
Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep – bereavement photography foundation that trains, educates, and mobilizes professional quality photographers to provide beautiful heirloom portraits to families facing the untimely death of an infant.
Saranoni Luxury Blankets – incredibly soft, high-quality blankets that bring you warmth and comfort and help you connect in meaningful ways with those around you. The special thing about Saranoni is that they offer embroidery as well.
