For those that may not know, ‘rainbow baby’ is used by parents who are expecting another baby after experiencing miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death.
‘Rainbow’ is used because rainbows represent positivity after rain or a storm, which symbolises the grief of losing a baby. Many parents who use the term point out that the rainbow doesn’t negate the effects of the storm, it can only heighten feelings of anxiety, stress and fear of never fulfilling their dream of holding a live and healthy baby.
Sadly, baby loss is more common than people think.
Statistics in the UK reveal…
- There are on average 15-17 stillbirths every day.
- 25% of pregnancies end in miscarriage before 12 weeks.
- Approximately 2% of babies are diagnosed with a life threatening condition at their 20 week anomaly scan.
Having a rainbow baby?
It is essential that parents feel looked after when pregnant again with a rainbow baby. I ensure that all of my clients feel cared for and listened to; giving them a safe and comfortable opportunity to talk about their feelings.
I work closely with parents on their emotional and mental health, knowing the importance of perinatal mental health in women and how this can have an effect on the unborn baby.
We know that anxiety levels are going to be high, so I work closely with mums to find strategies and techniques to bring down the stress hormones and balance them out with some feel good hormones.
Nine months of pregnancy can feel like a long time and the work I do with parents breaks the time down, taking the pregnancy one step at a time. We don’t have to think about the whole 9 months in one go and we can work on implementing techniques and strategies to help cope with the array of mixed emotions that parents feel.
Extra Support
I am also connected with other highly qualified professionals at Expectancy Scanning Studios who provide a specialised service for parents to access a wide range of services that are not currently available on the NHS. This includes additional ultrasound scans where needed to provide reassurance and a variety of holistic treatments to aid with anxiety, stress and any other pregnancy related issues that may occur.
Despite the conflicting emotions, having a rainbow baby does bring light to the darkness of loss and brings hope to a brighter and positive future.
If you are currently pregnant with a rainbow baby and would like additional support, please do not struggle on alone.
I offer a free 15 minute no obligation telephone call to answer any questions and see if I can help you. Naomi@lifecarecounselling.com