Miscarriage Memorials: How to Honor a Pregnancy Loss

Remembering may be the healthiest way to heal

Mothers coping with miscarriage often find it comforting to create some sort of memorial to remember their baby. In fact, honoring the child may be the most healthy and crucial way to cope with a pregnancy loss.

There are different ways to do so, some that are incredibly personal and private and others that allow friends and loved one to share in the loss. Here are eight simple ideas that may help:

Name Your Baby

Woman Writing Possible Names For Baby Boy In Nursery

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Many women find that giving the baby a name or even hold a naming ceremony, helps them find closure by allowing them to acknowledge the loss of a person rather than an idea. If you were too early along in pregnancy to know if you had a girl or boy, choose the name to represents how you see the child or use a gender-neutral name.

Wear or Make Memorial Jewelry

Young woman making jewelry at home

Tim Robberts

There are countless online retailers that sell beautiful, handmade memorial jewelry, such as rings or pendants with angels and footprint themes. Many of these jewelers are mothers who have experienced pregnancy loss themselves. If you are artistically inclined, you could make your own memorial jewelry with beads that spell out the child's name.

Write About Your Baby

Woman writing a diary or journal, relaxing at home

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As difficult as the process can be, writing your feelings out on paper can be a remarkably cathartic and healing experience. Writing in a journal is like confiding in a friend who will never judge you. You may also want to start a blog or an online memorial page to share your insights with others who may be going through the same loss or want to share in your loss. 

Plant a Memorial Tree or Garden

Woman with newly planted tree

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Planting a tree or garden is a wonderful and lasting way to memorialize a lost child. Some mothers like to plant a tree on the anniversary of the miscarriage or on the due date of the pregnancy.

Living plants ultimately honor the life and represent growth and the future. If you do not have space to plant a tree, there are numerous environmental organizations that will plant one in a state forest in return for a small donation.

Display an Angel Statuette

Angel statue on a tree

Kemter

If you think of your baby as an angel, you're not alone. Some mothers who have had miscarriages get comfort from picturing their babies as heavenly spirits. Placing an angel statuette in your home is one way to incorporate the memory of your baby into your daily life. Other mothers will decorate a Christmas tree with a special angel ornament that keeps the child's memory close.

Order a Memorial Plaque or Crystal

Glass plaque

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If you have a good ultrasound photo of your baby, you may want to scan the image and order a memorial plaque or another type of keepsake, such as an engraved crystal, to honor your baby. There are companies that specialize in this service which you can find through a web search or an e-commerce portal.

Get a Special Teddy Bear or Pillow

Young woman carrying stuffed bear at amusement park

Commercial Eye

Many mothers long for something to hold after losing a baby to miscarriage. You may find it comforting to get a special teddy bear or a custom embroidered pillow or blanket keep close to you as you as grieve. There are charitable organizations such as Molly Bears that specialize in this service.

Donate to a Charitable Organization

Young woman carrying stuffed bear at amusement park

Peter Dazeley/Getty Images

There are a number of wonderful charities and organizations whose mission it is to increase awareness about pregnancy loss and to support couples dealing with a miscarriage or stillbirth. By giving to a non-profit in the name of your baby, you are telling others that your child's existence matters and that your loss is real.

5 Sources
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By Krissi Danielsson
Krissi Danielsson, MD is a doctor of family medicine and an advocate for those who have experienced miscarriage.