#lost babies

[scotianostra]

Forget me not elephant, West Prices Street Gardens.

The forget me not elephant symbolise strong and close knit relationships. Elephants are highly intelligent with an everlasting memory.

This popular statue was unveiled in 2019 and is by Andy Scott, creator of The Kelpie statues at Falkirk. 

The memorial is dedicated to babies’ cremated remains that were cruelly dumped in a mass unmarked grave at Mortonhall Cemetery in a scandal spanning more than four decades.

As a result, hundreds of grieving parents will never know the final resting place of their beloved children, with at least 250 cremated babies buried in secret. Parents were instead told there would be no ashes left to scatter following cremation.

The creation of a memorial was one of the 22 recommendations produced in Dame Elish’s 600-page report commissioned to look into the scandal.

Edinburgh City Council built a £250,000 memorial garden at Mortonhall in 2015 for those devastated parents.

But with some families vowing to never return to the crematorium grounds, officials agreed to build a second permanent memorial.

More than six years after the scandal was uncovered, a two and a half tonne baby elephant was unveiled  in Princes Street Gardens  on February 3rd 1019, as a way to remember the hundreds of babies for years to come.

The memorial, embossed with forget-me-not flowers, is a popular spot for people taking photos, as you can see in mine, these were only in the time it took me to take a few pics. 

SculptorAndy Scott gave the baby elephant the working title “Lulla-Bye” given the tragic circumstances surrounding the project, which took around four and a half years to come to fruition.

He added: “Elephants never forget. I wanted to do something that will capture the imagination. It was quite a daunting thing to take on because of the emotions and the terrible loss the parents had suffered. It wasn’t a project I took on lightly. It’s been a rewarding project in how it has been received.

“I wanted the idea of something of a lost toy, maybe being left behind and the feeling of sadness and loss. But also something that would resonate with siblings. I hope the parents respond well to it.”

[tatybangz]

Mommy Loves you Princess Angel!

1 months 19 days ago 13 hours 1 minutes 51 seconds

That’s how long it’s been since I received the news that my first unborn child was very sick. Here I am 21 Years Old, Pregnant with my first child, 4 months till I get to meet my baby. On March 3rd, 2017 I went to the doctor for my 20week ultrasound. I was so excited to finally get to know the sex of my baby. I prayed so much that I just knew everything was going to be just fine my baby was healthy so I just focused on the sex. We had planned to have a gender reveal that night at dinner and we were going to announce to the world the next day on our 5 year anniversary. We waited for what felt like the longest time in the waiting area. When we got in the room for the first time we actually had a conversation with the technician and she spoke about the Dr. who was above them all and they only called when they saw things that were abnormal. That’s when I started to notice the difference weeks my baby was measuring. When she got to the brain it said 12w3d I got quiet and started to cry my boyfriend held my hand the whole time he never let go. She then said hold on sit up straight I’m going to try a different angle I will be right back. I heard a man in the hall and I knew that was him the Dr. Who was above them all and something was wrong. He came he checked me very silently and was very aggressive. Soon he began to tell me just how sick my baby was and I was in shock. I just bursted in to tears I couldn’t believe it. I did everything right so I thought I was healthy I ate right I prayed I made sure my baby would never need a thing. I never would have thought I would have to go through this. This doesn’t happen to people my age. I felt my heart shatter I thought I was hurt when my boyfriend told me he had a child but boy was I wrong that was nothing compared to this. Well continuing on after he told me my baby was sick he went on to say I would need to have a d&c. I cried the entire day that entire week.. I stopped the day of the d&c then the drugs wore off reality hit me and there came some more cry until I realized I couldn’t cry anymore I had to move on and that my journey isn’t over. I loved and still love my daughter so much and i contiue to pray that in the near future i will be able to birth her sibling and that they will be beautiful and healthy and loved by so many. I felt so alone even thought my boyfriend was their literally every step of the way he never left me alone. I searched the Internet for stories just for comfort just to know I wasn’t alone. I found so many but none that were women of my age group. So I thought I should share for someone who may need it like I did to know they aren’t alone and Thier story isn’t over. If anyone wants to talk I’m here for you we can be here for eachother.

[theshewolfasks]

The dream I had last night broke my heart again and again and again. It's 17 years boys and my heart still overflows with love for you. Rest well bubbas, until I see you again 💔

[renee-writer]

Found on Facebook.

For any one who has lost a child before birth.

In memory of my angel baby, Elijah Bruce

[renee-writer]

When women discover that I lost a baby during the 20th week of pregnancy, they will often open up to me about their own loss experience. If it occurred earlier in their pregnancies, they tend to reduce its significance by saying they were “only” six weeks, eight weeks, or fill-in-the-blank weeks pregnant when their loss occurred.

They usually follow up that “only” statement by saying something along the lines of how their loss doesn't compare to mine. Or how they can’t imagine losing a baby after the first trimester of pregnancy.

And I guess I’ve said or thought some variation of the same thing. When discussing my early loss versus my later loss, I’ve reduced it to being nothing more than a medical mishap that occurred when I was “only” six weeks pregnant—I guess sometimes it’s just easier that way.

And when hearing of someone else’s full-term loss, I’ve considered how much worse it might have been to lose my baby at 40 weeks instead of at “only” 20 weeks.

But that’s where the problem lies. It’s in the comparison. It’s in thinking that one pregnancy, one life, is more significant than another based on its duration. It’s in thinking that the loss of a baby who was too small to be seen, or held, is less significant than the baby who was big enough for a crib, but was laid in a casket instead.

The truth is that my losses are no more or less significant than anyone else’s. Each loss experience is unique, to be sure—my two were.

But no matter if we’re talking about an early loss or a late loss, I’ve missed out on the same things as every other loss mom. I’ve missed a lifetime of getting to know two of my children. I’ve missed milestones and celebrations. I’ve missed the mundane moments that would have made up the majority of memories with the two babies who didn’t come home with me.

I don’t know the details of anyone else’s loss, nor can I say I know exactly how they were affected by it—the experiences of loss moms are never exactly the same—but I do know that there is no “only” in pregnancy loss. Not in mine or anyone else’s.

There is “already.”

There was a pregnancy that had already progressed to six, or eight, or twenty weeks along.

There was already life as evidenced by two pink lines. The same pink lines that had already alerted a woman to her role as mother.

There was already the sound of a heartbeat, whether it beat for a day, a month, or longer.

There was already a connection between mother and baby.

And there was already love planted deeply in a mother’s heart. A love that had already begun to grow from the moment the first sign of life was displayed in the once-empty window of a pregnancy test.

It doesn’t matter if a pregnancy “only” lasted for a few weeks. It doesn’t matter if it was an early loss or a late loss.

What matters is that there was already a baby who was loved immensely. And love cannot be measured in weeks.

Shared with permission from Jenny Albers

[willowfaer]

An ode~

a ode to my little lost siblings, little heaven babies. Little fairies stuck between here an now. I wish I could've known you and squeezed your face I was your big sissy, and it was always will be that way. I will always be here, come tell me your worries I'll pull you under my wings. You where only little heartbeats at the time, I kissed our mama’s belly and was so happy to someday get to meet you. You all now dance in golden fields of summer grass. I miss you my little babies.

[markagorman]

Spat out.

[iszzyb]

Fun fact: if you find a stray dog with a collar tell them to go home. Most dogs will then let u back to their homes.