Miscarriage Awareness month

[MummyAbroad]

I have just posted this as my status on facebook. Obviously I am not suggesting that you should all do the same, but if anyone wants to raise awareness about this issue I thought this was a lovely way to say it.

"During October we remember all babies born sleeping or whom we have carried but never met, those we have held but could not take home or the ones that came home but could not stay. The loss of a baby is still a taboo subject. Break the silence in memory of all our angels."

Thanks to wombat for finding it and Nickstermum for suggesting the thread

[MummyWilliams]

Like you MummyAbroad I am in full support and I have this posted as my facebook status

"This week we remember all babies born sleeping, or whom we have carried but never met, or those we have held but could not take home, or the ones that came home but didn't stay. Make this your profile status if you or someone you know has suffered the loss of a baby. The majority won't do it, because unlike cancer, baby loss is still a taboo subject. Break the silence. In memory of all the angels xxx "

[MummyWilliams]

Forgot to mention that there is also a group you can join on Facebook called 'Baby Loss Awareness - Show your support for the Baby Loss Awareness Campaign. Awareness week 9th-15th October'

xxx

[CMOTdibbler]

I've put my status to honour babyloss week

[littlewish]

Ive just bought my Baby Loss Awareness blue and pink ribbon pin from their web site. £1. I will change my facebook status too.

[emptyshell]

I had mine as similar a few days ago. Not a copy-paste job because I hate those - but something from the heart.

Interestingly - none of my "friends" with children bothered to even click a like button, but my childless friends all did.

Says a lot really and it disgusted me.

[nickstermum]

I updated my facebook message... had been hiding from FB since MC and i kind of felt liberated by doing it!!!

I have my babyloss ribbon pinned to my purse so its with me at all times.. strange what you get comfort from x

Heres remembering all our beans & bumps that never came home, and all the angels up in the sky xxx

[Iggi999]

Do you know, I really want to post something on fb for this awareness month, but (and I am aware many people like to think this way and get comfort from it and don't mean any offence) I find the references to angels really hard, it doesn't sit well with me and everything like this I read talks about our babies being angels.
Maybe it's because I do (kind of) believe in angels in the biblical sense, I don't see my lost babies as being anything like that! I also think by saying cancer isn't taboo we would offend some people(and I'm not convinced that's true actually either).
Sorry, being rambly and a bit drunk but I will work on an alternative wording for my own status!

[MummyAbroad]

Hi Iggi,

I think its tough for everyone finding the right words to express what we feel. Especially as miscarriage is a huge umbrella term ecompassing so many different experiences. I agree that making a comparison with cancer could offend some people, and I have never really liked status updates that try and guilt you into copying and pasting because "most people wont, will you?" etc. Its a personal choice and no one should be forced to join in. I like the "break the silence" suggestion though, because it highlights how difficult it is to discuss miscarriage and maybe would give hope to someone suffering you has not spoken about it before.

Everyone should feel free to amend the statement as they feel fit - or of course not use it at all, there are many other ways to honour and remember lost babies.

Here is another suggested wording, what do you think?

"During October we remember all babies born sleeping or whom we have carried but never met, those we have held but could not take home or the ones that came home but could not stay. The loss of a baby is still a taboo subject. If you or someone you know has been affected by this break the silence in memory of all our lost babies"

[randomimposter]

Thanks for the thread - I copied and pasted Mummy Williams words (not because I preferred them to MummyAbroad's but just because they were the first ones I came to), and many of my MN friends on FB have done the same.

I understand what empty means about "cut and paste", and also Iggi's point about angels (usually I find that a bit smaltzy (sp?) and a bit baby dust-ish) BUT I felt a real strength in having exactly the same words in a united way. Yes I might have written it slightly differently myself if I had been the originator, but the point IMO is that although our individual experiences of babyloss are of course different, ultimately we have all suffered the same thing.

I too felt really liberated posting it. I hope it DOES help people feel more confident about talking about babyloss.

[Iggi999]

Thank you Jollster and Mummyabroad. Was bit worried I might have been offensive
Is there a particular DAY for posts to go up on FB, or is it just all month, do you know? Thanks

[MummyAbroad]

Miscarriage awareness month is October, but half way through (15th) is often celebrated as miscarriage awareness day.

[Iggi999]

Thanks MA, I think I'll wait till Friday to post on fb in that case.

[MummyWilliams]

Hi! All

I've now changed my facebook status to

'Friday 15th October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance day... This day means a lot to me and I thought I'd do my part to help get the word out... Please join me in lighting a candle at 7pm on Friday 15th October... I will be lighting 2 candles, 1 for our Son Jack George lost at 18 weeks, 1 for our Little Daughter or Son lost at 12 weeks xxx'

xxx

[emptyshell]

There is an event invite doing the rounds for the candle-lighting as well. I've seen a couple of FB acquaintences RSVPing to that to bump it up onto friends feeds.

I'll re-set my status tonight to something related to Friday, I've got personal issues with going down the angels and god route (I prayed and prayed to him for a miracle and he put us through this), but I changed mine for a while because I felt that I was going to get blocked by people if I didn't put something suitably fluffy and innocuous on it - sad huh?

[emptyshell]

www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=142627989083579 is the FB event if you want to RSVP to that one (can't do clicky links so you'll have to slum it and copy-paste)

[TheMummyAbroad]

Thanks empty, I have joined a similar event (sorry couldnt find that particular one) and also put the babyloss ribbon as my profile pic.

MummyWilliams, I really like your status, I might pinch it!