Remembering Babies Gone Too Soon: Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, and I wanted to take a moment to pause here with you.

This is close to home for me. Our daughter had a miscarriage with what would have been our first grandchild. Loss like this can come quietly and without warning, and it can leave you grieving someone you never got to meet. If that’s you, I hope you know you’re not alone, and that your loss matters.

Many of us know someone who has walked this road: a friend, a sister, a neighbor, a mother who held her baby for too short a time. Even when we don’t know what to say, we can still show up with love. That’s the heart of Crafting A Rainbow of Hope, the mission I began in 2014 to use crochet to bring comfort to people in hard seasons.

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Why this month matters

October 15 is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Each year, many people light a candle at 7:00 PM local time that evening, called the Wave of Light, to remember babies who are no longer here. If you missed it this year, it’s never too late to light a candle and remember, and I hope you’ll join me next October.

How the crochet community can help

Handmade things carry a kind of comfort that’s hard to explain. A soft blanket or a tiny hat can say you are not alone when words can’t. If you’d like to make something, here are a few gentle ways to start:

• Ask first. Hospitals and organizations often have specific requests for sizes, yarn and washing, so it’s best to ask before you make.
• Choose soft, washable yarn.
• Make it with love. Even if you never meet the family, they’ll feel it.

What I’m doing

It breaks my heart every time I hear of a family member, a friend, or even a stranger losing their baby. I feel led to do something to let them know they are being thought of and prayed over, and that they are not alone. Crochet is my gift and my passion, and I want to use it to create patterns that help other crocheters reach out to these families, too.

• I’ve reached out to an organization that supports bereaved families, to learn how our crochet community can help the families they care for.
• I’m planning a pattern for comfort, and I’m learning what families and organizations actually need before I design it.
• I’m also planning an event next year to support families after infant loss. More details to come.

A gentle invitation

If you’re grieving, I’m so sorry. You are not alone. If you’d like to share a name or a memory in the comments, you’re welcome to. Be gentle with yourselves and each other this month. 💛