Resolving to Get Involved

Maybe you’ve experienced pregnancy and infant loss, or perhaps you know someone who has, and you’d like to do something to help make a difference.

2013 marks 25 years since Proclamation 5890, and so this is a wonderful time for you to get involved.  There are so many ways to make a difference, all well within your willingness and your abilities.

Related: encouragement for New Loss Leaders

Tell your doctor!

If you have ANY sort of medical check-up, remember to tell your doctor, care provider, physician, nurse, and/or midwife that stillbirthday provides 30 nursing contact hours for our birth & bereavement training!  This is the best incentive for medical professionals, and they will learn compassionate support prior to, during and after the birth of babies born in any trimester.   We have some printable things for you to take with you to your doctor, at our Local Representatives tab.

Join stillbirthday!

We have so many, many programs for you to get involved with.  Here are just a few:

• Local Representatives
• Doulas
• Mentors
• Love Cupboards
• Writers
• Sponsors
• Events
• Workshops!

Because 2013 is such a significant year for pregnancy and infant loss, some mothers are wanting to plan events.  Here are some points to help with your planning:

• Deciding how big your event will be, or a base size, is helpful.  Do you want to do something within your community, something online, or other?  Does it have the potential to expand?
• Many bereaved mothers have a certain sense of loyalty to their own child/ren, even though we long to establish community together.  If there is something within your event that all mothers can claim as their own, they may be more interested in participating (this event is for my child and for all children gone too soon, for example).  Don’t neglect your purpose whatsoever, but finding an inclusive aspect can generate more interest.
• Is it something you want to commit to longterm, have more than once, or just a one time event?  These are all fine choices and all have great possibilities.  If it grows into something ongoing, do you have a support system around you to encourage you and help you?
• This is a particularly significant year – it marks 25 years since Proclamation 5890.  Using statistics and other numbers like this makes your event applicable to a broader audience.
• Finally, using your local and using global networks are very helpful.  I can talk about your event on our Facebook page (and possibly in our newsletter), creating a Facebook “event” can be helpful, telling your local libraries (sometimes they’ll hold a flyer for you), grocery store bulletin boards, church bulletins, radio stations, newspapers and news channels all can prove helpful.  Telling your friends, and asking them to tell everyone they know, also can be helpful.  Having a quick contact ability – setting up a free blog (wordpress or blogger) that they can easily turn to, to read about your thoughts unfolding, is helpful.  When you set it up, including a section where people can participate in multiple ways is helpful – asking for financial support, tangible items, things like that.
• Consider inviting Heidi Faith to speak at your event.