October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month 2024. Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month is a great opportunity to spread the word and raise awareness about pregnancy and infant loss. What’s more, it’s a healing way to honor your baby, or support loved ones who’ve experienced this kind of loss. Read on to learn more about Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month 2024 and ways to pay tribute during this special month.

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What is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month?

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month is a time to honor those who have experienced the painful loss of miscarriage, stillbirth, and other types of pregnancy & baby loss. In many cultures, silence and stigma still surround this form of loss, leaving many loss parents to experience disenfranchised grief.

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month not only offers these individuals an opportunity to pay tribute to their baby, but it’s a way to break the silence and raise awareness about the experience of pregnancy and infant loss.

According to the Star Legacy Foundation’s website:

“In 1988, US President Ronald Reagan declared October as a month to recognize the unique grief of bereaved parents in an effort to demonstrate support to the many families who have suffered such a tragic loss. Promoting awareness of pregnancy and infant loss not only increases the likelihood that grieving families will receive understanding and support, but also results in improved education and prevention efforts which may ultimately reduce the incidence of these tragedies.”

Throughout the month, all around the world, many take part in community activities, social media campaigns, and special ceremonies and events to raise awareness about the risks and pain associated with pregnancy loss.

Why is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Important?

According to recent data from the March of Dimes, pregnancy loss is more common than many might realize. Here are a few pregnancy loss statistics that illustrate why Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month is so necessary:

• anywhere between 10-30% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage (approximately 1 in 4)
• About 1 in 160 pregnancies ends in stillbirth in the US (and approximately 1 in 100 worldwide)
• About 1 in 100 pregnant people (1 percent) have repeat miscarriages
• 50% of recurrent pregnancy loss instances remain unexplained

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month 2024

Honoring your baby, or the losses of those you love, can be a year round thing. But if you are looking for a way to join with others in paying tribute and breaking the silence, then Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month is a special time to do that.

4 Ways to Honor Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month in 2024

Here are 4 ways to honor Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month in 2024:

1. Share Your Story

For many, pregnancy and infant loss can be extremely painful and lonely. But there are lots of ways to process your pregnancy loss and begin to heal. One way is to share your story with others.

By naming what you are going through, you start to make sense of things and honor your baby in the process. Plus, by sharing with others who understand your pain on a personal level, you’ll receive healing connection from a fiercely supportive community.

Here are a few ways to share your story:

• Start a Grief Journal
• Create a Memory Book
• Join a Facebook Group
• Post Tributes Online (Star Legacy Foundation, RTZ: HOPE, Still Standing Magazine, and Pregnancy After Loss Support all offer ways to share your story)

2. Participate in Awareness Events

During the month of October, you can find lots of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness events online. Here are a few suggestions to check out:

• Wave of Light on October 15th
• Visit the Star Legacy Foundation upcoming events page
• Check out the Baby Loss Awareness Week Events page

Additionally, you can use social media to raise awareness during October and all year round. For example, the Star Legacy Foundation offers free social media graphics to share on your favorite social media platforms.

3. Pay Tribute with a Memorial

Memorials are a healing way to pay tribute to your baby. They also provide an opportunity to find purpose and meaning in your loss. What’s more, memorials raise awareness about pregnancy and infant loss in a truly special way.

There are several online memorials through which you can pay tribute to your baby, like Star Legacy Foundation’s List of Stars, or the March of Dimes’ Wall of Remembrance. Or purchase a Recognition of Life Certificate from RTZ:HOPE.

And if you want to create something a little more tangible, here is an idea for something you can design and create at home: a Memorial Painted Rock Garden. This activity not only supports healing, but it offers a sense of place to your loss. Especially if you weren’t given the option to have a funeral or burial site.

The process of choosing a site, picking/curating the rocks, painting them with meaningful imagery, and then setting up the memorial, can be extremely healing and supportive.

Click below to sign up for this free download and join the mailing list for more freebies and resources.

4. Send a Pregnancy Loss Care Package

The best thing I received after my first loss was a care package from a loved one, left discreetly on my front porch. I felt so seen, cared for, and loved. While it didn’t take away the pain, it definitely helped me survive it.

Sending a care package during Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month shows that you care and you acknowledge the loss as significant and valid.

You can make your own care package filled with comforting items, including journals, candles, teas, etc.

Here are a couple items I recommend for your consideration:

• A guided journal (like Creative Healing for Pregnancy Loss)
• A selection of teas (like this Relaxing Tea Sampler of comforting teas from Yogi Tea)
• A nice mug (like this Hug in a Mug from UnBoxMe Gifts)
• A candle (like this Lavender Pregnancy Loss Candle from ThreeKin or this Comforting Condolence Candle from Gill + Jill)
• A blanket (like this Super Soft Knitted Blanket from Snuggle Sac)
• A stuffed animal (like the these “Here to Hug” Remembrance Bears)

Or you can order a ready-made care package for pregnancy loss from one of these shops:

• Healing Hearts Baby Loss Comfort Kit from Earth Mama Organics
• Sympathy Gift Basket for Women from Frerdui

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month in 2024 Events and Tributes

As you can see from the above list, there are countless ways to observe Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month this year in 2024. Additionally, you can participate in special events and tributes around the world and online to further break the silence and honor your baby.

Here are a few to highlight:

🤍Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day: October 15

Many countries around the world, including the US, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and the UK observe Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day on October 15th each year.

The day is marked by the global “Wave of Light“, when individuals around the world light candles across different time zones to create a 24-hour wave of light that honors and remembers babies gone too soon.

🤍March of Dimes Wall of Remembrance

The March of Dimes provides an opportunity for pregnancy loss survivors and loss parents to honor their baby who died. They have a space on their website dedicated to this purpose. This online baby memorial called the Wall of Remembrance provides a special way to honor your baby.

🤍Star Legacy Foundation Stars

The Star Legacy Foundation, an organization that supports those who have experienced baby loss, offers a memorial space on their website for loss parents to pay tribute. They have an entry form you can fill out to submit your Star for display on their page. Click here to learn more about how to add a Star to their List of Stars.

🤍HOPEtober from RTZ:HOPE

Each October, Return to Zero:HOPE hosts their annual HOPEtober. Which features an opportunity to become a HOPEtober Ambassador.

According to the RTZ website, Ambassadors “work with us to share their story, words of wisdom, and heartfelt affirmations to others who might be newer to this journey. Ambassadors will have their own page on our HOPEtober website sharing their story and participate in our awareness campaign.”

More Pregnancy Loss Support

Looking for more ways to get pregnancy loss support or help loved ones in need?

Here are some ways I can help:

⚪Workshops

If you want to give your community a transformative experience and raise awareness, I offer a variety of workshops on pregnancy loss grief.

My pregnancy loss workshops are research-driven and informative, but they are also designed to be an experience. My unique background as a loss mom, licensed counselor, and art therapist informs each and every workshop. Plus, all of my presentations feature interactive experientials that engage authenticity, creativity, and healing.

I’ve presented to a variety mental health professionals, loss parents, and at professional conferences. Whether virtual or in person, I am happy to speak at your next event and create a workshop that fits what you need.

⚪The Pregnancy Loss Grief Group

As an art therapist, certified grief pro, and loss mom, I am honored to invite you to join my Facebook grief group community. I offer tips, resources, and more to help support you along your grief journey.

Click below to join our safe and supportive community.

⚪Pregnancy Loss Guided Journal

After my first pregnancy loss, I was looking for resources to help me navigate an unexpected and painful grief experience. Years later, after working with many other loss moms, I created the book I wish I had during the tougher parts of journey.

Creative Healing for Pregnancy Loss is an art therapy-informed guided journal featuring research-backed information, tips and scripts, and over 100 creative prompts for grief healing.

This highly-rated book serves as a non-judgmental companion to support you along your healing journey. Grab a copy on Amazon today.

⚪Grief Counseling (PA Only)

Miscarriage, pregnancy loss, and perinatal loss of any kind can be painful experiences for body and mind. Sometimes there are simply no words to express your grief. Miscarriage and perinatal loss are unique (and often unacknowledged) grief experiences that can be tough to talk about. And therapy for miscarriage and perinatal loss may be exactly what you need.

If you live in Pennsylvania, and you are interested in starting therapy for miscarriage and perinatal loss, I offer a free 15-minute consultation to make sure I am a good fit for what you are looking for. Please feel free to browse the website, explore the therapy services I offer, and check out the rates for therapy.

Thank you so much for reading my post on Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. For additional recommendations, check the offerings below, and visit my comprehensive pregnancy loss resource page for more.