October 15th

Most people know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But what most don't know, is it is Infant and Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month too. Statistics show that one in four pregnancy end in loss. I am one of those 4, 7 times over. We have lost 6 children to miscarriage over the years. We have also lost our Jacob. There is no pain like that of losing your child. This is such a taboo subject, but that needs to change. Mothers need to talk about their children: ALL of them! Women need to be aware that, unfortunately, this is very common. They need to know they are not alone. If we cared as much about these infants as we did about boobies, we would be able to save so many lives. Don't get me wrong, I am all for supporting breast cancer and those who are fighting it. But a big part of women's health is mental. What about all the women who are secretly suffering the lose of a child and feel like they are alone. We need to get these subject out there, so people feel comfortable expressing their pain. I will never not mention Jacob. He will never be forgotten, and if it makes someone else uncomfortable, shame on them! Mamas, talk about your babies. Don't let society make you feel like you cannot mention the life, no matter how short it was, of your sweet little angel.
October 15th is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day, where we are asked to light a candle at 7pm, local time, and keep it burning for one hour. As each time zone does this, we create a wave of Light around the World, to honor all those gone to soon. This year, I sat down with my children, and explained to them why we were lighting a candle for Jacob. We talked about what it would be like to have him here, and what we thought he was doing up in Heaven. We talked about what we missed, and what we wished would have been reality. I know right now, my children may not understand it, but I want them to know their brother, and know how much we loved him. We will light a candle for Jacob and all the other babies every year on October 15th, and I ask that next October, don't forget the babies, when everyone else is focused on the boobies!