Most people I meet now, after they’ve recoiled from the shock of hearing I’m a mother of three but only one child is alive, say things like “oh third time lucky then” or “at least it’s all worked out in the end” Urmmm no it clearly hasn’t all worked out in the end has it? Has my daughter Violet suddenly sprung back to life?
Rainbow pregnancy
When I was pregnant with Aurora people could understand why I might have been anxious and there’s even a term for it PAL or pregnancy after loss but once your rainbow baby is here then people assume that’s it and you must be feeling better now. The grief over child loss must be over now you have another baby surely? You can move on and avoid dwelling in the past.
I’m a mother of three
Well unfortunately it’s not that simple you see, yes I may have another living baby now but I still had two other children before her and just like those with more than one child. When you have a new baby you don’t throw your old one away and forget about them do you? Or you shouldn’t. If you do then social services rightly get involved. So why should it be different for angel babies? Why forget about them? How can we forget about them?
Moving on?
I don’t blame people who think I must have moved on though, as suddenly they see me out and about with my new baby actually smiling and resembling someone who’s happy. I guess I am happy fleetingly which is an improvement but it’s now as though I’m on a permanent roller coaster. Aurora smiles or babbles at me equals on a high then she looks at me in a certain way & I see her sister Violet in her equals unimaginable high & then immediate low.
Side swipes
I still get side swiped daily by emotions but different ones from before. Seeing a mother cooing over a baby no longer makes me want to cry for the loss of Arthur although I admit seeing mums with little boys gives me a pang of pain. Now it happens when I see parents of multiple children walking with them all to the park. Brother and sisters playing and arguing together. Family lifestyle photo shoots of the whole family looking happy together in autumnal leaves (yes I do live in Chorlton! Lol). Even at Halloween cute sibling photos of older ones taking their toddler brother or sister trick or treating for the first time pour salt onto my wound.
Imagination
I find myself trying to imagine what Violet would look like now aged 3.5 and what she’d think of her little sister. How would they interact? When Aurora is bigger what arguments would they have about minor things? I find it hard to imagine and to think of Violet as anything more than a baby, almost toddler. I find that upsetting too. Her sister will never know her. I can’t imagine life without my sister so now I feel a new level of grief for Aurora for the big sister she will never know or experience.
The hallway of family photos we have where the sisters may sit side by side in different frames but never actually occupy the same one. There will be photos of Aurora getting older, fingers crossed, next to the same photos of her big sister who will eternally be a toddler. That will be a concept I’m sure Aurora when she’s older will struggle to get her head around, how can a baby be her big sister?
I wonder what Violet would have been like today and what she’d have thought of her baby sister? Do you ever wonder what if? I do every moment of every day.
Love Sarah
Always Violet Skies x
My mother died 52 years ago. My memory of walking into an empty bedroom is as clear as ever. She had said good night to me, then when I was sleeping, had a stroke and was taken to hospital where she died. I have found that grief can be put aside and maybe even forgotten for periods but it is never truly gone.
Yes I agree Helen and sorry for your loss. x
Wow, this is like reading my own thoughts! I too am a mother of 3 with 1 living child!
Just like you, gone is the pain of seeing mums with their baby’s. Now it is absolutely the family with several children & the what ifs!
Grief is so complex. Sometimes I feel fine & others it just suddenly pops up from out of nowhere!
I‘m only in Stockport so if you ever want to meet that would be lovely x
Hi Rachel
So sorry for the delay in reply to you for some reason I never got an alert that you had made a comment so please forgive me.
Sad to hear that we are similar in being a mum of 3 with only one living child but pleased also that there is someone out there similar to myself. We are certainly not alone. Meeting up would be really lovely actually but it will have to be in the New Year as I’m in for a heart operation this Friday…no rest for the wicked!
Hope to see you in the New Year when my physical broken heart will hopefully be fixed. x