Charity is praised for releasing cards for women who have suffered miscarriages - including messages such as 'This is totally s*** - so here's a hug in an envelope'
- Miscarriage Association released cards to honour women who have lost babies
- Approved by a panel of women who have been through miscarriage themselves
- The cards are available to purchase at PostMark's London stores and online
A charity has released a set of cards aiming to comfort women who have suffered a miscarriage.
The Miscarriage Association, who also offers support for women who have experienced molar pregnancies or ectopic pregnancies, created a set of cards aimed to bring some comfort to their families.
The cards will be available for purchase at PostMark's London stores as well as online.
Supporting someone after a miscarriage can be hard, and demands tact and understanding. Loved ones sometimes feel as if they don't know what to say.
The four cards each bring a different message of comfort, including one which reads: 'This is totally s***. So here's a hug in an envelope. A folded squeeze, from me to you.'.
'This is the worst, but I've got your back, and your front, and everything in between,' reads another.
The initiative was welcomed on social media, with many users commenting that the cards are a 'brilliant idea'.
The four cards produced by The Miscarriage Association aim to help families cope with the loss of a baby
Twitter users showed their support for the initiative and admitted finding the right words to comfort a friend who has suffered a miscarriage is hard
Another card in the range reads: 'There's no good card for this, so sorry for your loss.'
'I wish this wasn't happening to you,' read the fourth card, 'I don't know what to say. But I promise I'm here for you'.
A fan of the cards wrote on Twitter: 'It's a great idea. Any loss is totally s*** and it is hard to know what to say (or what not to say).'
The cards were approved by a panel of women who suffered from miscarriages themselves. They also include the Miscarriage Association's contact information for anyone seeking help, guidance and support.
Twitter users loved the idea, calling it a 'brilliant initiative', with some sharing their own experiences of miscarriage and others pointing out how sometimes, not knowing what to say can lead to saying nothing at all
'What a great way to support people and the family of those experiencing loss,' wrote another.
'My experience of loss is that people don't know what to say, so they say nothing at all. And that ends up hurting more. Let's stop making #bereavement in all its form such a taboo subject,' added another woman.
Ruth Bender Atik, national director of the Miscarriage Association, said: 'Shockingly, greetings card retailers stock a card for almost every important life event, except one. These cards recognise miscarriage, and give words to those friends and loved ones who can't find them.'
The letters are available to purchase at Postmarks stores in London and online. Ruth Bender Atik, the national director of the Miscarriage Association said losing a pregnancy could be 'very lonely'
One Twitter user commented that bereavement in all its forms should not be a taboo, as 'saying nothing at all' can hurt more than words
'Losing a pregnancy is heartbreaking and can be very lonely. Close family and friends often don't know what to say, say the wrong thing, or just say nothing at all.
'The new cards have been launched to fill that gap. They may even become a treasured memento, the acknowledgement of the briefest of lives.'
Natasha Necati, who has had eight miscarriages, said: 'When I had my miscarriages, people meant to be kind, but I did have comments like "Sorry for your loss, but at least you know you can get pregnant" and "Don't worry, you're still young," whereas others just didn't say anything at all.
'I would have loved to have received a card like this. I especially like the one that says "I wish this wasn’t happening to you. I don't know what to say. But I promise I am here for you". It says it all.'
Why do miscarriages happen?
The majority of miscarriages cannot be prevented and the cause isn't usually identified
A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy during the first 23 weeks.
The main sign of a miscarriage is vaginal bleeding, which may be followed by cramping and pain in your lower abdomen.
If you have vaginal bleeding, contact your GP or midwife. Most GPs can refer you to an early pregnancy unit at your local hospital straight away if necessary. You may be referred to a maternity ward if your pregnancy is at a later stage.
However, bear in mind that light vaginal bleeding is relatively common during the first trimester (first three months) of pregnancy and doesn't necessarily mean you're having a miscarriage.
There are probably many reasons why a miscarriage may happen, although the cause isn't usually identified. The majority aren't caused by anything the mother has done.
It's thought most miscarriages are caused by abnormal chromosomes in the baby. Chromosomes are genetic 'building blocks' that guide the development of a baby. If a baby has too many or not enough chromosomes, it won't develop properly.
For most women, a miscarriage is a one-off event and they go on to have a successful pregnancy in the future.
The majority of miscarriages can't be prevented. If you have the symptoms of a miscarriage, you'll usually be referred to a hospital for tests.
Source: NHS
