What is P.I.C.L.A. Month? - October!

October, is the International Month of "Pregnancy, Infant, and Child Loss, Awareness."

Have you ever known someone who was joyfully pregnant but then the unthinkable happened ...

their precious baby just …

died?

October is International Pregnancy, Infant and Child Loss Awareness Month. It's a time to remember and support families who have been through the tragedy of having to say goodbye, too soon, to their little one.

Why does awareness for this even matter? 

Well, it aims to break the taboo of ‘not talking about it’ and promotes the action of starting a conversation! It also acknowledges the significant impact of such a loss. (I can attest - its HUGE!) And it highlights the fact that it’s more common than most people think. 

I’ll give you just a few stats from here in New Zealand:-

• Almost 6 in one thousand, was the infant mortality rate last year here in New Zealand. So, babies who died within their first year of life. That’s roughly 2 little kiddos in a kiwi towns primary school of around 250 students such as, Wakefield Primary School, that didn’t make it and have left behind a whole handful of grieving family members.

• Almost 8 in a thousand babies were recorded as fetal deaths, so these babies died during their developing stages, up until birth. That’s 1 in just over 100 families. You know, 100 people would rock up to a wedding, so that’s one couple at an event like a wedding, that likely buried their own child.

• And almost one in 80 were recorded as perinatal death, so, either a baby in the later term of the pregnancy or very early on in their lives after they were born ... died. These included neonatal deaths, so little babies who died within a month of being born and babies who sadly arrived into this world stillborn, those very much wanted little ones who never got to take their first breath.

I can tell you from first hand experience that, that is devastating for a family, and the grief can last a very, very long time. Not just for the mum and the dad but for the siblings too.

Please, acknowledge that family. Or that mum, or those siblings, that you know, THIS MONTH.

On episode 61 of the April May Gems Radio Show / Podcast this month, I read out a very special story:-

“The Baby Who Went Straight to Heaven”

It's a story about a real baby –

My baby.

It was written to bring healing and hope to little ones, who are grieving the loss of their even littler brother or sister, and my sincere desire is that copies of this book make their way into the hands of chaplains, midwives, counselors, primary school teachers and parents and grandparents so that it can be read to such precious, hurting hearts.

Can you help?

Please consider purchasing a copy here to donate into your community.

As you listen to the episode today, may you be encouraged, be uplifted and be inspired to reach out and start a conversation with someone who needs to know that their little one is remembered today. 

This episode includes timeless tracks from Casting Crowns and Natasha Beddingfield and introduces a beautiful song called

"Heaven Took You Too Soon."

LISTEN HERE.

Thanks for listening !

April May x