Ottawa – The month of October marks Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month and today we recognize Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day – a time to support the thousands of people across Canada whose lives are tragically altered by the loss of a baby as a result of an ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth or death in infancy.
Experiencing that kind of loss is a unique tragedy that can profoundly touch parents, family members, friends and healthcare providers. If you know someone who has experienced a pregnancy or infant loss, reach out to them so they know that they are not alone. It can be difficult to know what to say but there are tools to help you provide support and allow space for people to talk about how they feel.
Too many Canadian families experience a perinatal loss each year. Sadly, many experience feelings of shame, self-blame, and guilt following a pregnancy loss. Ensuring that women and families receive appropriate and compassionate care after a loss is essential in fighting the stigma parents, and especially women, face after pregnancy and infant loss. Together, we can bring more awareness to the importance of supporting prenatal and perinatal mental health.
If you have experienced a pregnancy or infant loss, taking care of your physical and emotional health is vital. Talk to your healthcare provider and reach out for support if you are struggling or need help to process your emotions. Baby’s Breath Canada has important grief support and resources. You can also talk to your partner, family and friends, look for support groups in your community or online, or talk to an elder, or community leader. More and more families are sharing their baby loss experiences as part of their own healing process and as a way to help other people cope with pregnancy and infant loss.
Tonight, at 7 p.m. your time, please join me in lighting a candle. The “International Wave of Light” invites pregnancy and infant loss families, friends, loved ones and supporters from around the world to light a candle in remembrance of loved and longed-for babies. The lighting of candles at different time zones will result in a continuous wave of light spanning across the world for a 24-hour period, illuminating the night in love, honour and remembrance of our children. – Ya’ara Saks