Losing a Baby: Miscarriage Gift Box (Basket) Ideas

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If you’re reading this post, I’m guessing that you or someone you know has experienced a miscarriage. Even though this devastating loss is being talked about more openly than it once was, most people have no idea how to support grieving parents.

A box like this makes a great container for a miscarriage gift box or care package.

I’ve been there, and I know firsthand the grief of losing a baby. In this post, I’ll share my experience with miscarriage, and at the end I’ve included ideas for a miscarriage gift box or care package.

My Miscarriage Story

*Trigger Warning: pregnancy loss and miscarriage*

@dinkumtribe What it was like to have a Miscarriage at 8 weeks@dinkumtribe @dinkumtribe @dinkumtribe #miscarriageawareness #miscarriagesurvivor #miscarriagemomma #miscarriageheartbreak #iamoneinfour #ihadamiscarriage #infantlossawareness #pregnancylossawareness #pregnancylossawarenessmonth #pregnancylossjourney #earlymiscarriage #miscarriageat8weeks #miscarriagestory #lossmomma #lossmama #lossmamatribe #chemicalpregnancy #chemicalpregnancyawareness #chemicalpregnancies #grievingmom #grievingmother #grievingparents ♬ original sound – DinkumTribe ADHD family travel

Cramping and bleeding are a normal part of life for most women- except when you’re pregnant. At the intersection of normal and terrifying there exists this grief called a miscarriage.

Even the names given to this grief are loaded with stigma and shame. Miscarriage– as though the mother or her body are at fault. Spontaneous abortion – as though the unexpected and unintended loss of a baby is in the same field as terminating a pregnancy.

ultrasound of baby. miscarriage gift box
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A miscarriage is devastating, particularly for a mother who wants every baby she conceives. A swirling mix of emotions and feelings are accompanied by the confusion that’s already taking place in her body: Am I pregnant? Is this a normal period? Wait, what?

baby hand. Miscarriage gift box

A Year of Difficulty (2013)

After the birth of our first son, we went through an incredibly difficult time:

  • our house was burgled. All of our important documents, my heirloom jewelry from my great-grandma, and my DSLR camera were stolen from us;
  • I struggled through postpartum depression;
  • our infant had eczema so bad that his skin was raw nearly everywhere. He only slept about an hour at a time well into his 7th month;
  • we “celebrated” Easter with the stomach flu;
  • we faced a potentially life-threatening illness whose major symptom was bloody stool;
  • a dear friend’s husband committed suicide;
  • my Grandpa was diagnosed with cancer;
  • my brother and his wife moved away;
  • our beloved cat was killed.

I realize that some of those losses and hard things are in no way on par with the others. The fact that they all came in such a short time close together intensified them and brought us to a point of barely holding on to hope.

My husband and I both were struggling with depression. On top of all that, we still had four young children to care for, and all of the work involved in our service as ministers.

yellow daffodils in a vase

In the middle of this very trying time, we conceived a baby. And then, at 8 weeks, we suffered a miscarriage.

We were ministering at a family camp when we lost our baby. My husband was teaching, my two oldest children were enjoying the activities and classes, and much of my extended family was present and volunteering as well. I was surrounded by people who loved me and cared about my family.

@dinkumtribe Cramping and bleeding are a normal part of life for most women- except when you’re pregnant. At the intersection of normal and terrifying there exists this grief called a miscarriage.@dinkumtribe @dinkumtribe @dinkumtribe #miscarriageawareness #miscarriagesurvivor #miscarriagemomma #miscarriageheartbreak #iamoneinfour #ihadamiscarriage #infantlossawareness #pregnancylossawareness #pregnancylossawarenessmonth #pregnancylossjourney #earlymiscarriage #miscarriageat8weeks #miscarriagestory #lossmomma #lossmama #lossmamatribe #chemicalpregnancy #chemicalpregnancyawareness #chemicalpregnancies ♬ original sound – DinkumTribe ADHD family travel

Yet in the dark hours of the night when I woke up cramping and bleeding, I was utterly alone. My husband and 4 children were all sleeping in a large single room cabin, and I did not want to wake them. Sleep was scarce enough for all of us, and I knew that my husband’s teaching the next day would suffer if he had not slept well.

So for the first few hours, I wept and prayed and suffered alone.

baby blanket miscarriage gift box

As the camp started to stir, I woke my husband and told him what had been going on. He was immediately prepared to do whatever was needed.

We called my mom over to watch the children while I went to the camp nurse. He advised me that there was nothing to be done to prevent it so early in the pregnancy, and only by remaining on bed rest could I increase the chances that the bleeding would stop.

In my heart, I already knew that this pregnancy was over. It had felt different than my other pregnancies, but I had chalked it up to normal variation. Now I knew.

Close-up of a baby blanket. Miscarriage gift box.
Close up of a baby blanket

We had only told a few people that we were expecting. It was early in the pregnancy, so we had not yet made a public announcement. Ironically this made it even harder to tell people about the miscarriage.

“Wait, you were pregnant, but now you’re not?”

People just did not know what to do with that information. We had not seen my husband’s family since finding out we were pregnant. When they found out that we had lost the baby, their primary response was hurt feelings that this was how they found out we were expecting.

Meanwhile, I did not know what to do about the fact that we were at camp volunteering when this happened. I wanted to go home and grieve with only my husband and children around.

But that would mean finding a replacement for my husband to teach his class. Everyone would have to know and hear about it at camp. It would mean that my kids would have to leave the fun and come home with hard, sad news instead.

I swallowed my grief, put on my best suck-it-up face, and rode out the last two days of camp.

girl on slip and slide
Our daughter on the slip and slide at camp

In hindsight, I recognize that it was the shock that carried us through those days. Shock is the first response of grief, and while it doesn’t usually last long, it serves a purpose in helping one continue with life temporarily.

Brian managed to finish teaching his classes. I did not know anyone at camp who had experienced a miscarriage, so I only told my parents and a few others. The rest of that week is completely blanked out in my mind.

Responses from others

When people started to find out, we had a spectrum of responses.

Some shared (by way of a sympathy card) their own experience with miscarriage, and extended the offer to listen if I needed to grieve. Others showed up with meals.

These are the people I now remember from that dark time, who knew how to comfort with their presence. 

Chalkboard script with the words "When Jesus saw her weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled... Jesus wept." Miscarriage gift box.
Beautiful verse, so precious to me in times of grief. Artist: Catherine Sands

Others said all the pat spiritual answers:

“The Lord knows what’s best.”

“At least you have your other children.”

“It probably wasn’t a healthy baby.”

Useless statements that I knew were simply people’s best attempt to find the “right words” at a time when companionable silence would have been more welcome.

I did not feel free to express my deep sorrow with most people. 

My children wept when we told them. Even at seven, five, and three years old, our girls knew that this was a great grief and a moment to weep. We had many discussions later about the details and answered a lot of questions. But in that moment, crying was an appropriate, healthy, and valuable response.

@dinkumtribe Grieving a miscarriage/ pregnancy loss with siblings@dinkumtribe @dinkumtribe @dinkumtribe #miscarriageawareness #miscarriagesurvivor #iamoneinfour #ihadamiscarriage #ihadamiscarriage💔 #infantlossawareness #infantlossmatters #pregnancylossawareness #pregnancylosssupport #miscarriageat8weeks #grievingsiblings #lossmama #lossparents #losssiblings ♬ original sound – DinkumTribe ADHD family travel

Few people have spoken to me about the miscarriage since the initial days. Even most of my extended family (it seems) has forgotten it occurred.

We commemorated our baby with a small garden stone, a little tabletop fountain, and an ornament on our Christmas tree. It was important to us, and to our children, to not forget our little one who we never got to meet.

Our special Christmas ornament

No funeral or burial

This is one of the hard things about a miscarriage- it tends to be a hidden grief. There may not be any burial, or any funeral. Some people may not even know it has occurred.

@dinkumtribe If you’ve experienced a miscarriage, know that you are not alone. @dinkumtribe @dinkumtribe @dinkumtribe #miscarriageawareness #miscarriagesurvivor #iamoneinfour #ihadamiscarriage #ihadamiscarriage💔 #infantlossawareness #infantlossmatters #infantlossawarenessmonth #pregnancyloss #pregnancylossawareness #pregnancylosssupport #miscarriageat8weeks #grievingparents #grievingmommasoftiktok ♬ original sound – DinkumTribe ADHD family travel

Statistically, anywhere from one out of eight to one out of three pregnancies end in miscarriage. So miscarriage is by no means uncommon. Yet before we experienced it, we had only heard of two other people that had suffered a miscarriage, and it was secondhand information.

It’s tempting to say that things are all better now; that having two more babies after the miscarriage made it all fade away. That’s the kind of happy ending most of us wish for, and the sort of resolution that most people want to hear.

Memorial garden stone with script and baby footprints and date. Miscarriage gift box.
Our memorial stone in the snow.

However, the truth is that I still feel angry that I did not feel free to stop and grieve when it happened. I felt pressured to push through and pretend nothing was wrong, and that makes me angry now.

I still feel sad that most people will look at our six beautiful children and never know that our family actually has seven children; and explaining that is more than most people are interested in hearing.

Comfort and Hope

Truthfully, I can say that God has comforted us, and allowed us to share this comfort with others. There have been times where someone I know has gone through a miscarriage, and because I have personally experienced it, I have some comfort that I’m able to offer them (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

It is a beautiful thing to see God transmute our pain into something that can bless others.

Miscarriage Care Package Ideas

A gift basket with tea, mud masks, cookies, gummy bears and origami for self-care.
Gift basket with self-care items

In the last few years, I’ve known several friends and more than one extended family member who experienced pregnancy loss. Every miscarriage or infant loss is different, so a miscarriage gift box can be a great way to create a unique, thoughtful gift.

(Shop from the list in our Dinkum Tribe Amazon shop).

Ideas to Include in a Miscarriage Gift Box

Self-care items

Note: if your bereaved friend has been through a physically traumatic miscarriage, such as an ectopic pregnancy, baths may be out of the question for a time. The other gift ideas may be more appropriate. 

  1. Soy candle or incense
  2. Bath bombs or bath salts (scented epsom salt or Dead Sea salts)
  3. Lavender eye pillow / lavender essential oil / lavender sachet to promote relaxation and rest
  4. Comforting items such as fuzzy socks or a soft blanket
  5. A Spa gift set or gift basket (vitamin E or shea butter lotions work well for most people’s skin)
  6. Herbal tea / coffee/ favorite drink
  7. Gift cards for self-care activities, e.g. massage, manicure, pedicure, etc.
Green tea bag and Murchie's #10 tea box.

For many bereaved parents, it’s important to find a tangible gift or reminder of the baby they have lost. Including such an item in the miscarriage gift box is a thoughtful gesture.

A commemorative item, such as a memorial stone or artwork can be a great gift idea. We found several artists on Etsy who will create a personalized pregnancy loss gift with specific dates, names, or a special note.

Miscarriage gifts (to commemorate baby loss)

  1. Garden stone 
  2. Tabletop fountain
  3. Christmas ornament
  4. Jesus with infant in arms painting/ print
  5. Gift boxes to hold special items (hospital bands, ultrasound photo, baby shoes, etc.)
  6. Stuffed animal / blanket – this can be a great help to siblings, too. 
  7. Picture frame for ultrasound

Other Ways to Help and Show Support Besides a Miscarriage Gift Box

Greeting Cards with "With Our Sympathy" and "Thinking of You" on the front.
  1. Personalized note/ greeting card/ sympathy card
  2. Meal delivery service 
  3. Books to help with the healing process
  4. Cleaning service
  5. Finding a support group for loss mamas

It’s easy to underestimate the comfort of a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on. But presence is often the best way to support a friend or loved one who is grieving. 

If you are supporting a friend or family member through baby loss, we hope these miscarriage gift box ideas will help you find the perfect way to bless them.

I shared my story in the hope that someone who feels alone in their grief will know that they are not alone. Please feel free to contact me if you need someone to talk to about miscarriage.

© Copyright 2021 Jennifer D. Warren. UPDATED: November 16, 2023.

Pinnable collage for losing a baby and miscarriage gift box ideas
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Pinnable collage for losing a baby and miscarriage gift box ideas
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About the author

I’m Jenn Warren, Co-Founder and Content Creator for Dinkum Tribe. I'm a Third Culture Kid (TCK) from Jamaica and California, married to my college sweetheart. I've been a missionary kid, pastor’s kid and (former) pastor’s wife. My husband and I traveled as pastors for 12 years throughout the United States and Canada before becoming travel content creators.

I love living in Oregon and exploring new places with my family. We’ve road tripped over 30,000 miles across the United States and Western Canada with our six children since their infancy. Prior to our marriage, I also lived in Spain for a summer and spent another summer in Mexico.

I’ve homeschooled our six children for over 10 years, and served on the board of a homeschool co-op for 4 years. Several members of our family are neurodivergent (gifted, ADHD, cPTSD), and I’ve spent 5+ years learning how to accommodate neurodivergent needs as well as supporting the resultant mental health challenges (anxiety, depression).

I’ve also served as a support group leader and co-director of Pure Life Alliance, a nonprofit organization that supports families struggling with sexual addiction.

I write about family travel and road trips, millennial marriage, general parenting, homeschooling, parenting neurodivergent children, grief, and abuse recovery.

Comments

  1. Sorry to hear what you went through, Jen. 🙁 Yeah, I know someone who recently had a miscarriage, and I think your gift suggestions are very helpful. Thanks for sharing.

  2. Thank you for sharing your story so beautifully. When I was newly pregnant with my second child, my OB said that about a million things have to go right to get to a healthy baby, and one thing can go wrong. I think we have this cultural narrative that says we move easily and smoothly from conception to pregnancy to birth to recovery, and in reality that is so often not the case. I went through a very difficult month with that second pregnancy where we thought my son might not make it. It was hard on our whole family, and it’s an experience I still don’t feel free to talk about openly, particularly in these fraught times when it seems like our personal experiences are often hijacked for political point-scoring.

    1. I agree, so many personal experiences end up being used for someone’s agenda instead of the empathetic response that would be far more appropriate. Thank you for sharing here.

  3. This tugs at the heart strings. I’ve never personally experienced a miscarraige but know many who have. Your story is eye opening to those who don’t know what its like and I’m sure comforting for those who can relate to you. Thank you for being honest and sharing.

  4. I’m so sorry for your loss. Thank you for writing this. The topic is not discussed enough and makes us feel like it’s not normal when it happens to us

    1. Absolutely – the stigma surrounding miscarriage makes it so difficult to find support and help.

  5. Miscarriage is something very difficult physically and emotionally. The last thing that you want is someone asking about your pregnancy when you had a miscarriage. That is the reason I kept my pregnancies secret until the end of the third month. After that time the probability of having a miscarriage is much less.

    1. Yes, that was a hard decision to make for us. In the end, we decided that we would rather tell people about our pregnancies right away so that we could also be supported if we experienced a miscarriage. Not everyone feels that way though. Thanks for sharing your perspective.

  6. You are so strong for going through such difficult times and still finding the strength to care for your little ones. A miscarriage box is such a thoughtful thing to gift a friend or family member who is effected by such a physical and emotional tragedy. Thank you for sharing this, Jenn. 🤍

  7. I appreciate your honesty and heart you put into your writing. I am sorry for your loss. You are writing with a purpose and I know you are making a difference.

  8. I am sorry to hear what you went through. I have never suffered pregnancy loss but I have plenty of friends who have and I saw how difficult it was for them. Opening up honest conversations about this is a way to help I am sure.

  9. I admire your courage in sharing your story and shedding light on the hidden grief that many people endure. Your post serves as a reminder that there are no “right” or “wrong” emotions when it comes to grief, and it’s essential for individuals to process their feelings in their own way and time. Your message of hope, resilience, and the importance of seeking support is a beacon of light for those who may be going through similar experiences. It’s a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of community.

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