October Newsletter 2010

...The Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 314, has designated the month of October, as "Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month" and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this month.


NOW, THEREFORE, I RONALD REAGAN, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the month of October as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities...

(taken from the 1988 Presidential Proclaimation)


With all the publicity and marketing of Breast Cancer Awareness, it is not really a shocker to me that people are unaware it is also Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. We are overlooked. At times I feel I have way too much 'awareness' of this topic, but I do know too well that the silence surrounding my baby's death is often the hardest part of it to take. The fact that it is taboo to talk about it. Like we are morbid or obsessed if we mention our child's name.

There is a school of thought that "Pregnancy and Infant Loss" is an offensive term. That it is used by medical personnel to give distance to the fact that it was a baby that died, NOT a pregnancy that was lost. I do see that point. But I'm not sure I have an opinion on this topic. As long as people are TALKING about it, I'm not so concerned about the 'phraseology'. I debated a long time about naming my site 'PregnancyLossRibbons.com' for just this reason, but decided ultimately that I wanted people to be able to find me and this is the most common term in use currently. Call it whatever you need to- there is no wrong way to grieve.

So how to spread awareness? Well, sometimes I am stronger than other times. Sometimes I have more energy for this, and other times I am using all my energy to just get myself out of bed in the morning. But I do have some easy suggestions, if you find yourself with the desire to do something. Wear a pink & blue ribbon. Do a kindness project and leave a note explaining it was done in your baby's memory. Particiate in a memory walk or balloon release. Write or call your tv station, radio station or newspaper. Put a cling on your car window. Tie a pink and blue ribbon around your tree or doorknob. Use pink and blue tape on your envelopes when you mail your bills this month. Donate some rubber band bracelets to your doctor's office or hospital. And do not feel guilty that you did not do more.

Another thing you can participate in (and invite others to particiate in) is the Wave of Light being held this Friday, October 15th at 7 p.m. If we all light our candles at 7 pm our time zone we will have a continuous wave of light around the world.