LavenderIsNeitherBlueNorGreenDillyDilly ·
30/01/2023 10:48
I’ve name changed as I’m mentioning DD’s name.
Our daughter is named Iris.
She was born after years of fertility struggles/ treatment but not losses so is not a ‘rainbow baby’ as I understand the term.
Her name has a particular meaning for us - but not that one, and if we associated with anything it was the flower rather than the rainbow.
I know this seems like a weird question but since having her the ‘rainbow baby’ link has been brought up to me quite a few times - by a friend who told me she’s only ever come across two others but they were in the rainbow baby group she attends with her daughter. Another time at a class I met another mum who had an Iris and we sort of smiled ‘great name haha’ at each other before she asked me ‘is yours a rainbow too?’ Another friend I met at baby group has since told me she did wonder if we had been through a loss (as she did herself) and that’s why we chose the name. It’s also come up in an online group I’m in.
I just feel a bit uncomfortable that people might assume that when it’s not the case - partly because I don’t want to appear to be claiming something I’m not, and also because it seems unfair to DD somehow.
In all cases the people who mentioned it had experienced loss themselves so perhaps more aware of the term/ connection. And of course the vast majority of people just say ‘lovely name’ or make no comment at all so I’m not saying it’s all the time or anything. I just wondered if it was something people generally assumed or at least wondered when they hear of a baby Iris, or if I’m way overthinking it.