“Forget Me Not” Flowers, Helpful Toolkits and Memorial Items
Help Process Grief after Pregnancy and Reproductive Loss

SAN DIEGO (September 28, 2021) – Life Perspectives,^® the global leader in education, research, expertise and support after pregnancy and reproductive loss, without religious or political affiliation, today announced that it would honor October’s Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month with a new series of items designed to help everyone impacted by pregnancy and reproductive loss.

With 1 in 4 pregnancies ending in miscarriage, these, and other types of pregnancy and reproductive losses, impact millions of people each year. Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month is designed to bring these losses to light, give those impacted a way to tell their story and process their loss, and for their loved ones to find ways to help them through it.

“The grief and pain of those impacted by pregnancy and reproductive loss is frequently marginalized and hidden, often unresolved for years – even decades,” said Michaelene Fredenburg, President and CEO of Life Perspectives. “We’re changing this.”

“FORGET ME NOT” FLOWERS

As experts on grief after pregnancy loss, Life Perspectives is leading the charge to “Wear and Share” the “Forget Me Not” Flower in October. The “Forget Me Not” Flower honors those impacted by pregnancy and reproductive loss, raises awareness for the millions of people impacted, and gives those grieving a way to tell their story and process their loss.

“The ‘Forget Me Not’ Flower assures those impacted that we are remembering them, and remembering their children with them,” explained Fredenburg. “We encourage everyone to wear a ‘Forget Me Not’ Flower in October to show your support, care and compassion for anyone impacted by pregnancy and reproductive loss.”

To make it easy to “Wear and Share,” especially during October’s Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, Life Perspectives unveiled their new “Forget Me Not” Signature Collection of memorial and remembrance items last week. These items, all featuring the “Forget Me Not” Flower, support those impacted by pregnancy and reproductive loss. The Signature Collection features jewelry, like pins and bracelets, along with sympathy cards, all featuring the “Forget Me Not” Flower. The “Forget Me Not” pins are available as traditional pins and magnetic pins that can be placed on clothes, purses, and, for medical professionals, on ID badges or lab coats.

Join us in honoring Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month! Follow #ForgetMeNot2021 and #WearAndShare on social media for updates throughout October. 

HELPFUL TOOLKITS

“Everyone knows someone who has experienced a pregnancy or reproductive loss,” said Michaelene Fredenburg, President and CEO of Life Perspectives. “Unfortunately, even though we want to support them, most of us do not know what to do or say.”

Are you, or do you know, someone impacted by pregnancy and reproductive loss? Not sure what to say or do? Life Perspectives’ Helpful Toolkits are free resources for anyone who needs help, hope and healing after this unique kind of loss. These toolkits include resources, videos and helpful lists. Special “Helpful Toolkits” are also included just for: women who have miscarried, men impacted by miscarriage, family and friends who want to help, and special toolkits for healthcare professionals and faith leaders.

Our popular “Top 10” lists are part of the Helpful Toolkits for Everyone:

Top 10 Terrible Things That Caring People Say After Miscarriage and Pregnancy Loss

Top 10 Terrific Things to Say and Do After Miscarriage and Pregnancy Loss

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Within the Helpful Toolkit for Everyone, and also on the homepage of LifePerspectives.com, is our line drawing video, “You are Not Alone.” This short video reveals some of the feelings of those impacted by miscarriage, how miscarriage impacts them, and suggestions on how to get started helping yourself – or others – through miscarriage.

“Our Helpful Toolkits, Top 10 Lists, videos and ‘Forget Me Not’ Signature Collection are all wonderful ways to learn, show support, and symbolize your care and concern for those impacted by pregnancy and reproductive loss,” said Fredenburg. “And October, during Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, is the perfect time to do this.”

RESOURCES FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

The words and actions that healthcare professionals use with patients after pregnancy and reproductive loss –  especially in the moment of bad news delivery – are remembered forever. Do you know what to say and do?

“In the medical community, there is zero standard of grief care for early pregnancy loss,” explained Fredenburg. “Without a recognized, evidence-based, unified protocol to help healthcare providers offer quality care to patients experiencing early pregnancy loss, the results can be disastrous – to patients and healthcare providers.”

As experts in reproductive grief careeducation, Life Perspectives remedies this by educating healthcare providers. At the forefront of educating healthcare professionals globally in reproductive grief care, Life Perspectives’ education results in the gold standard of care for patients experiencing reproductive loss.

Resources just for healthcare professionals include:

• Healthcare Professionals’ Helpful Toolkit: Specially designed just for Healthcare Professionals, this Toolkit offers practical resources, tips and links to healing tools to guide your patients through pregnancy and reproductive loss.
• Courses – Earn and Learn: Our live, virtual, and on-demand educational courses help healthcare professionals earn continuing education hours while learning valuable skills to help clients and patients through reproductive loss.
• Research: The latest and most impactful research in reproductive loss is discussed in our guest lecture series “Research Reveals.” One recent event included Spiral of Pain: The Powerful Impact of Bad News Delivery After Miscarriage with Drs. Brann and Bute. This event is now available to view anytime; continuing education credits are available for this, and other, courses.

For more information on Life Perspectives’ courses, certifications, or accreditations, contact us.

RESOURCES FOR FAITH LEADERS

Faith leaders play a critical and powerful role in healing after pregnancy and reproductive loss. If you are a faith leader ready to help your congregation heal after pregnancy and reproductive loss – especially during October’s Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month –  Life Perspectives has a special Helpful Toolkit just for you.

• Our Faith Leaders Toolkit offers a selection of practical resources, tips and links to help you support anyone in your congregation impacted by pregnancy and reproductive loss.
• It includes tips on ways to memorialize pregnancy losses with individuals and your entire congregation.
• This Helpful Toolkit includes videos with positive messages from faith leaders nationwide, to encourage you to make a difference within your community during Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.

“Faith leaders have a huge opportunity to change our culture’s perception and dismissive treatment of grief after pregnancy and reproductive loss while helping their own congregations and communities,” said Fredenburg. “We’re here to help them achieve this.”

LIFE PERSPECTIVES’ VISION

Life Perspectives brings to light the widespread need for help that is faced by the millions impacted by miscarriage and other pregnancy and reproductive losses. Life Perspectives changes the way that people think and talk about reproductive loss, and creates traditions that focus on healing, remembrance and hope. Life Perspectives offers a safe place, for those impacted, to receive the support that they need in kindness and without judgement.

ABOUT LIFE PERSPECTIVES

Life Perspectives^® is the global leader in education, research, expertise and support after pregnancy and reproductive loss, without religious or political affiliation. Life Perspectives provides education and resources to health professionals including hospitals, medical professionals, therapists, social workers and pregnancy centers, as well as community and faith leaders.

Life Perspectives is nationally accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and by the State of California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) as a Continuing Education Provider. Life Perspectives is also approved by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs. Life Perspectives is at the forefront of creating impartial and impactful research to understand the way individuals process reproductive losses, and to establish global standards for offering compassionate care. Life Perspectives also offers a safe place, without religious or political affiliation, for those impacted. Life Perspectives is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.