Pink and Blue - Baby Loss Awareness Week 2018

Loss is painful, lonely, and can cause deeper grief than we ever imagine.

Jane Clamp has worked tirelessly to open the conversation surrounding baby loss. It’s hard to talk about. That’s why it needs to be spoken about.

A key feature of Babyloss Awareness Week (9th – 15th October 2018) is the illumination of public buildings in pink and blue. Landmarks such as the Blackpool Tower, Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower and Ely Cathedral joined in last year, as did multitudes of municipal buildings including museums, council offices and hospitals. Standing out against the darkness of the late autumn sky is a message that burns brightly within the symbolism: miscarriage needs to be talked about.

 When I speak to women who have experienced the loss of a baby in pregnancy, they tell a fairly universal story: that their grief has been profound (much deeper than they had imagined) and lonely. Few friends and family want to hear their story of pain and disappointment, far less their fears and worries for what it might mean. Movements such as Baby Loss Awareness Week, co-hosted by a raft of like-minded charities, do much to break the silence.

 The idea of memorial is a familiar enough one. Most of this country’s towns, cities and villages have plaques and monuments to commemorate our war dead. Cemeteries tell countless stories of lives that have been lived and need to somehow live on. But what of the miscarried child? Often born far too soon to legally require a funeral, their loss can go unmarked.

 During this special week in October, bereaved parents have the chance to speak on behalf of their lost ones. By lighting a candle at 7pm on the 15th, they are uniting in the Wave of Light that can ripple through our communities. The question of why our town’s building is now lit up with blue and pink can be answered with simple conversation. Pink and blue ribbons worn as a badge don’t stand for protest but for declaration: our babies are not forgotten.

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