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Awareness Month

Pregnancy and Infant Loss

October is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month

If you or someone you care about has lost a child to stillbirth, miscarriage, SIDS, or any other cause at any point during pregnancy or infancy, please join us in raising awareness this October for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.

Tens of thousands of families across the United States are devastated each year by the death of their baby. But the grief of these families and the value of their babies’ lives are very rarely acknowledged. In 1988, US President Ronald Reagan declared October as a month to recognize the unique grief of bereaved parents in an effort to demonstrate support to the many families who have suffered such a tragic loss. Promoting awareness of pregnancy and infant loss not only increases the likelihood that grieving families will receive understanding and support, but also results in improved education and prevention efforts which may ultimately reduce the incidence of these tragedies.

Learn more about why raising awareness is critical in Star Legacy Foundation Executive Director Lindsey Wimmer’s blog post here.

Star Legacy’s October #NeverBeStill campaign seeks to break the silence surrounding stillbirth and other pregnancy/infant losses by not only educating the public about ways to support bereaved families but also empowering expectant mothers to have a healthy pregnancy – because every pregnancy deserves a happy ending!

 

Here are a few other ways you can help:

 

 

Social Media Graphics & Video

 This is just a small selection of Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month graphics and videos that will be shared on Social Media as part of the #NeverBeStill campaign.  To find more, login to your favorite platform and search #NeverBeStill!

Note: click the graphic/video to view full size in high-resolution and download/share.

 October 15th Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month 1in4 GraphicOctober 15th Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month Stillbirth GraphicOctober 15th Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month Stillbirth 1in160 GraphicThere is no foot too small that it cannot leave an imprint in this world October 15th Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness MonthI carried you every second of your life and I will love you every second of mine October 15th Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness MonthShatter the Silence October 15th Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month Shatter the Silence October 15th Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month Providers Grieve Too

 

Change Your Social Media Profile Frame

Raise awareness with the click of a button by applying our Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month Profile Frame.

Request your free, personalized candle graphic for the Wave of Light 2023

In recognition of the International Wave of Light on October 15, 2023 at 7PM, Star Legacy Foundation is creating free, personalized images like the one pictured here.

Please comment on this post on Facebook or Instagram by 11:59 EST on Saturday, October 7, 2023 with the name of your baby/babies and our team of volunteers will create a personalized image for you to display on social media for the International Wave of Light on October 15 at 7PM.

We also encourage you to light a candle at 7 pm local time to honor all babies gone too soon.  Keep your candle lit for at least one hour to create a continuous “wave of light” across all time zones covering the entire globe!

Other ways you can Particpate

SUPPORT BEREAVED PARENTS

 

There are many ways to support the bereaved parents in your life/community, including:

 

  • Read our resources for How Friends & Family Can Help and order free brochures from Our Store
  • Invite parents of a stillborn baby to create a free Star or Memorial Page on our website
  • Ask your town to proclaim October 15th Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day – contact us for a sample proclamation and request letter
  • Make sure your local hospital/doctors (and anyone else in your community who interacts with expectant mothers!) are familiar with our resources for families and providers, Parenting in Pregnancy guide to healthy pregnancy, and free brochures about grief and after loss care available in English & Spanish
  • Perform an Act of Kindness in memory of baby gone too soon (full page printable cards here)
  • Send a letter to your elected officials urging them to support legislation and policies designed to prevent stillbirth and other poor outcomes and provide improved support for families – 
    contact us for a sample letter to get you started
  • Share our #NeverBeStill posts on social media (see below)

OBTAIN A PROCLAMATION FROM YOUR CITY/STATE FOR PREGNANCY & INFANT LOSS AWARENESS

While a Federal Proclamation was achieved in 1988, you can work with your city or state officials to obtain a local proclamation.  Sometimes they can be permanent and other times they are for the one year only and need to be re-established each year.  Be sure to check with your local officials offices. Click here for our proclamation toolkit.

Honor your baby

In October, and always, we honor all babies amongst the stars with their name and picture (optional), including those memorialized on our website as Our Stars.  You can also create a free memorial page in their honor.  Please help us remember these beloved babies by reading their stories.

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