Now, it's my turn for 25 days (and more). I am so thankful for Tina at Living Without Sophia and Ellie for hosting this giveaway. Because this is so close to Christmas and travels, I don't know if anyone will enter (I hope so). Regardless, I have met and read some incredible blogs out there. Beautiful and honest words. What an amazing way it has been to be introduced to some wonderful, generous women.
NOTE: These giveaways are open to all baby lost mamas. If you didn't sign up to host a giveaway we still want you to participate and try to win some of these GREAT items. We want to spread happiness to everyone, not just those who are hosting a day.
My giveaway is the Steven Curtis Chapman's cd "Beauty Will Rise." I originally bought a copy of this cd for my daughter who loves SCC, but I was so moved by the words he wrote about each song. It was comforting to me to see him echo the same feelings I have over my loss. Spring is Coming is one of my favorites and I have to constantly remind myself that yes, indeed, spring is coming....
When Rebekah went to heaven the hospital gave us a box with Rebekah's footprints, blanket, etc. I still haven't opened the box completely (I just peeked in), but my husband told me the contents of the box. Well, Monday we went back to our perinatal bereavement counselor and thanked her for taking care of our little Rebekah and putting the box together. We discussed ways in the future that I could give back to other mothers that come through the hospital (that breaks my heart to think there will be others). So, here is my question for you: Was there something given to you that has meant a lot to you from the hospital or a friend that I may be able suggest that needs to be in other boxes? If you don't have any suggestions, just say "hi" and I will still include you in the drawing.
Thank you for stopping by. I look forward to getting to know each of you.
Karen
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19 joyful people left comments:
Hi Karen. What a great giveaway idea! We also received a memory box from the hospital. There were quite a few things in it - some general baby things like a little teddy bear; some things specific to Gracie, like her bassinet card and hospital bracelets; and some things specific to baby loss, like 2 silicone band bracelets that say 'Footprints on My Heart' and also a bracelet made of blue and pink stones and a little baby loss ribbon charm that was donated by another family. We wear the silicone bracelets all the time - I think they are fantastic. If I am dressed for an event that the silicone bracelet is inappropriate for, I wear the stone bracelet. A real life baby loss mama friend of mine gave me a baby loss ribbon pin on the day of Gracie's funeral - we are going to be donating these for the boxes in January. Another idea that I have seen elsewhere and really like is the inclusion of a disposable camera for those who do not have a camera with them and, for whatever reason, cannot or do not have photos done by NILMDTS.
Hi Karen - it is nice to meet you. :) I am very sorry for your loss. I know it hurts. :(
Don't enter me in the drawing - I actually have this cd, and want someone else to have the opportunity to be blessed by it. But I wanted to comment because of your question. Another baby loss mom and I will be starting a new web-site after the first of the new year in which we will be offering all sorts of loss assistance. I put more info on my blog, but I wanted to tell you about it since it looks like you are wanting to also help other mothers. Feel free to stop by and join in the brainstorm if you'd like.
My hospital keeps little outfits on hand to give to babies that don't make it, and they allowed me to take it home. That meant a lot. They also called NILMDTS for me. I was also given information on how to help ease the post-partum discomfort, such as what to do when my milk came in. All of that was very helpful.
We were given so many wonderful things from the hospital when we lost our twin daughters. Brooke was only with us a few minutes, but they took a lot of pictures of her and made a cast of her hands and feet. They gave us a blanket and a matching outfit for her as well as a bracelet with her name on it. Alexcyn was with us 3 days in the NICU and after she passed, they gave us a scrapbook with tons of pictures of her as well as a bracelet with her name on it and a blankie with a matching outfit. They sent us cards and books about grieving and even a gift certificate for dinner once we felt like we were ready to get out of the house. They were truly amazing!
Hi Karen, please don't enter me since I already have this CD. Someone else should be blessed with it!
As far as what the hospital did for us, they gave me a beautifiul pink quilt made by a group and given to them for situations such as mine. It was such a nice surprise. It's tucked away in her memory chest but I did use it at her service as a tablecloth to display her things. The hospital also gave us a little card that had an envelope to put locks of her hair in and they also gave us a little card that contained a gold baby ring. Since we knew ahead of time our daughter wouldn't live they gave us a little bear that wears a necklace with Carleigh's name. They also provided us with kits to do her hand and feet imprints when ours didn't work.
I knew I wanted to give back to our hospital so I have provided them with comfort bears and the Dreams of You memory book from Sufficient Grace Ministries. Both of these items that Kelly sent me mean a lot.
Hi Karen, I'm so sorry for the loss of your beautiful little girl. I am also a babyloss momma and it breaks my heart a little bit more every time I hear of another baby gone too soon. But one thing I know for sure is that these babies are sure loved alot!
I have been making memory boxes to donate to the hospital. I admit I have not donated any since Sept. 2008 because of my most recent loss. I am hoping to get back into it because I have an entire room full of supplies! I wish I could do more with my boxes but I have been doing it on my own all along (though now I have a couple other people who are interested in helping me so we will get working on it in january) in the boxes I like to put a blanket, a candle, a teddy bear, a photo frame, a photo album, a disposible camera (though those are getting hard to find!) a little craft baggie for a snippet of hair, a baby wash cloth, a package of kleenex, um... a journal and a pen, and oh gosh I can't think of it all off the top of my head. I try to cram it full of stuff to make memories and keep memories. Unfortunately I know that it will never be enough but will do my best.
((hugs))
Hi Karen, Nice to meet you and I am sorry for your loss.
The hospital I had my Shealyn in was very nice. The nurse took pictures of our baby for our memory box they gave us. Also in it were, the little dress they dressed her in for the pics, a tiny blanket, hat, beaded bracelet with Shealyn's name.
Not alot of stuff, but stuff I will cherish forever, I have since added stuff to the box, stuff that I have collected in these last few months.
I think it would be a really good idea, if the hospitals provided a do it your self hand and foot print cast (Holly mentioned) also, i think I little booklet with websites, and blog address, internet groups etc. That would have come in handy for me.....cause I all I did pretty much was sit in front of the computer in the first few weeks...That was were I could "pretend" thing were ok.
Again, I am sorry for your loss
Hi Karen,
I am so sorry for your loss of Rebekah. Thank you so much for the kind email yesterday.
We never received a box which is why I have made it my mission to donate them. One thing that I think is incredibly important is to have some form of comforting scripture inside. I wrote a little story and compiled some verses pertaining to the emotions you go through when suffering this loss. Many people end up turning away from God and direct anger towards Him. I was very angry with Him but through coming to know Him and reading His word I am drawn much closer.
You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Love,
Katy
Hi Karen,
I am so sorry for your loss of Rebekah. Thank you so much for the kind email yesterday.
We never received a box which is why I have made it my mission to donate them. One thing that I think is incredibly important is to have some form of comforting scripture inside. I wrote a little story and compiled some verses pertaining to the emotions you go through when suffering this loss. Many people end up turning away from God and direct anger towards Him. I was very angry with Him but through coming to know Him and reading His word I am drawn much closer.
You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Love,
Katy
What a nice gift. I've heard about SCC and his journey. I'm sure his music reflects the grief we are all going through, plus the joy we find in Jesus' comfort.
The hospital gave us a box which had been decorated with blue ribbons and had a poem pasted to the top of it. They also gave us clothes to put him in for pictures but we already had the ones we wanted to use. I think anything you choose to put in there will be memorable and appreicated. The small things we overlooked before, mean so much to us now that they reflect out precious son.
Morning, Karen! I like SCC's voice.
We got a memory box with footprints and handprints of George, a snippet of his downy hair, details of him, and a small journal for me to write in. They also had a beautiful blue quilt that we'd wrapped George in when his older siblings came to hold his body in hospital, so that is a treasured keepsake. The best thing for our children coping is a book called, "We were going to have a baby but we had an angel instead." It sits out with our scrapbook for George and they can look at it whenever they wish. My midwives got me sage tea, which helped ease my physical pain greatly when my milk came in. It was still brutal, but I know that herbal tea helped to stop my body from making quite so much milk after a few days. xo
I am, of course, a babyloss Mama too.....
I did the Bible study "Threads of Hope, Pieces of Joy" by two mamas who are also babyloss mamas. This study helped me tremendously..I'd love to see it offered in boxes for babyloss mamas. I've often thought of becoming a grief and bereavement counselor because ours was so helpful and so wonderful....
I'd really like that CD to put in my oldest daughter's stocking, since we're having our family Christmas next month. She adores SCC, he's her favorite singer/writer!!
God bless you, dearest Karen!!
I'm so sorry for your loss. I wasn't going to enter this giveaway since I already have the CD, but I just put my copy in a package to send to my cousin. She will be burying her 3 month old tomorrow. They think the baby's older brother may have accidentally suffocated her and she is devastated. I really thought she may identify with SCC's experience and music. I would like to enter this give away now.
Please forgive me, I can't think clearly right now, there were so many generous people around us when we lost Shyla in September, but my mind is racing and I can't pick out just one thing to mention.
(((HUGS)))
Mattie
Hi Karen,
I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your Precious Rebekah. I wish I could have found you under better circumstances.
Since I lost my daughter, Caitlyn a while back things were not quite the same as they are now and even though most people got pictures of their children, mixed communication had me leaving the hospital with no pictures, memory box, or anything other than a couple pamplets.
This being said, anything would be great ! I have since volenteered many hours aiding in the facilitation of two support groups and through these groups could suggest a small pin which the Mother can wear in memory of her child.( One group gives angel pins with the baby's birthstone in it, the other gives a pin shaped like baby foot prints).
Hi Karen,
Sorry to hear about your loss of Rebekah.
I LOVE the idea of disposable cameras for memory boxes. That is a great idea I would have never thought of.
What meant the most in my memory box was the outfit Vincent wore for his photos. When the nurse was giving me the box and going over the contents she was like "look - here is one of the little outfits like the one he is wearing for you to bring home" we instantly both said "nope - we are bringing home the one he is wearing - not a new one". So when it was time to say goodbye I watched me husband change Vincent from his outfit into the clean one. I love that little tiny outfit.
We got a beautiful quilted pouch to Max's things in from the hospital. It was nice. I think it would have been helpful for the hospital to hand out information about online grief support. They gave us info about meetings, which we never went to... but I think online support would have been nice. :-)
I wanted to let you know in case you didn't see but you won a necklace from My Forever Child from yesterday's giveaway! Please email me caring4carleigh@yahoo.com with your address please and I will get it sent out to you! Congrats!
Hi Karen :)
We didn't get a real memory box from the hospital, and what we did get breaks my heart... I want to share with you an absolute horror story. Morgan died on a Monday, unexpectedly and suddenly, and we were told that we had until Wednesday to pick a mortuary. Also, when Morgan died, the police were called because they thought I'd killed my Morgan. All we got were two fuzzy polaroids of Morgan after she died. She had a tube in her mouth from them trying to bring her back. We didn't get her ankle bracelet (which was something I desperately wanted). We got a gift bag with a cap and blanket in it that Morgan wore, but the cap was ripped in the back. We got her footprints and her measurements (which were only taken after I asked for them, after she had died), and a tiny bit of her blonde hair, ruined with scotch tape. We got some bereavement materials, and when I was reading through them one day I saw an envelope. It said they were pictures! I was happy for the 20 seconds it took me to read the envelope and rip it open, but I was soon horrified! The pictures inside were NOT OF MY BABY! It was a dead black little BOY. It was so horrible... I'm sorry for the "outburst"; the holidays are killing me this year. Some days are good, and some days are very, very bad.
Karen--
I am so sorry for your loss. I lost my Sylvia in February. I have listened to some SCC lately, but don't have his CD. I would LOVE to have this, but we'll see if I'm the lucky winner.
I too felt I needed to do something for the parents in my situation. Sylvia was born and died at a University Hospital. She had the best care and nurses available. For that I am grateful. They sent home an incredible packet/bundle of bereavement information with me. In it was the book "The Bereaved Parent." I read it in a couple sittings. I just couldn't read enough. Out of all the things they gave me, my favorite the silver "Always in my heart" hearts (2) they gave us. One is with Sylvia in her casket and one is with us. i couldn't find the exact ones the hospital gave us at a reasonable price to give to our local NICU, but I did find something similar at Micael's. They are angel and heart pendants. The idea is for the heart to go with the baby and the angel to stay with the parents. I also wrote my thoughts and how I muddled through. When Sylvia died, I just wished someone was out there that had been through it that would just come talk to me and show me that recovery from such a rough situation is possible. I wish they would have sent information on my local SHARE group. They have helped me so much and they actually found me. They sent me an invitation to a meeting and called me. Hope this helps. Good luck. Feel free to contact me if you ever wish...
--Beth
www.houselogfamily.blogspot.com
I was given books regarding our loss at the hospital that helped me through those first very dark days. But what I wish would have been included is a simple directory of blogs, web sites, other books, etc that would have pointed me in the right direction to find the comfort I eventually found within this community. Thanks for participating in the giveaways...I can't wait to see who the winner is!! xx
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