Remembering the loss of a baby at Christmas: You are not alone
We're taking a moment to acknowledge that many of us will be dealing with the heartache of knowing there's a little one who won't be there to hold, cuddle and share this Christmas with...
Christmas can be a time of mixed emotions for so many of us: as well as the joy and the merriment that comes with being around loved ones, it often brings painfully to light memories of those precious people to whom we've said goodbye.
And for parents who have lost a baby at any time, Christmas can be an especially difficult occasion, as we think about the little one who should be with us but isn't – even years on.
Here at MFM HQ, we were deeply saddened when we read about the bereaved dad who queued to meet Santa alone, with a photo of his little boy who had died the year before.
We were equally moved by an open letter from blogger Mum Aimee, published by GoodtoKnow, where Aimee speaks openly about how she'll be feeling on the 5th Christmas without her daughter:
"We all carry a similar burden at Christmas," she says. "Sadly, many of us rarely talk about how we feel following the loss of our baby. Sometimes it can seem as though society accepts our grief for a while and then doesn't want to hear about it anymore.
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"I know baby loss to be an exceptionally lonely, relentless journey. Bumps along the way, Christmas included, can hit hard.
"Fellow baby-loss mama, I recognise the bitter-sweet taste of the pill that is Christmas. While I delight in sharing good tidings and joy with my other children and loved ones, my heart beats stubbornly with love and loss for the little person who isn't here, but should be.
"I lost my 2nd daughter, Grace, when she was 1 day old. She never enjoyed a Christmas. She didn't even take a solitary breath without the aid of a ventilator.
"So many of you, I know, were denied even a few precious moments together. You never met your little angel at all."
Above all things, says Aimee, if you have experienced such a loss – and are struggling to deal with it – especially at this time of year, "Please reach out and share your feelings. Trust me, dear baby loss mama, you are not alone.
"And so I send you nothing but love, compassion and understanding this Christmas."
For all our mums, we hope this Christmas is a beautiful time but we do also know that some of you will be dealing with the heartache of remembering a little one who won't be there to hold, cuddle and share the day with.
To you we wish love, support and comfort – we're thinking of you ? ?
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Authors
Tara is mum to 1 daughter, Bodhi Rae, and has worked as Content Editor and Social Media Producer at MadeForMums since 2015
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