BABY LOSS AWARENESS & WAVE OF LIGHT

Hello everyone. Something quite different today. Just a little warning that this post will have the topic of miscarriages and baby loss.

Firstly I've never had to experience what a lot of women go through during pregnancy. I've never been pregnant and I've never lost a child. I could never even imagine the hurt and pain that these women have gone and still going through But like many of you, I do know women who have lost a baby. And this post is dedicated to them. I realised that it was baby loss awareness week and when the opportunity arose to speak about this topic, I took it. I was kindly sent a candle by Delivered Social to help spread the word.

This topic is close to home as many women in my family and friend circle have tragically lost a baby. Whether it was through a miscarriage or an early trimester complication, my heart goes out to them. I want to tell my best friend's experience but I will let her do that in her own words when she is ready. A seperate post will be up later. (she has already confirmed she would love to help out on this topic)

Today at 7pm, I will be lighting my candle for babies that have gained their wings. Around the world many women and families will light a candle for around an hour to remember their little angels. I will light my candle for my best friend, for my brother in laws girlfriend, my online friends and for those who keep their loss a secret.

I want to talk a bit about some charities. There are so many great charities out there that help mums with an infant loss.
I've raised money for various charities so far including Bliss and Tiny Lives. There are so many charities dedicated to helping out preemie babies and families of babies who have gained wings that I'm sure you could find the perfect one youd like to help.

Here are some amazing ones that need your help all year round..

Sands | stillbirth and neonatal death charity

Sands exists to reduce the number of babies dying and to ensure that anyone affected by the death of a baby receives the best possible care and support for as long as they need it wherever you are in the UK. Sands also provides bereavement support services such as online help, a mobile app, family support packs, memory boxes, an online community and support groups run by trained befrienders. They help approx 500+ bereaved parents per month and over 2000 memory boxes for parents. Every penny raised makes a real and lasting difference to the lives of bereaved families and help save babies lives. Sands relies on almost entirely voluntary income and receives very little government funding.
Please visit sands.org.uk and make a donation if you can. It makes the world of difference.

Text 'sands' and your single donation amount to 70085 or to make regular donations text 'sandsreg' and your chosen amount to 70085

Tiny Lives & Bliss

Tiny lives help care for premature or sick newborn babies and their mothers and families. As do Bliss. Both are here to help get the best chance of survival for preemie babies in neonatal care.

Did you know that over 60% of babies in neonatal are born full term but are sick and 60,000 babies are born premature in the UK alone. And premature birth is the leading cause of death amongst children under one. Your help can fund research to reduce premature babies pain and help give memory boxes, support for families so they can chart their babies progress, help with travel costs, equipment such as baby nests, gel pillows, blankets and even clothes as well as a family room so they can be close to their babies and even therapists. Please visit www.tinylives.org.uk and www.bliss.org.uk and every little helps.

I hope that these premature babies are able to get all the help they need to survive and I hope families get the help they need so they do not have to go through the worst thing imaginable which so many women have gone through already. Someone you may know may have miscarried or has a premature baby. Just being there for them helps too. Kindness costs nothing.

And lastly I hope you've come away with a little bit more knowledge then you did before reading.

Thank you.