What is a rainbow baby?

What is a rainbow infant?

The term rainbow infant comes from the Shannon L. Adler quote, "After every storm, at that place is a rainbow."

What is a rainbow baby?

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A rainbow baby is, quite simply, a baby born or adopted directly later the loss of a child either in pregnancy or after birth. This term is a elementary way to communicate that this new pregnancy follows a loss, and apace encapsulates the complicated emotions this pregnancy probable brings.

The storm, in this instance, refers to the tragic and traumatic loss of a kid and the ensuing grief equally you process that loss.

The significance of the rainbow is that life and promise not only tin survive such a tempest – just that the tempest itself is integral to the formation of the rainbow.

Why some women don't apply rainbow baby to refer to their kid after loss.

Not every significant after loss female parent wants to refer to their child as a rainbow babe. Some feel the term connotes that their grief for their other baby will end. And the appearance of a rainbow ways that nothing but sunny skies are ahead.

Others don't like the idea of their previous kid being associated with a storm.

Some women, peculiarly those with infertility or subsequent losses, rightfully question the thought that every storm ends with a rainbow. Pregnancy for all loss moms is challenging, just for some, pregnancy is impossible. For physical, emotional or financial reasons, they cannot have a child after loss. They are ending their journeying on the "storm" – so the idea that but anyone tin accept a rainbow is triggering.

Women who suffer the loss of their rainbow infant also find the term confusing at best and devastating at worst. Was this kid their rainbow if they died, too?

Why many women utilize rainbow baby anyway.

Despite the many arguments confronting the term, information technology remains one of the most popular terms to describe a pregnancy or child later loss.

Those who defend the concept of a rainbow babe believe that the storm does non describe the kid who died. That child and that pregnancy was (and continues to be) worth celebrating. The storm is the grief and loss – non the child.

Also, the presence of a rainbow does non mean that the tempest has ended. This pregnancy is not a replacement pregnancy that makes the loss ok. The rainbow baby can appear in the middle of the storm of loss and does not signify the end of grief for the kid who died.

When tin can you refer to your baby as a rainbow baby?

If you decide this term is right for y'all, you absolutely tin can call your kid a rainbow baby at whatsoever point in pregnancy or after. You might cull to think of this as your rainbow from the moment those two lines appeared. Or, you lot can bring together other moms who use "hopeful rainbow" during pregnancy and reserve "rainbow baby" in one case their trivial one has arrived alive and well. Many loss moms utilize rainbow baby to describe their child born via surrogate or their child who came to them through adoption.

At that place is no wrong time to use this term for a child who comes to you later loss.

Does "rainbow baby" besides mean a child born after infertility?

Historically, the term refers to babies born or adopted subsequently the passing of a child in pregnancy or after. At Pregnancy Later Loss Back up, we recognize that infertility is a storm and one that deserves the recognition for the trauma and grief it brings to families struggling to accept a child. While there is currently no ordinarily accepted term for a baby born after infertility (but not loss), nosotros hope this changes before long. A child built-in afterward infertility deserves that recognition.

What about other terms, like sunshine baby or pot of gold?

When a woman refers to a child as a sunshine infant, she'south referring to a child who came earlier their experience of loss. This kid comes to signify the calm, hopeful naiveté that often accompanies a pregnancy earlier loss. A naiveté that sadly volition never be experienced again.

A pot of golden baby is a baby built-in or adopted after the birth or adoption of a rainbow baby. The term acknowledges that fifty-fifty later on a successful addition of a rainbow babe, growing your family unit after loss can still be a challenging feel. These babies may not exist born direct after loss, but pregnancy with them can withal be a very challenging emotional and physical experience.

Many families will have multiple sunshine babies, rainbows and pots of gold.

How else can you refer to your baby later on loss?

Not quite sure "rainbow babe" is for you? There are plenty of other ways to describe your experience of pregnancy after loss. Subsequent pregnancy or subsequent baby is a term many moms cull. You might cull to only refer to this child as "little sister" or "little brother" to the child or children you lost. You tin choose to permit people know "this is a pregnancy subsequently loss."

Or, maybe yous aren't ready for people to know you've experienced a loss before this new infant. For y'all, what feels right might exist to refer to this pregnancy and babe without whatsoever special recognition.

Is rainbow baby right for you?

Only you tin respond that.

But, no affair how y'all choose to refer to this child and this pregnancy … if it is right for you, it is right. Period.

More on this topic:

  • Why Rainbow Baby Mamas Give u.s. "All the Feels"
  • A Rainbow Baby: Where Joy and Grief Collide
  • ten Promises To My Rainbow Infant
  • Dear Rainbow Baby, I Promise to Love You—Fifty-fifty If
  • Creating the Perfect Baby Name afterward Loss