There comes a time in the first year after the loss of a pregnancy/baby that most families have an overwhelming urge to do something for their baby or in their memory, but they are unsure of what is appropriate or what makes sense to them. Big or small, there are so many ways you can honor your baby daily, monthly and/or annually in the years to come. This is how we can continue to parent our babies in our hearts.
Ways you can honor your baby
There is no right or wrong way to honor your baby. Many families create new traditions or do multiple things to honor their baby by incorporating them into their every day lives through ritual. Some examples include:
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Lighting a candle on special days and holidays
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Saying a prayer or reading a daily devotional
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Write a poem
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Creating a journal and talking to your baby to express your feelings
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Printing photos of you and your family with the baby
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Painting a picture to be hung in your home
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Planting a tree or a small garden
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Getting a memorial tattoo
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Having a piece of jewelry made, perhaps with the baby's birthstone
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Donating to a charity or give something to a needy child who is about the same age as your baby would be
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Doing a random act of kindness in their memory
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Participating in a community event like a memorial walk or remembrance ceremony
Creating a legacy project
To celebrate and remember their baby year after year, many parents develop legacy projects to support the mission of Three Little Birds. This could be hosting an annual fundraiser, sponsoring a Signature Event or developing a comfort or support item that can be given to our families and sold online to raise funds and awareness. The possibilities are endless!
Creating a legacy for your baby...
Three Little Birds Legacy Projects...
Mira’s Banners of Love
In loving memory of Miriam “Mira” Ferrara
Mira’s parents received a life-limiting diagnosis and was supported through our Palliative Care Program. In an effort to find healing and support others, they create personalized banners for other palliative care families in our nest to use in their complimentary maternity photographs.
Cuddle Cots for Cash
In loving memory of Cash Wdzieczkowski
A local family raised funds to purchase cuddle cots for two hospitals in NJ and PA. Their ultimate goal is to place a CuddleCot in each state at a hospital in need to spread their son Cash’s love around! At our Wave of Light event, Cash’s parents shared how much value the CuddleCot on their experience and it allowed them to spend days parenting him before saying goodbye.
S’more Love for Rylan
In loving memory of Rylan Walsh
To honor Trisomy Awareness Month and Rylan’s birthday, the Walsh family hosts an annual fundraiser in March to support Three Little Birds’ Palliative Care Program. Rylan’s mom craved s’mores throughout her pregnancy and each year they sell cute s’mores packages in his memory to give back. Their family and friends have supported this fundraiser and it has grown each year!
Calvin’s Candles
In loving memory of Calvin Mayer
To honor her cousin, Three Little Birds volunteer Melissa puts her crafting skills to work to create personalized memorial candles for families to light at our annual Wave of Light ceremony in October in honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month!
Aubree's Adventures
In loving memory of Aubree Ann Tucker
The goal of Aubree’s Adventures is to give parents experiencing a difficult family building journey to find safe spaces to socialize and connect with others. Often times, we feel like we become the big pink elephant in the room after we experience loss. Aubree's events offers a safe space for loss families to socialize with others who "get it". 2023 planned activities include a chocolate tasting, a rage room event, axe throwing, dancing and more!
Cade's Creations
In loving memory of Cade James Miller
Cade’s mom uses her talent and love for her Cricut machine to create customized vinyl decals for loss families to proudly sport on their cars as a reminder that our baby’s love goes with us wherever we go! This product generates funds for Three Little Birds and offers validation for families in shattering the stigma of pregnancy and infant loss. You can order one here! Also, the Miller family is hosting a motorcycle cruise fundraiser to benefit Three Little Birds!
Spencer's Cornhole Tournament
In loving memory of Spencer Jean Walsh
The Walsh family hosted a corn hole tournament in memory of their daughter, Spencer Jean, for her first heavenly birthday. Money raised from that event supports our annual Gathering of the Grinches holiday event for the families in our nest!
Xander's Nursery
In loving memory of Xander Koines
Xander’s mom is a craft and plant enthusiast and she saw how the two go hand in hand while healing from infant loss and wants to spread her son’s love and memory with all things plant related. She currently creates items for our Etsy store, facilitates our signature Craft & Heal events and wants to focus her efforts in finding support for young siblings experiencing perinatal loss.
Zara's Tootsies
In loving memory of Zara Frances Shamim
Zara's mom is putting her Cricut talents and big heart to use in creating personalized footprint decals for families in our nest who lost their baby. She is also able to make custom items for our Etsy store to help raise funds and awareness for perinatal loss families!
Grey Skies
In loving memory of Luca Grey
Luca's mom is a volunteer bereavement doula with Three Little Birds but also hosts an annual event around Luca's birthday to celebrate and share his love. After losing him to stillbirth, she began making dream catchers and found healing in making them for other loss parents. She now hosts and support group each year where she helps families make their own dream catchers, personalized in memory of their baby!
Emerson's Library of Love
In loving memory of Emerson Rae Loggia
To honor their tradition of reading to Emerson leading up to her birth and their healing journey after losing her, the Loggia family supports our free lending library at the Healing Nest. This includes copies of grief support books, many of which are out of print and pricey to purchase second hand. Also, Emerson's family will be donating books to local NICUs through Three Little Birds to encourage bonding and tradition with babies and their families. Read more here.
Ollie Bears
In loving memory of Oliver Nicholas Shepherd
Many times the hospital issued teddy bears experience wear and tear very easily. Ollie Bears, similar to Molly Bears, were created to support families in our nest with a personalized 9" teddy bear to help support them remembering their baby.
Peanuts for Colin
In loving memory of Colin & Peanut Swiderski
Colin and Peanuts mom nominated Three Little Birds through an internal employee program and was awarded a donation from Shoprite/Wakefern to support families in our nest. This gift will be used to support our Bereaved Father's Day event at the Phillies!
Our Angel Anthony Annual Cornhole Tournament
In loving memory of Anthony James Latcham
Anthony's parents, family and friends gathered to host an annual cornhole tournament to raise funds and awareness for Three Little Birds. Their first event saw dozens of participants and hosted a large basket auction!
Mila's Fantasy Football League
In loving memory of Mila Kelly Robinson
Mila's dad, Quinnzel developed this legacy project in memory of his daughter, Mila, but to also support other loss dads/non-birthting parents through perinatal loss. A virtual draft party was held and the League winner will receive a large flat screen TV at the end of season party!
Seeds of Hope
In loving memory of Hope Ann Bienkowski
Marci lost her daughter Hope Ann, as a result of a termination for medical reasons. She was very loved and very wanted, but unfortunately was very sick with a poor life prognosis. After her loss, Marci found gardening as a way to be productive with her grief. Hope’s ashes are in a butterfly urn and it only made sense that she fell in love with planting a butterfly garden in her honor. She created these seed packets to honor her and to bring other families comfort in their grief through gardening!
