It is not unusual for newly pregnant mothers to make purchases for the baby they carry in their womb, and will soon to be holding in their arms. In the world of Babywearing, many women take the time to find the perfect wrap for their growing addition. They wrap their growing belly for maternity pictures and plan to retake that photo after delivery, while wearing their newborn blessing close to their heart. They weave their woven wrap between the wooden bars of the crib to add unique color and comfort to the baby's room. They prepare their wrap, washing and rewashing, ironing and braiding, softening it to a floppy and buttery state for their little squish's arrival. The purchase of a new wrap is never done lightly, and especially as a newly pregnant mother, there is a certain tenderness and care with which she decides on just the right wrap for her perfect growing little one. It is done with hope, anticipation, expectation, and love.
While most mothers are currently celebrating International Babywearing Week, my mind and heart has been elsewhere. You see, October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. One in four women experience a miscarriage, stillborn, or infant death in their lifetime. I am one in four. My miscarriage happened only five months after the birth of my first child. We were so incredibly excited to be adding a little sibling to our family so soon, and I planned just like the women I described above. My little one left too soon, and though I have had three rainbow babies since then, I still miss the baby I never held in my arms.
I am not alone. Losing a baby is, tragically, much more common than it feels. The sadness, the loneliness, the grief...it can be all consuming if you don't move forward, yet difficult to know how to move forward without losing those few precious memories of their existence. If you are like the woman described above, then you may wonder what to do with the wrap you lovingly picked out, the wrap that perhaps has gone unworn since your loss. You could simply keep it as is, use it for future babies, sell it or give it away (as Mr. Hemingway's story suggests), or make it into a stuffed animal or blanket. When considering these options though, I struggled with the fact that it would never be used for its original purpose--to carry the child it was purchased to comfort and hold tight.
As I considered this topic and the juxtaposition of carrying a baby yet never wearing him or her, a beautiful little business came to mind. Wrap Scrap Frames creates beautiful memory keepsakes from the very wraps we once used...or didn't. The owner and designer, Becca Davis, is a photographer and truly appreciates the memories that can be capture in a photo, even the very first ultrasounds taken of your little one. She not only keeps a stock of different sized frames in a variety of prints, but she can also make custom frames from your wrap if you provide the material. If you or someone you know are considering a way to honor a precious life taken too soon, this is a way that can allow you to wrap your baby in love and keep your baby close in memory in a personal way.
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To all of your wonderful mamas who feel the sorrow of loss as International Babywearing Week posts fill your newsfeed, please know you are not alone. There is someone thinking of you this month, and praying for you and your little one always.
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GIVEAWAY
When I reached out to Becca to let her know my desire to include her business in this piece, she generously offered a beautiful Girasol Double Rainbow frame to be given away to a deserving mama. If you have experienced the loss of a baby, then you know the symbolism of hope that the rainbow represents. My own hope and wish is that whomever wins this keepsake will ensure it helps with the healing of loss through the beauty of love.
