October is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness month, with October 15th specifically being Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day where candles are lit at 7pm for an hour to create a “wave of light” in memory of the little ones who are not with us. In honor of this month, I am writing this blog series to tell my own story and share all the resources I’ve gathered. If you are going through a miscarriage or are supporting a loved one through a pregnancy loss, I hope these posts can be a beacon of light for you.

You can find the other two posts in this series here:

a care basket for someone who had a miscarriage

A care basket is a thoughtful way to support someone through a miscarriage and acknowledge their experience. Here I will write some ideas for what to put in a basket, but it can be infinitely customized to suit the needs of the situation. Whether it’s simple or elaborate, practical or pretty, it will hopefully serve as a heartfelt gift and brighten the day for your loved one.

Note: None of these are affiliate links, just products I’ve enjoyed.

Nourishment

homemade energy balls or muffins
homemade gummies - if you don’t want to deal with silicone molds, you can just pour the mixture into a pie plate and slice it into cubes
bar of chocolate - my favorite brand is Endangered Species which you can find at Giant, Wegmans or Radish & Rye if you’re local to Central PA
coconut water
electrolyte drinks - I like the Unwell brand
a calming tea like chamomile or rooibos or a more medicinal tea like nettle (good source of iron) or red raspberry leaf (uterus toning) if the person likes herbal medicine
hot cocoa mix
a gift-card to a local coffee shop
iron supplements like Floradix, beef liver capsules or Mary Ruth’s Liquid Iron

Body Care

maxi/maternity pads
ibuprofen
instant hot packs or a rice sock
lavender epsom salt bath bombs
essential oil roller for calm or relaxation

For Remembering

a packet of seeds or bulbs that corresponds with what would’ve been the baby’s birth month or a packet of “forget me not” seeds
a keepsake box
an art print such as this or this
custom jewelry such as a birth flower necklace or ring

Cozy Touches

a pretty ceramic mug - danica heirloom floral mugs are lovely and there are so many gorgeous handmade varieties on Etsy too
a fleece blanket
cozy wool socks
an embroidered notebook - Lady Jayne or Etsy
a candle

For the Basket

Personally I like to get a practical basket that can be reused. Target has lots of great options that you can look at in person or you can check out the thrift store for a sustainable & budget friendly option.

How to Decide What to Use

A care basket can be as elaborate or simple as you’d like based your loved one’s needs and your budget. When determining what to purchase, think about the phase of miscarriage and also what your loved one already has. Each situation will be best served by individualized consideration.

If they are waiting for their miscarriage to happen officially, then putting more body care items in is helpful (like maternity pads or hot packs). If the miscarriage already happened, then you might copt for a gift or two to remember the baby/pregnancy as well as some snacks or cozy items. If your loved one is minimally minded, then it’s likely better to avoid overloading them with more “stuff” such as blankets or mugs. If you are short on time and need to get it to them promptly, then you can find everything you need all at one spot like Target or if you have a little longer then you might be able to order some specialized things online.

Keep in mind too that a few heartfelt items bundled nicely together will be equally as meaningful as a bigger basket. This thoughtful act will help them to know they are not alone in this and they will always remember how you cared for and “held” them through this hard time.

You can check out the other posts in this series here:

Sending love and care to you on your journey!

how to make a miscarriage care basket