Tomorrow, October 15th, marks Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, an annual day of remembrance observed for pregnancy loss and infant death, which includes miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS, ectopic pregnancy, and the death of a newborn.
Across the world, monuments and buildings will light up in pink and blue to honour these babies and their grieving families.
Globally, as many as one in four women will experience the loss of a pregnancy or infant. In Ireland, there are approximately 380 babies who are stillborn or die shortly after birth each year; that is more than one baby every day. Statistically, one in every five pregnancies will end in miscarriage, 50 percent of which is unexplained.
The loss of a baby at any stage of pregnancy is a devastating experience for parents and the wider family. In its 19th year, Baby Loss Awareness Week aims to raise awareness of babies who have sadly passed away due to pregnancy or infant loss. It gives parents, grandparents, siblings and wider family and friends the opportunity to connect and commemorate babies’ lives, however long ago they died.
Speaking about the importance of Baby Loss Awareness Week, Sarah Cullen Bereavement CMS at The National Maternity Hospital explains:
‘The grief felt when a baby dies never leaves. Parents need to know that they are not alone and there is support available to them in the months and years following their baby’s death. Pregnancy loss is often not spoken about and is mourned in private with little support.”
This, Cullen explains, has become even more challenging over the past eighteen months when support services and normal social gatherings have been reduced due to Covid-19 restrictions.
“As a team in The NMH, we strive to provide the highest quality bereavement care to our families and have developed new services during the pandemic to ensure parents are receiving the support they need’.
Tomorrow, for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day and the International Wave of Light, the National Maternity Hospital will light up in pink and blue for all the babies who have died during pregnancy or after birth and families who have lost babies .
The NMH Foundation raises funds for the National Maternity Hospital at Holles Street, which provides world class perinatal, neonatal, and maternal care to more than 9,000 patients every year. This year, it is inviting the public to put its best foot forward on the 15th October in memory of cherished babies who lost their lives.
Mary O’Donovan, Executive & Funding Director, said:
“We are inviting people to support the NMH Foundation’s Walk to Remember by walking 5k on Friday 15th of October when many buildings around the world will be lighting up in pink and blue to commemorate all precious babies who sadly died too soon.”
If you would like to join the Bereavement Team and other participants around the country in The NMH Foundation virtual walk, please create your ‘Walk to Remember‘ page on https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/NMHWalkToRemember by clicking the orange button ‘start fundraising‘.
Once your fundraising page has raised €25, you will receive a unique ‘Walk to Remember‘ t-shirt as a special thank you for your support! There is a special heart on the t-shirt so you can write the name of the precious baby you are remembering.”
The NMH is also encouraging people to join its staff at 7pm on the 15th October in The International Wave of Light by lighting a candle in memory of all babies’ who have gone too soon.
The hospital is extending an open invitation to all to share photos of landmarks/businesses lit up in pink and blue and/or candles on social media with the hashtags #TheNMH #BLAW #BLAW2021 #BabyLoss and #internationalwaveoflight
