About National Rainbow Baby Day
A rainbow baby is a term for a child born to a family that has previously lost a child due to a miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, termination for medical reasons, stillbirth or neonatal death.
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 storm of the previous loss.
The rainbow symbol has been used by members of the baby loss community for many years. For some parents, the symbol of a rainbow over-simplifies their experience because the arrival of a rainbow baby doesn’t take away the grief they feel about their loss. But for many parents, rainbows symbolise hope and light after a dark time.
Those interested in supporting such families have designated August 22nd each year as "National Rainbow Baby Day".
Some professional photographers volunteer to take free photos of these babies. In some cases, these are group photographs.
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National Flag Day
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