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Stillborn Photos Prove Our Babies Will Never Be Forgotten

These images are raising awareness about the reality of stillbirth in a very meaningful way.
Kristy Woudstra

Warning: These photos could be a trigger for parents who have experienced miscarriage or stillbirth. We are so sorry for your loss.

A stillbirth is every expectant parent's nightmare. However, for seven out of 1,000 births in Canada, it is a reality.

More and more parents are choosing to talk publicly about their baby and their grief. They want to raise awareness about their reality and are finding beautiful ways to remember the children they've lost.

In these Instagram photos, parents reflect on the babies they were only able to hold briefly and they remind us that their stillborns are still very much loved.

Stillborn deaths is a heartbreaking conversation but it is a conversation that needs to be had + not until I read @ryanandcass's latest post did I realise that 1 in 135 babies are Stillborn + 6 Babies PER DAY are Stillborn in Australia alone + Of these 40% go unexplained. These staggering figures have gone unchanged for over two decades + that is heartbreaking this is why the conversation needs to happen + something needs to be done. Ryan + Cass participated with a number of other families who have suffered this heart breaking loss for @stillbirthfoundation 's Stillbirth documentary. Ryan and Cass shared their story of their son Dex + the full effects that Stillbirth has had on all aspects of their lives. This documentary along with a recently conducted survey, will be put forward to the Government with the hope of introducing a mandatory 34 week gestation scan in order to pickup abnormalities + complications before it's too late. With this late pregnancy scan in place it will mean a reduction in occurrences of Stillbirth. Like @ryanandcass + @stillbornfoundation we want to help bring Stillbirth to the forefront + break the silence, because those statistics are scary and it's time for change!!!! . . #stillborn #stillbirth #stillbirthawareness #breakthesilence #awareness |📷 this photo is via the very inspiring + strong @ryanandcass|

A photo posted by BUMP BOX • est. 12.14 (@bumpbox) on





Happy First Birthday to our beautiful little boy Jack 💙 Thank you for changing our world a year ago. I think it goes without saying that we would give anything to change the outcome but we would never change your existence. You have taught us the real meaning of life, compassion, understanding and true love. We miss you so very much. Love Mum, Dad & Boondi bear 👩🏻 👨🏽 👼🏻 🐶 ✖️ We would also like to thank all of our family and friends... Everyone who has listened to my rants, read my posts & most importantly acknowledged Jack's life! All of those who have opened their heart's and remembered Jack with us. Without all of your support this journey would have been so much harder. #JackEaston #FirstBirthday #BornStill #StillBorn #StillAware

A photo posted by ✖️ＳＡＭ ✖️ (@missweily) on




#maxgillooley #stillbornstillloved

A photo posted by Celine O'D (@celineod) on


I repost this pretty much every year on my birthday, and bear with me bc it's the one day a year...we get to celebrate my first baby... Sweet Briar Allen Whitis. He made me a mom SIX years ago today and taught me about God's unfailing love for me in the midst of pain. He taught me the power or community and he showed me the depth of the love my husband had for me and his commitment to our marriage. He taught me how much my family and friends loved and supported me. Most of all...as I carried this sweet boy knowing we would ultimately lose him...he taught me about Jesus. I snuggle my sweet girl close this morning and marvel at the family God has given us. Without briar, our story would look so different. Happy birthday sweet boy. 😍😍#birthdaythoughts #babyloss

A photo posted by bwhitis (@bwhitis) on



I thought I would be better as days passed by. That the pain would be gone in time. This I would say is the biggest heartbreak I have gone through so far. All I ever wanted is a healthy baby girl. A baby I could cuddle every time. A baby that I could feed whenever she's hungry. A baby that I could carry. A baby that I could watch growing each day. It just happened so quickly that it left me broken and lost.The pain is just unbearable. And I guess I would never be the same me. This isn't how I imagined it to be. I don't want to be here trying to smile and acting like seeing other babies doesn't stab me in the heart. I had good and bad days. But today, it just hurts. I am trying . I really am. I just miss you so much. I love you. I always will. ❤️💔👼🏼#thinkingofyoukayleigh #stillborn #childloss #grieving

A photo posted by Karina Kaye Alido- Hou (@karinakayehou) on


The best big brother ever #kadenwilliam #ariajean #rip #stillborn #happy7monthsold #ourangel

A photo posted by Eesha (@squeesh_you) on






Dear Beckett: We should have been 36 weeks today. One week shy of "full term". We should have been putting the final touches on your nursery and washing your clothes. Instead, I'm packing the last of your things into a box that will be tucked away forever. It hurts. Ten weeks later, the sting is still just as strong. We really wanted you, little man. You were the biggest shock of our lives, but we wanted you so bad. I would give everything I have to hold you one more time. I wish I could have felt your fingers curl around mine, or heard you cry, or saw you take a breath, or felt your warmth. Well meaning friends have asked when we will try again - the anticipation of a "rainbow baby". (I HATE that term by the way. HATE IT.) I just can't bring myself to even consider it. First of all, it feels like a replacement. No one, not even a million babies (or kittens for that matter), could ever replace you. You were supposed to be our one and only. Plans change, but I can't get my heart to be at peace with changing that plan. It doesn't feel right. Even if I could, we are only getting older and it took us far too long to get to you. Sigh. It's not fair. I don't want to have to even think about this. I want you. I'll always just want you, my one and only. I love you, little man. Love, mom • #mamagrief #griefjourney #stillbornawareness #stillborn #grief #icantdothis #stillbornstillloved #stillbornbutstillborn #bornstillbutstillborn

A photo posted by Aimee Waters (@waterswife) on


Six months have passed since this picture of us was taken. I wasn’t even sure I wanted a picture of the three of us together. How terrible does that sound? How does a mother not want a picture with her child, especially knowing it may be the only one she ever has? But I wasn’t myself, I wasn’t thinking clearly. How could I? I can honestly say since the night they told me your heart was no longer beating and for several months after, I was living in a complete fog; going through life and the motions not believing that this was real, that this was our story. I knew I wanted, no, needed pictures of you. I needed to remember your features from your little nose to your big toes. But I was so afraid to have a picture of us as a family. A portrait of what should have been. I was scared that we would look sad, broken. I didn’t want our memory of you to be overshadowed by the pain of what we were feeling in that moment, knowing we held your body but your spirit was no longer with us. It hurt too much. It still does. But the picture I was once so, so anxious to have is now one of my most prized possessions. I hope when you see this picture of the three of us, you can see past the heartbreak and feel the love, the pride we have for our little girl, our firstborn. And I hope you see Leighton. That you really see her. She is not a sad story or a statistic. She is ours and we are hers, until the end of time. We love you more than you will ever know #letterstoleighton ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• It takes someone with a gentle soul and a big heart to take images such as this. Thank you will never be enough @candicelanning you've documented our life and our family from the very beginning. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• #lifeafterloss #stillbornstillloved #angelmama

A photo posted by Amanda (@amandaquinn__) on


Today has been one of the hardest days in my grief journey. Today was Odette's due date. I've been dreading this day since I gave birth to her June 15th. What hurts the most is feeling robbed. Robbed in raising my first born, robbed of memories I'll never be able to make, robbed of hearing her crying and laughing, robbed of her smiling.... I feel like I have to close a chapter in my life that I should've been opening. Life is so fragile and it's the first life lesson I have ever been taught. It took 25 years for me to learn this lesson. I won't ever take it for granted. I just want to get out of this nightmare I'm living in. She was taken from me too soon. All I can believe is that she is w/God but it's so hard when I'm so angry. #stillbornstillloved #imissmybaby

A photo posted by ZenydaRae (@_zensan_) on



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