When I suffered my first pregnancy loss over eight years ago, there was not much support to be found. I kept my grief to myself, because how do you grieve for someone who never was? After my second baby loss a year later, I grieved more openly. The internet was still new, but I was able to find a few miscarriage and infertility support groups where there were people who understood what I was going through and who shared my pain.

After five more years of devastating miscarriages, including the early miscarriage of a set of triplets and a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy, I carried to term a beautiful little girl. I had one more miscarriage and then I gave birth to my beloved son. Still, I never forgot my other children and I never will. I carried them, no matter how briefly, in my womb and I carry them today in my heart.

Amidst the sorrow I felt, I came across people who showed so much kindness and compassion. For them I am truly grateful. However, there were far too many who were insensitive and callous.  Well-intentioned folks who made thoughtless comments and ignoramuses who were just downright rude. Ironically, some of the most insensitive people I encountered were those who already had children. Perhaps their lack of empathy was due to not having experienced the death of a baby--a dream--a future. I made it my life's mission to bring awareness to the cause of baby loss and infertility to the public, so that maybe those people and others will show more care towards the next parents who lose a child, whether that child was a six-week old "fetus" or a six-week old infant.

I joined others with similar goals (October 15th), but I felt that I wanted to do something more personal, something to honor my babies' memories. My husband and I had received some flowers and cards after our miscarriages, and those became fewer and fewer with subsequent pregnancies and miscarriages, but what if people could show that, not only do they care about your sorrow, but that they recognize your baby by sending gifts specifically for grieving parents?

Thus, Angel Baby Baskets™ was born.

I dedicate this project to our own Angel Babies.  Forever Missed, Always Loved.

Lynn Tayler