“You can’t control the wind, but you can adjust your sails”
There is simply nothing listed in this page that will bring your precious baby(ies) back. Just know, that you are not alone and that you are enough.
What is here, are merely tools – small beacons of light that may help light the path ahead of you.
Virtual Support Communities
So often, bereaved parents feel absolutely alone in their grief journey. Finding a village is an immense blessing to help any bereaved parent navigate their grief journey. Here are a few villages that may be helpful to you as you navigate your grief journey.
Books & Literature Resources
When you loose a child, the question “why” haunts you every single second of every single day and that leads you to search for answers – anywhere you can. Unfortunately, no answer to that question will bring your child back and it won’t take the pain of loosing them away. But sometimes — you can find a bit of comfort and a new perspective hidden in the page of a book that helps you take a step forward in your grief journey. Below is a small sample of some of the books and literature pieces that has helped us along the way.
Support / In Honour Gift Ideas
Often, loved ones, watching from the outside, feel helpless. They want to help but don’t know what they can do to help. Sometimes, what one thinks may help, ends up not being helpful at all or even worse – extremely triggering for bereaved parents. The most precious gift anyone can offer any bereaved parent is to remember their child. Say their name. Create space for the bereaved parent to speak of their child. Sit with them in their grief. If you can’t offer them that, below are a few ideas of some gifts that may support them in their journey.
In Honour of Baby(ies)
Molly Bears: Molly Bears offers custom designed & personalized stuffed animals with the exact weight of baby in an effort to fill the “empty arms” of newly bereaved parents.
Star Registration : Honouring the loss of a baby with the naming of a star can bring a sense of comfort to bereaved parents who’s biggest fear is that their child(ren) will be forgotten. A star registration offers a sense of permanence of their precious child(ren) in the universe.
Family Portrait Illustrations : Many bereaved parents who did not have the opportunity to be supported by a professional photographer volunteer group such as Now I Lay me Down to Sleep or who made the decision to not have their precious baby(ies) photographed, will never have a complete family picture. An artist rendition of a family portrait that includes their loss child(ren) can bring so much comfort and meaning.
Support for Bereaved Parents
Journals: Life-Changing Magic: A Journal: Spark Joy Every Day; Marie Kondo
Journals + fine felt pen are great tools for Bereaved Parents as it offers a place to work through emotions, intense grief moments or even a place to capture small moments of joy that can be so difficult to find when one is in the thick of grief. I found Marie Kondo’s journal referenced above to be a good tool to force me to find one good moment of joy in every day after loosing my son, Jude.
Relaxing & Sleep Support: David’s Tea Sleep Sampler + Saje Aromatherapy Sleep Collection
Night time can be especially difficult for bereaved parents. The darkness, the silence and being alone can be extremely overwhelming and challenging to calm down and prepare for sleep (if they’re getting any at all!). Sometimes introducing them to a simple ritual of tea or aromatherapy can help a bereaved parent get some much needed rest.
Colouring Books + Colouring Pens / Pencils: Colouring Books and freshly sharpened colouring pencils or fine tip markers offer the bereaved parent a place to rest their mind. There are countless options of adult colouring books out there, but one of my favourites is “One year wiser” by Mike Medaglia. An alternative can also be this — because there are times when swearing is absolutely critical and necessary for a bereaved parent.
I truly believe that grief is a reflection of love, and therefore, grief is never ending. As I continue on my own grief journey, I continue to find new tools that help light my own path as a bereaved parent and am committed to document them here so that you too may find your way. If something here has helped you along your journey, I would love to hear about it in the comments below. If you have found a beacon of light that has helped you along the way not listed, here, please let me know in the comments so that together, we can help light the path.
#judedays 
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