You never get over the loss of a child. Most mothers and fathers I've talked to would dare to say they never want to get over their baby's death. Bereaved parents have survived a type of loss that many people would call "the unimaginable". But truthfully the unimaginable happens more often than people realize.
Out of 100 women, there will be one child born still.
That's 24,00 babies annually just in the United States.
One stillbirth occurs in the world every 16 seconds.
That's 2 million stillbirths annually.
Out of 5 women, there will be one child who doesn't make it through pregnancy.
That's 750,000 to a million babies annually just in the United States.
One miscarriage occurs every 44 minutes.
15% of all pregnancies will end in miscarriage.
That's an estimated 23 million pregnancies worldwide end in miscarriage each year and those statistics are just what has been reported.
Out of 10 births, there will be one preterm baby.
That's nearly 15 million premature babies annually.
1 million of those preterm babies won't make it due to complications of preterm birth. These complications are the leading cause of death among children under 5 years of age.
Now that we are more educated on statistics, let's talk about ways we can keep their memory alive.
Here are 11 things you can do to remember your little one:
Make an ornament for your Christmas tree. Fill the ornament with glitter, their infant hat, or something special to you and paint their name on it.
Plant their birth flower in your yard and each year you can watch it bloom. If you prefer trees, plant a fruit tree like blueberry or raspberry. Each year it will grow bigger and produce more fruit each year.
Buy one of our personalized leather keychains with your child's name. They come custom with first name, middle name, or birthdate.
Create a puzzle with your child's photo and put it together as a family. Companies like Shutterfly allow you to quickly submit a picture and ship it straight to your home.
When you send cards from your family, be sure to include your child's name on them. Mention them in Holiday cards, Birthday cards, and more.
Make dry flower art. Simply dry out your child's birth flower or some of your favorite flowers, then frame them in a floating picture frame. You can even use flower arrangements that were sent to you on behalf of your child's passing.
If you have other children, you can create a picture book to read at bedtime. It could include photos and names of every person in the family or even be a letter from your angel baby to your living children.
Order a remembrance print of your child and hang it in your house. When people visit your home, it will open up conversations to talk about their life.
Get creative and make some drink coasters for your home out of resin. Use fresh flowers, dyes, glitter, beads, photos, and more. Visit your local craft shop like Hobby Lobby for molds and epoxy.
Create a Spotify playlist of songs that remind you of your baby.
Each year write a letter to your baby in heaven. Read all of your letters on their birthday every year.
We hope you enjoy these 11 things you can do with your family, spouse or living children to honor your angel baby. If you have other unique ideas on how to celebrate send them our way.
Click here to read more of our blogs on motherhood and fatherhood. Mother of Wilde is the place bereaved parents turn for positive inspiration and heartfelt support in loss and faith.