Rainbow baby

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A rainbow baby is a term for a child born to a family that has previously lost one or more children due to stillbirth, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, termination for medical reasons, or death during infancy. [1] These subsequent pregnancies can bring "strong feelings of anxiety, guilt, and even fear" but also "immense joy, reflection, healing, and mixed emotions". The term "rainbow" is symbolic of the hope brought by the child after the emotional storm of the previous loss. [2] [3]

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Research conducted at the University of Michigan establishes that "parental relationships have a higher risk of dissolving after a miscarriage or stillbirth, compared with a live birth", and that the risk is highest for those couples who have experienced a stillbirth. [4]

In the 21st century, such parents seeking to have another child often turn to online support groups for information and encouragement. [5]

According to physician Jennifer Kulp-Makarov, "It is an extremely emotional and devastating experience to lose a pregnancy or baby. To create a life or bring a baby into the world after such a loss is amazing like a miracle for these parents." [6]

Those interested in supporting such families have designated August 22 each year as "National Rainbow Baby Day". [7] Some professional photographers volunteer to take free photos of these babies. [8] In some cases, these are group photographs. [9] [10]

Different viewpoints on the term

Although the term rainbow baby is widely used in the pregnancy loss community, some women feel discomfort with the term, each for their own reasons. They might feel the term focuses on the baby's death rather than their real life or they might think that there is no need to put a label that gives this child a special identity or title in relation to their other siblings. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Childbirth</span> Conclusion of the human pregnancy with the expulsion of a fetus from mothers womb

Childbirth, also known as labour, parturition and delivery, is the completion of pregnancy where one or more babies exits the internal environment of the mother via vaginal delivery or caesarean section. In 2019, there were about 140.11 million human births globally. In the developed countries, most deliveries occur in hospitals, while in the developing countries most are home births.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miscarriage</span> Natural death and expulsion of an embryo or fetus before its independent survival

Miscarriage, also known in medical terms as a spontaneous abortion, is the death and expulsion of an embryo or fetus before it can survive independently. The term miscarriage is sometimes used to refer to all forms of pregnancy loss and pregnancy with abortive outcomes before 20 weeks of gestation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Live birth (human)</span> Event that a fetus is born alive with heartbeats or respiration

In human reproduction, a live birth occurs when a fetus exits the mother showing any definite sign of life such as voluntary movement, heartbeat, or pulsation of the umbilical cord, for however brief a time and regardless of whether the umbilical cord or placenta are intact. After the fetus is expelled from the maternal body it is called a neonate. Whether the birth is vaginal or by caesarean section, and whether the neonate is ultimately viable, is irrelevant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stillbirth</span> Death of a fetus before or during delivery, resulting in delivery of a dead baby

Stillbirth is typically defined as fetal death at or after 20 or 28 weeks of pregnancy, depending on the source. It results in a baby born without signs of life. A stillbirth can often result in the feeling of guilt or grief in the mother. The term is in contrast to miscarriage, which is an early pregnancy loss, and sudden infant death syndrome, where the baby dies a short time after being born alive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grief</span> Response to loss in humans and other animals

Grief is the response to the loss of something deemed important, particularly to the loss of someone or some living thing that has died, to which a bond or affection was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, grief also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, cultural, spiritual and philosophical dimensions. While the terms are often used interchangeably, bereavement refers to the state of loss, while grief is the reaction to that loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surrogacy</span> Arrangement in which a woman carries and delivers a child for designated parent(s)

Surrogacy is an arrangement, often supported by a legal agreement, whereby a woman agrees to childbirth on behalf of another person(s) who will become the child's parent(s) after birth. People pursue surrogacy for a variety of reasons such as infertility, dangers or undesirable factors of pregnancy, or when pregnancy is a medical impossibility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pregnancy</span> Time of offspring development in mothers body

Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develops (gestates) inside a woman's uterus (womb). A multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins.

Prenatal development involves the development of the embryo and of the fetus during a viviparous animal's gestation. Prenatal development starts with fertilization, in the germinal stage of embryonic development, and continues in fetal development until birth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Complications of pregnancy</span> Medical condition

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<i>Mizuko kuyō</i> Japanese ceremony for those who have had a miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion

Mizuko kuyō (水子供養) meaning "water child memorial service", is a Japanese Buddhist ceremony for those who have had a miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion. It is also practiced in Thailand and China. This practice has become particularly visible since the 1970s with the creation of shrines devoted solely to this ritual. Reasons for the performance of these rites can include parental grief, desire to comfort the soul of the fetus, guilt for an abortion, or even fear of retribution from a vengeful ghost.

The Mariposa Trust is a charity in the United Kingdom founded by Zoë Clark-Coates, to support people who have suffered baby loss, in pregnancy, at birth or in infancy. It holds public Services of Remembrance, of any or no religious faith, across the UK to acknowledge the loss of a baby by their families, and by arranging specialist support divisions to help people with their associated grief and trauma. It is one of the organizations that supports baby loss awareness week.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS) is a U.S. based charitable organization operating worldwide, that offers free professionally taken photographs of stillborn babies and babies who die early in life.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miscarriage and grief</span>

Miscarriage and grief are both an event and subsequent process of grieving that develops in response to a miscarriage. Almost all those experiencing a miscarriage experience grief. This event is often considered to be identical to the death of a child and has been described as traumatic. "Devastation" is another descriptor of miscarriage. Grief is a profound, intensely personal sadness stemming from irreplaceable loss, often associated with sorrow, heartache, anguish, and heartbreak. Sadness is an emotion along with grief, on the other hand, is a response to the loss of the bond or affection was formed and is a process rather than one single emotional response. Grief is not equivalent to depression. Grief also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, cultural, and philosophical dimensions. Bereavement and mourning refer to the ongoing state of loss, and grief is the reaction to that loss. Emotional responses may be bitterness, anxiety, anger, surprise, fear, and disgust and blaming others; these responses may persist for months. Self-esteem can be diminished as another response to miscarriage. Not only does miscarriage tend to be a traumatic event, women describe their treatment afterwards to be worse than the miscarriage itself.

Mental disorders can be a consequence of miscarriage or early pregnancy loss. Even though women can develop long-term psychiatric symptoms after a miscarriage, acknowledging the potential of mental illness is not usually considered. A mental illness can develop in women who have experienced one or more miscarriages after the event or even years later. Some data suggest that men and women can be affected up to 15 years after the loss. Though recognized as a public health problem, studies investigating the mental health status of women following miscarriage are still lacking. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop in women who have experienced a miscarriage. Risks for developing PTSD after miscarriage include emotional pain, expressions of emotion, and low levels of social support. Even if relatively low levels of stress occur after the miscarriage, symptoms of PTSD including flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, dissociation and hyperarousal can later develop. Clinical depression also is associated with miscarriage. Past responses by clinicians have been to prescribe sedatives.

The Memory Garden is the first Jewish sacred space in the United States dedicated to expressing grief over infertility, pregnancy loss due to miscarriage or abortion, or stillbirth or death of a newborn. Judaism has a complex definition of the beginning of life, and does not have a traditional ritual for mourning fetuses or newborns prior to the age of thirty days. The Memory Garden builds on existing traditions, following halakah, and acknowledges the need of expectant parents and other family members across all streams of Jewish practice to recognize the emotional toll these losses take.

References

  1. "Stillbirth". medlineplus.gov. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  2. Kasprzak, Emma (February 23, 2017). "Rainbow babies: The children bringing hope after loss". BBC News. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  3. "Pregnancy after miscarriage: What you need to know - Mayo Clinic". www.mayoclinic.org. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  4. Gold, Katherine J; Sen, Ananda; Hayward, Rodney A. (May 2010). "Marriage and Cohabitation Outcomes After Pregnancy Loss". Pediatrics . 125 (5): e1202–e1207. doi:10.1542/peds.2009-3081. PMC   2883880 . PMID   20368319.
  5. "'Rainbow Baby' Photo Captures Grieving Michigan Mom's Emotional Journey Following Miscarriage: 'Knowing I Wasn't Alone Helped'". People . Archived from the original on October 11, 2019. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  6. Willets, Melissa. "What It Means to Be a 'Rainbow Baby' and Why Rainbow Babies Are Beautiful: Parents and experts explain why rainbow babies, born after a stillbirth, or neonatal death, are something beautiful after a scary and dark experience". Parents . Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  7. "Thursday is National Rainbow Baby Day". WMTV . Madison, Wisconsin. August 22, 2019. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  8. Johnson, Cierra (August 26, 2019). "Columbus photographer takes photos of rainbow babies free of charge". Columbus, Ohio: WBNS-TV. Archived from the original on September 13, 2019. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  9. Kalsi, Dal (August 22, 2019). "Upstate mothers gather to celebrate Rainbow Baby Day with special photo". WHNS. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  10. Ritschel, Chelsea (August 8, 2019). "Mothers pose with their rainbow babies in emotional photo shoot". The Independent. Archived from the original on August 9, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  11. Hanson, Kait (October 13, 2021). "Why some parents dislike the term 'rainbow baby'". Today . Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved October 17, 2021.