What is a Rainbow Baby?

The term rainbow baby refers to a baby who is born after a loss, be it a miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal loss, or infant loss. These losses are traumatic and forever change the lives of the families and friends touched. But from that dark time can come something truly beautiful—a rainbow.

What is a rainbow baby?

Rainbows are beautiful, magical, and awe-inspiring. They convey optimism and positivity. With all their magic and wonder, rainbows appear in the sky after a dark storm. Like what they’re named after, rainbow babies are a treasure. They’re a symbol of joy, light, and hope at the end of a storm because there cannot be a rainbow without first a storm.

What can you expect with a rainbow baby?

The list of emotions you can feel before and after having a rainbow baby is long and complex. You may feel grief, pain, and guilt. You’ll also probably feel relieved, happy, and even empowered to have your little miracle baby. You’ll be so in awe of, in love with and grateful for your rainbow baby; feelings parents of rainbow babies say never fade. But you may also have regular feelings of fear, anxiety, and uncertainty that something could happen to this baby, too.

These emotions are common and expected. It’s important that you and your partner support one another through these emotions and take any necessary steps to process these emotions. You have gone through something hard. But you also have overcome or will overcome a lot. You deserve your rainbow baby, and you deserve all the happiness that comes with having a baby.

What can a rainbow baby do for you?

     Raising kids isn’t easy. You may have to deal with sleeping problems, breastfeeding challenges, illnesses, or developmental delays. While these situations can be difficult to manage, you have that sweet reminder of your baby before who you didn’t get to share moments like these with prompting you to change your perspective, remember that things could be worse, and still find joy in the journey of parenthood. You may even be more encouraged to enjoy your pregnancy with your rainbow baby; yes, even those months of morning sickness, swollen feet, backaches, heartburn, and stretch marks. Your rainbow baby will be a treasured reminder to have sincere, daily gratitude to be carrying a healthy baby.