Miscarriage Memorials: How to Honor a Pregnancy Loss

Name Your Baby

Many women find thatgiving the baby a nameor 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

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

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

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

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

If you have a goodultrasoundphoto of your baby, you may want to scan the image and order a memorialplaque 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

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 asMolly Bearsthat specialize in this service.

Donate to a Charitable Organization

There are a number of wonderfulcharities and organizationswhose 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.