For this year's International Babywearing Week we're sharing customer stories. Stories about their rainbow baby and how meaningful it is to carry them in a sling.
The theme for the week is 'carrying hope', which brings to mind the bittersweet experience of carrying a much-wanted baby after the sadness and distress of miscarriage or infant loss. We asked our community to share their stories, creating a safe space to talk, and we were touched to hear each one and to see the support the community had for one another. We know they will resonate and bring comfort to so many, in understanding we're not alone, in recognising the importance of removing taboos around these experiences, and hearing the closeness and support that using a sling with your rainbow baby can bring.
Isabeau
“In Dutch, we call the ones we lost 'children of the stars'. This was the first wrap I bought from you, for my rainbow baby. I was pulled toward it for so many reasons. The stars being one of them. When it was already in my possession, H was born during a rare blue moon. I mean, how much more perma can you get? I'm so glad miscarriage and loss is no longer such a taboo subject. Talking heals. Sharing heals. Hugs to all the people going through that deep dark place right now. There will be light again.
Judith
“I am thankful that this theme is chosen! Our first daughter was stillborn in May 2018 at 31 weeks. The pregnancy was without problems and then suddenly her heart stopped beating. We had only a few hours together to hold her. There's isn't a day without missing and remembering her. Our rainbow son is born in August 2019 and the little sister in April 2021. She isn't a rainbow baby in the narrow sense, but for me both are my rainbows because they fill our lives with colours, music and happiness again. Wrapping is not only a very practical resource, it's love and sometimes it helps me when I'm struggling with grief.
Katharina
I have two rainbow kids.I had one loss before my first child (at 12 weeks) and a loss before my second child (again at 12 weeks) I was very sad ... but today I see it as a gift because otherwise, I would have never had the chance to meet these wonderful boys I have today. We also got a third child which is our gift. I am so happy that we never gave up on trying for more children after the losses.We have chosen a name for all of our children that means fighter/warrior. Here is a lovely picture of my second rainbow boy. I wear him in a Oakenshield because it will protect them forever.
Emma
“Ten years ago we found out I had pcos. After some more tests they told us we had more problems and that ivf was the only way. After some minor complications and a few failed transfers our son was born. I carried him in two Oscha wraps, Starry Night skymning and Starry Night beauty and the beast (among other brands and wraps).
When he was two years old we decided to try again with the embryos we had frozen from our last ivf, but it failed. Last year was supposed to be the year we celebrated a big birthday and we had plans to travel to Mexico. But when covid started to affect our country (and the world) we decided to use the money for ivf instead. After some bigger complications than last time we got pregnant on the first try which was amazing! Had some bleeding in July in week 5/6 and went for a ultrasound but everything looked fine and it was too early to see a heartbeat. We went a few weeks later to my clinic and they told us there wasn't a heartbeat. We had to wait another week to get it confirmed. The medication I got to get everything started ended up sending me to hospital for surgery and several blood transfusions.
This all happened in August last year and I was in week 8/9.
We did a second try which failed and got pregnant on the third time. (The birthday that we were supposed to be celebrating actually ended up being the day I called the clinic to schedule our successful transfer!)
The irony of it all is that our rainbow baby was born almost to the day of our miscarriage last year. Our little sunshine is now a month old and I'm carrying him in the same wraps as I did with his big brother. It took over five years, but I'm so happy to get the wraps out of the closet again.
A Message From Oscha
We'd like to thank you for sharing your experiences, we were touched that you shared them with us and the world. We've always known that baby wraps can hold such significance for mothers who have lost children, perhaps as Isabeau recalls how the Oscha stars spoke to her and she just knew that sling was meant for her family, or as Emma mentioned, carrying her baby in the same wraps as his big brother brought her joy as she was finally able to unearth them from the closet, and Judith's experience in enjoying the ritual and feeling of wrapping her baby close during hard times, really highlights the extra significance babywearing and that special sling can be for a family experiencing grief.
If you'd like to tell your story or read what others have experienced you're welcome to join our online community group: Clan Oscha and locate this thread.
