Did you know what a special day today is?
National Rainbow Baby Day held on August 22nd remembers babies “born after a miscarriage, stillbirth, or passing away of an infant”.
Each baby I have the honour of photographing is special and loved but some are yearned for that tiny bit more. Working with families who have experienced the loss of their baby fills my heart entirely. There is just something extra about giving to a family who have lived their darkest days and are working towards hope.
A rainbow baby is the term used for a healthy baby born after miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal or infant loss. A gift to a family who has survived the darkest of storms, a rainbow of hope. The rainbow doesn’t negate the storm but is a light when all hope has been lost.
The birth of a rainbow baby can often be a time of joy and healing, but it can also be a time of overwhelming anxiety, fear and guilt. A rainbow will never be a replacement for the life that has passed, the emotional turmoil that this new pregnancy brings can often be daunting for a mumma and papa’s already fragile heart. Conflicting emotions of honouring a baby who has died while celebrating a new life can be a time of confusion for parents.
I feel entirely blessed to have had the privilege of sharing in so many stories of hope over the years. Of meeting so many rainbows. Of celebrating the lives that were lost before they arrived. It is such an honour to share in their stories. And in doing that, I hope in turn, I am opening the conversation on loss, breaking barriers of the taboo that we should not talk of such things, giving families the consent to speak of their loved losses and showing other families still in the depths of darkness that there is hope after your storm.
I would love to share with you some of the vulnerable mumma/papa hearts that have shared their stories with me and of course their sweet rainbows but I would also love to capture your journey. If you or someone you know has experienced the loss of their little loves and are expecting a rainbow please get in touch, I would be honoured to share in your journey.
Sweet Solly beside his twin brother Archie’s bear…this gorgeous bear contains Archie’s ashes and it was so moving to be able to capture these darling boys together.
And Solly their beautiful rainbow.x.
Darling Oliver sitting snuggled beside four bears in honour of his twin sisters and twin brother’s who all went to heaven before he was the rainbow his parents hoped and dreamed for.x.
Of course we had to recreate this set up with his sweet sister Emelia who was born a few years after him. Emelia was this families ‘pot of gold’…the term used for a baby born after a rainbow!
How darling is Master Isaac…this little warrior has fought so hard to be his families rainbow.x.
Sweet Elizah…a very special rainbow since I also had the honour of caring for her gorgeous big sister Ada before she grew her angel wings. The little black bunny Elizah is snuggling is in honour of Ada.x.
Gorgeous Khalad…a rainbow born after one of his big twin sisters, Lily, went to heaven.x.
Sweet Addison with the gorgeous bear holding her big sister Lily’s ashes and their darling rainbow.x.
And the families new addition, Layla, with Lily’s bear and their three girls together. x.
Four gorgeous siblings….three earthside and one watching down on them from heaven. Harry, the rainbow after the storm, then Sophie and finally Jesse together with their angel brother Hayden. This sibling shot fills my heart but also breaks it as I know this is the only way this mumma will have all four of her babies together. Such an honour though.x.
Darling Rocco….a beautiful rainbow for his family.x.
Sweet Maisy…helping heal her papa’s heart.x.
Gorgeous Claudia….such a blessing.x.
Sweet Jude and his big sister Lucy….both rainbows born after loss.x.
A not so teeny tiny but just as special rainbow….Sweet Eme.x.
Another divine rainbow, Nicholas, born after the sweetest little baby, his big sister Bella, grew her angel wings…I had the immense honour of caring for Bella and my heart near exploded when this family finally got their rainbow.x.
Handsome Master Oisin on the top, a rainbow after the loss of his sweet big sister Niamh and sweet Aibhlinn on the bottom, a pot of gold after their rainbow.x.
Sweet Eva, a rainbow born after the loss of her big brother Jacob, a little warrior I had the privilege of caring for in the nicu before he grew his angel wings.x.
This little rainbow is an extra special one cause she is my divine niece Ayla.x.
The divine Master Arlo….the most divine rainbow.x.
The gorgeous Elianna snuggled beside two sweet bears representing her angel siblings in heaven and the divine rainbow she is.x.
Sweet Scarlett sent earthside by her angel brother in heaven with his little statue and a gorgeous blue butterfly to honour him always being by her side.x.
Ariella…a rainbow sent from her twin sisters, one who walks earthside and one who watches on from heaven. This gorgeous pink butterfly was in sweet Freya’s memory box, a special sibling image for mumma and papa.x.
Gorgeous Elias with the little knit booties that belong to his big brother Michael up in heaven and the sweet little rainbow he is.x.
Oh Teddy bear…you are everything your mumma’s needed and more, sent by your sweet sister up in heaven.x.
And my last little rainbow in the studio…Master Owen…I just know his sweet Sister Maisie sent his family to me so I could share their story and capture memories of Owen and Maisie together for their mumma and papa.x.
As a photographer the true honour of telling a family’s story is not lost on me…these stories all the more raw and special. Thank you a million times over for having the courage to step out of the darkness and share your losses as well as your rainbows.x.
Please take the time to click on each of the links and read these beautiful families stories.
“It is understood that the beauty of a rainbow
does not negate the ravages of any storm…
When a rainbow appears,
it does not mean the storm never happened
or that we are not still dealing with its aftermath…
It means that something beautiful and full of light
has appeared in the midst of the darkness and clouds…
Storm clouds may still hover
but the rainbow provides a counterbalance of
colour, energy and hope.”
Look at those chubby little cheeks and pouty lips….
