A walk to remember - infant loss

Oct. 9 - Layton
Utah Share "Walk to Remember" - Each year, to commemorate Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness month, Utah Share holds the "Walk to Remember". The event gives parents and families a wonderful opportunity to remember and honor their babies. The Walk to Remember is held in memory of all babies who are gone too soon. "We walk in memory of the steps they will never take."

Arrive at 9:30 am to register.
At 10:00 am there will be a brief program, memorial walk, balloon release, and refreshments. You may order T-shirts and Hoodies with the form on our blog: www.utahshare.blogspot.com

We look forward to sharing this special day with you.

Admission: Free
Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Contact: Marci Nellessen
Phone: 801-544-1159 or 801-499-3663
Email: marci@utahshare.org
Venue: Ed Kenley Amphitheater
Location: 403 North Wasatch Drive , Layton
Web Address: www.utahshare.org
Accessible to those with Disabilities

October is National Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month

Click the post title for About.com's article on this important subject. We also have posts on this site that deal with loss in pregnancy. It's every woman's nightmare, but miscarriage is actually quite common so learning about it and knowing you aren't alone can sometimes help. Fortunately stillbirth is less common, but still something to be aware of.

Learn to do kick counts (third trimester) and become familiar with your baby's movement patterns, attend your prenatal appointments and take care of yourself to make your pregnancy as safe as possible.

Sharing and Caring - The Unexpected Outcome

Thankfully, most pregnancies result in a positive outcome with healthy mother and newborn. In rare cases things don't go as planned and we may grieve for a lost child. Grief is an emotion we wish we never had to experience. If you are one of these mothers, please recognize that the emotional roller-coaster is normal but there are resources to help you get through it.
Parents hurt

I have recently spoken with two WeeCare moms whose babies won't live. They chose to carry their babies and appreciate the limited time they have with them. It is difficult. "A life worth remembering and celebrating...no matter how short" is the message from BabyGrief, a website devoted to prenatal loss.

Community resources for parents are usually hospital based. IHC offers a program called Angel Watch which consists of a small group of professionals who help the family plan and cope with loss either before or after pregnancy, regardless of the circumstances. The University of Utah hospital also offers grief support program and the March of Dimes provides the Parent to Parent programs for parents of fragile NICU babies. If you know someone in need of such services, contact them or your local hospital.

BabyWorld says, "A little life; not a little loss."

Children hurt too

In Salt Lake, The Sharing Place is where grieving children can get help through group participation and counseling - sharing with each other and helping each other get through the process of grief. There's a waiting list but it's worth the wait and once you're in you can stay. If you know a child who is grieving or may be soon, please contact them. The Sharing Place, 1695 E. 3300 South. Call 801-466-6730

Click the link to learn more about what they do and how they got started.

There are more grief and loss links on the right sidebar here. Scroll down to the Grief section, near the bottom. Also, please feel free to call the WeeCare nurses if you need someone to talk to or would like help in finding help. (801) 538-9943 or (800) 662-9660