Bereaved mother’s day

“A mother’s grief is as timeless as her love. Today is Bereaved Mother’s Day – a date to honor mothers who have lost a child, for there is no stronger person than a grieving mother that wakes up and keeps going every morning.”

International Bereaved Mothers Day was started by Carly Marie Dudley in 2010 in honor of her son, Christian, who was stillborn. She dedicated this day to women who felt overlooked on the traditional mother’s day. She said, “In 2010, I felt drawn to create International Bereaved Mother’s Day to help heal hurting mother’s hearts. International Bereaved Mother’s Day is intended to be a temporary movement. It is a heart-centered attempt at healing the official Mother’s Day for all mothers. I believe that we can do this and that sometime shortly there will be no need for this day at all because all true mothers will be recognized, loved, supported, and celebrated.”

For me mother's day is a heartbreaking and bittersweet day. My Son, Zade, is not earthside and my grief feels especially heavy. I belong to this ‘club’ of bereaved mothers, and for me this day is about recognizing my struggle, my grief, my yearning to have my baby boy with me in my arms. 

I encourage you to reach out to my fellow bereaved mothers, ones who also lost their child, or ones who lost their dream of having a child and struggle with infertility. A simple sweet text is all we need to feel seen and feel less alone in our journey. 

To all the bereaved mothers out there, wishing you a gentle bereaved mothers day. I see you. I hear you. I am you.

A special note, that International Bereaved Father’s Day falls on the last Sunday of August - August 27th this year.