Welcome to the Miscarriage and Infant Loss Awareness Month Blog Hop.
You should have arrived from HAIDEE, but if you did not, be sure to start at the beginning HERE!
Today, October 15, is National Miscarriage and Infant Loss Awareness Day.
This hop was created for those that have either have Angel Babies, for those that suffered a devastating loss with the loss of their own child or someone in their life that has an Angel baby or lost a child.
Here are a few statistics to keep in mind regarding Miscarriage and Infant Loss:
75% of all conceptions end in miscarriage
30% of pregnancies end in miscarriage (1 in 3)
15-20% of confirmed pregnancies end in miscarriage
The majority of miscarriages happen in the first trimester
Chromosomal Abnormalities are the most common reason for miscarriages and still births
90,000 children die annually before their first birthday
Nearly 2,500 babies are lost a year in the US due to SIDS
Nearly 30,000 babies are year are born stillborn. This number jumps to 4.5 million worldwide
Stillbirth occurs 10 times more frequently than SIDS
More babies die as a result of stillbirth than all other causes of infant death a year
The above reference statistics can be found on both of the following websites if you would like to find out more information:
**http://www.hiringforhope.org/pregnancy-infant-loss-awareness.html
** http://miscarriage.about.com/od/riskfactors/a/miscarriage-statistics.html
Too many people in this world grieve in silence over the loss of their children. This hop is meant to CELEBRATE them! You will see many different stories from the wonderful ladies in this hop. Some have themselves loss their beautiful babies, some had family members go through a loss, and some are here to show their support for the women who have gone through it.
How can YOU show your support today? Here are a few examples:
Keep your headlights on all day
Keep your porch lights on all day
Wear pink and blue ribbons
Light a candle and display it in your window
Release butterflies
The theme for this hop is any project centered around Angels, babies, pink and blue ribbons, condolence cards, tributes, and layouts!
There will be a blog prize from Craftin' and Stampin' from online Close To My Heart store.
The "Your Own Kind Of Wonderful" stamp set is the prize for today's hop. To be eligible, please visit each blog and make sure to comment and follow along the way. Winners will be announced on the Craftin' and Stampin' blog on 10/18/14.
I have been blessed with three healthy boys ages 24, 19 and 8. Each time I was pregnant, I had a close friend who was unable to get pregnant, or had a miscarriage. Other friends have lost their babies: my neighbor, my sister-in-law, my Avon Lady (who lost her twins at 20 weeks) come to mind.
My oldest son was in daycare and a baby girl (I think her name was Megan) had a SIDS episode. The provider stopped the episode and the baby had vital signs when the ambulance took her, but sadly she died 3 days later. Several years later, my Sister-in-Law's niece - Bailey Lynn Schneckenberger - died of SIDS. This was a baby that I held in my arms at my brother's wedding. I have been to several funerals, but her funeral was the hardest....
My heart breaks a little for each loss. I also feel a little guilty because I never suffered such a loss.
I wanted to make something that could be displayed in a special place - on a shelf, on a wall or placed in a Memory Book. I found an image online and cut it out in vinyl.
I used blue and yellow gelatos on an 8 x 10 flat canvas panel. I used water and a paint brush to blend the colors.
I added my vinyl design and these words from my heart. I inked the edges of the canvas with a black PITT artist pen.
If you are one of the many parents who have lost a child, my heart goes out to you!
Here is the lineup should you get lost:
