Rainbow Baby

Do you know what a 'Rainbow Baby' is? Recently when a customer asked to make a picture as a gift for one of her friends I had to Google it as I didn't know what it meant.

A "rainbow baby" is a term given to a healthy baby born after losing a baby due to miscarriage, infant loss, stillbirth or neonatal death.

This symbolic name comes from the idea of a rainbow appearing in the sky after a storm or after a dark and turbulent time, giving hope of what's to come. Likewise, rainbow babies usher in love and light after a period of darkness.

Its a relatively recent term which has gained popularity on blogs and social media in recent years and has come to symbolise hope and healing.

I felt emotional reading blog posts and articles on women's stories of their losses and subsequent 'rainbow babies'. Having suffered miscarriages myself I know the aching sadness and depth of loss experienced. I am also fortunate to experience the profound love and gratitude of holding my own babies. The symbol of the rainbow is so appropriate as it is the perfect emblem of hope over despair, new beginnings after endings and a desire for optimism for future dreams.

This is how my rainbow baby picture turned out:

I handcrafted it with different colour/size buttons (yes, I know I've only 5 colours but it just felt right). I felt the sky wasn't sparkly enough so I hand embellished the blue card with tiny stars to get it looking magical. The new baba's details are on the floating cloud detailed with delicate tiny heart buttons. I'm really pleased with it and (more importantly!) so was my lovely customer.

In making Button Pics, I meet so many different people, all with their own stories and experiences. Once again I am reminded of how grateful I am for the opportunities to make something that will hopefully honor their experiences and brighten the walls of their homes.