International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day – Shannon’s reflections

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Today, 15 October, is International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Globally at 7pm (in respective time zones) people will light a candle to honour their little ones who have died. Here is a special reflection from a young Werribee mother Shannon Boland. Shannon is the mother of a thriving 7-week-old boy, Hudson, but she also carries sadness following the loss just over a year ago of beautiful Mia. Here is Shannon’s personal reflection.

International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day

We are so very grateful and fortunate that Mia, our first born and now an angel, has a younger brother, Hudson, who is seven weeks old and thriving.

Hudson’s path and destiny will prompt constant reflections for us of how life may have been for our little girl. Mia was born on 29 September 2020.

Instead of waiting in anticipation for her to cry post labour, my husband and I were mourning our loss. Mia chose her own path and decided to move on from the crazy world we live in. She was unwell but a perfect beautiful girl.

She was very small but still forged the biggest impact on our lives. She made both my husband and I a mother and father, for which we will be forever grateful. Wherever she may be, she was destined for bigger and better things.

On the anniversary of her due date, we decided to post a message on social media to raise awareness and to celebrate her name, as we are not embarrassed by what has happened. We are grateful for the time we had with her although saddened that not everyone had the opportunity to meet her.

We are also here for anyone who has been through a loss no matter the circumstances and we would like to pass on the following words.

Our minds and ears are open and although we are not psychologists, we will physically and emotionally understand the pain that you confront every day.

We would strive to be your rock in times that others may not understand even though they gracefully might try.

There are questions for us and for you that will or may never be answered.

There are still matters that cross our minds as we try to unravel all that happened and it will probably be the same with you.

And even though you may not always find an answer, remember that your little one won our hearts. You, like us, would do everything all over again just to have some precious time again with our beautiful babies.

I am so lucky to have an amazing man, who I married, by my side. He has seen my raw emotions and my daily battles. He has seen me at my limit and still remains my rock through it all.

We will always be grateful for our family, friends and Mercy Health, who have accompanied us on an insane and memorable journey. Grandparents, aunties, uncles, close friends, and very importantly, Mercy Health, are forever in our debt.

Mercy Health provided what seemed like limitless time, energy and effort supporting me, my husband, Mia and co. The Foetal Monitoring Unit and Perinatal Unit at Mercy Hospital for Women at Heidelberg were both incredible and made the journey so bearable in spite of the outcome. I could not recommend Mercy Health highly enough for future pregnancies and as a place for babies to enter this world.

We ask that you pray for our little girl and use her name, Mia Boland, just as she deserves.

Also pray for all the perfect beautiful babies that were too good for this world.

With love,

Shannon Boland

Last reviewed October 15, 2021.

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