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Saturday, October 15, is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.
This annual memorial honors those lives lost to miscarriage, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, stillbirth, the death of a newborn, and more.
It can be hard to talk about pregnancy and infant loss, both because of cultural taboos and because of how painful and heartbreaking it is to describe. Yet there’s solidarity and support to be found in sharing personal experiences, and today is a space set aside to honor and remember those stories.
If you or someone you love has lost a child before birth or during infancy, you’re likely aware of this memorial, and perhaps you’re not sure how to honor it. Here are three gentle suggestions for ways to honor Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.
1Join a virtual prayer retreat for grieving parents
Red Bird Ministries, a Catholic grief support community for parents, is offering a 2-hour virtual prayer retreat on Saturday, October 15 at 8 a.m. PT, 9 a.m. MT, 10 a.m. CT, and 11 a.m. ET. Their website explains,
To register for the Behold and Beheld virtual retreat, click on this link.
2Reach out to a friend
Support and companionship lift the burden of grief a little bit. If you are grieving a loss, today might be a good occasion to gather with other grieving parents. Or you might just text or call “that friend” who understands what you are going through.
If you know someone who is grieving, today is a timely occasion to send a note or reach out with a call or text message. Even a brief message of love and support means so much.
3Light a candle in prayer
In honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, many families participate in the Wave of Light: At 7 p.m. on this day, they light candles in remembrance of the children they lost.
Taking part in this tradition can be a beautiful reminder of the light to be found all around us. It’s also a fitting time to offer a prayer, asking for God’s help and grace and for his love to surround all those grieving.
