Mama’s Heart | Pregnancy and Infant Loss

 

I don’t know what to say.

And that’s the problem. Not saying anything.

Today October 15th is Pregnancy and Infant Loss National Awareness Day. And with it comes a reminder that as many as one in four pregnancies end in miscarriage, and each year in Canada there are approximately 6 stillborn infants in 1,000 total births.

But we don’t need a national statistic to know how common this loss is. We’ve all experienced it in some way – my son’s twin in early pregnancy, my friends’ twins born at 23 weeks, my friends’ son at birth. I think of these babies often and still ask myself – did I say enough? Did these moms and their families feel supported?

My new friend Lindsay Forsey, a Hamilton mom and owner of Tenth Moon Mothercare, a company that delivers postnatal care packages to new moms across Canada, has reminded me how saying something, acknowledging this loss is so important.

Lindsay shares her story about loss – the inspiration for Mama’s Heart – a new Tenth Moon gift box to help soothe the hearts of women who experience miscarriage and later loss.

But this special project is more than a care package. It’s a way to encourage the conversation and not let moms and their families grieve alone.

A portion of the profits from the sale of the package will go to Pregnancy and Infant Loss (PAIL) Network, an Ontario-based organization that provides support services for grieving families.