Each October, memorial walks are held across the nation in honor of National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.
Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital is honored to offer this remembering ceremony to our community, for families who have lost a baby from miscarriage, stillbirth or in infancy.
Although we wish we could come together in person for this year's walk, your health and safety is a priority, so we have made the difficult decision to hold the event virtually. This year we will be adding some elements to make your experience especially meaningful.
Please be sure to watch for our emails and return to this website to find weekly ideas and meaningful activities to honor your baby throughout the month of October.
For more information, please call 909-558-7261 or email griefsupport@llu.edu.
Weekly events leading up to Main event
Week 1 - Random Acts of Kindness Week
Random acts of kindness are a special way to honor your baby during Pregnancy and Infant Awareness month. Our babies inspire us to be more compassionate and caring for others.
Here are some kindness ideas for that will brighten a day, bring a smile, and warm a heart:
(Your acts of kindness might include a note that you are doing this in honor of your baby, or you may simply treasure this in your heart) Click here for a special printable note:
- Call someone special to you and tell them that you love them
- Compliment the first three people you talk to today
- Buy coffee for the person behind you in line
- Be kind to your server
- Reply to a social media post you enjoy
- Write down someone else’s best qualities and send the note to them
- Make a donation to your favorite cause (it does not have to be a lot)
- Hold the elevator
- Give someone a thoughtful gift (It does not have to be expensive)
- Write someone a thank you note
- Tip generously
- Send a positive message to someone each day for a week
- Put your shopping cart back in its place
- Leave quarters at the Laundromat
- If you are in a long line, invite the person behind you to go first
- Ask someone how they are doing and really listen
- Leave extra coupons by the item at the store
- Let someone merge in front of you on the freeway
- Give up your seat on the bus
- Give someone a genuine compliment
- Leave money on a vending machine for the next person who wants a snack
- Do someone a favor
- Send a shout-out to your co-worker who is doing a great job
- Feed someone’s parking meter when it is getting low
- Say thank you, a lot
- Do the task no one else wants to do
- Be kind to yourself and your family members; give a lot of grace
Random acts of kindness ideas especially for kids:
- Draw a picture for someone
- Compliment a friend
- Hold the door open for someone
- Thank your teacher
- Let someone go ahead of you in line
- Paint small rocks and write an inspirational word on them then leave them were people can find them
- Bury treasures at the playground
- Tell someone how much you love them
- Smile at 5 people
- Let someone else have their way
- Call a friend or relative and tell them a joke
- Paint a positive message on a pumpkin
- Call your grandparents to say hello
- Put sticky notes with positive messages in random places to brighten someone’s day
- Clear the dinner table
- Fun with sidewalk chalk
- Head to the park and write sweet messages to the world
- Say hi to a neighbor
- Write a remembering message about your baby on your driveway or sidewalk
Kindness resources for younger kids:
(Readings of each of the following books can be found online on YouTube)
- Age 3-7 book, Tomorrow I Will Be Kind by Jessica Hische
- Ages 4-12 Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson
- Ages 5-10 Kindness is cooler Mrs. Ruler by Margery Kuyler
- Ages 4-9 Have You Filled a Bucket Today by Carol McCloud
Kindness Resource for Older kids:
- YouTube videos: Kindness Journal videos by Character Strong (One minute inspiration a day for 30 days
Week 2 - Participate in Remembrance Events
Participating in special remembering ceremonies, activities and events is a way to set aside to time to reflect on your baby’s life. It is also an opportunity to join together with your family and friends to remember together and create yearly traditions that center around your baby.
The LLUCH - A Walk to Remember will be held virtually on Sunday, October 11th at 3:30 p.m. We encourage you to watch the live-stream with your family and then head outdoors and walk in honor of your baby. Printable signs can be printed here.
Consider participating in the Wave of Light Oct. 15. On this day, parents all across the nation light a candle at 7:00 p.m. creating a wave of light around the world.
See website for details: https://www.october15th.com
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness last the entire month, so you may find other support opportunities throughout your community or on the internet.
Week 3 - Random Acts of Service
A special way to celebrate Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month is to serve others. In serving others we bring joy, smiles, hope, and for some, much needed support. In giving of ourselves and our time we bring honor to the little ones gone too soon.
Here are some ideas of ways you can serve others, especially during this week:
- Offer to run errands for someone
- Start a fundraiser
- Make dinner for a friend in need
- Donate clothes to Salvation Army or another charity
- Offer to babysit for somebody
- Drop off cat or dog food at a local shelter
- If you can, donate blood
- Take someone on a spontaneous adventure
- Help someone struggling with a heavy bag
- Mow a neighbor’s yard after you mow yours
- Teach someone a skill (how to cook, how to fix something…)
- Organize a food drive
- Offer to pick up a neighbor’s groceries
- Wheel your neighbor’s trashcan to the curb, or back to the house
- Write a letter to a child who needs some extra attention
Ideas especially for kids:
- Read a book to someone
- Empty the dishwasher/dish drainer
- Make someone else’s bed
- Create handmade cards
- Wash someone’s car
- Do a load of laundry for someone
- Do yardwork for a neighbor
- Walk someone’s dog
- Pick up litter
- Make a family member breakfast in bed
- Make someone a playlist
- Celebrate your own “Best Friend Appreciation Day”
Week 4 - Remembrance Activities
Creating traditions and making ongoing memories is an important part of healing and allows us to continue making bonds with our beloved baby. Finding special ways to incorporate your baby’s memory into your activities is a way to continue expressing your love. Consider creating a special activity with your baby in mind.
Here are a few suggestions:
- Go to the beach and write your baby’s name in the sand
- Journal about your baby
- Write a letter to your baby
- Drive to a special location and bury a time capsule with items that represent your love for your baby. Visit this place on meaningful dates, milestones, or whenever your heart leads.
- Plant a tree in your yard placing a rock or plaque near it with your baby’s name, a poem or something meaningful to you that reminds you of your love for your child
- Name a star after your baby
- Take photos of nature or things that represent your baby or your love for your baby i.e. ladybugs, dragonflies, butterflies, star, etc. Frame these or add them to your memory box
- Release a butterfly or eco-friendly balloon into the sky
- Create a book online with the story of your baby’s life. Include photos of your baby, pregnancy, mementoes, family, and any place that was a part of your baby’s life
- Float flowers down a creek or river
- Paint a picture that incorporates your baby’s name, words or symbols that remind you of your baby
- Create a space in your home or yard where you can go to quiet your heart to reflect and remember
- Plan to attend a local or online support group where you can talk about your baby
