In recent years a dialogue started that has opened the hearts of many and has allowed families to share their experiences and struggles with others. Pregnancy loss and miscarriage is a topic that many sadly considered to be taboo; something you just don’t talk about, and as a result, something you often struggle through alone. Thank God that is changing.

So many of my clients have experienced unimaginable loss and being able to share their story is part of the way they begin to find peace and healing within their family. By the time they share their stories with me they are expecting what some refer to as a “rainbow baby”.

A rainbow baby is a child that is born following a miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death. The following quote describes it well:

“Rainbow Babies” are the understanding that the beauty of a rainbow does not negate the ravages of the storm. When a rainbow appears, it does not mean that the storm never happened or that the family is not still dealing with its aftermath. What it means is that something beautiful and full of light has appeared in the midst of the darkness and the clouds. Storm clouds may still loom over but the rainbow provides a counterbalance of color, energy, and much needed hope.

It doesn’t matter whether your loss is in the first few weeks of your pregnancy, late term, or shortly after your baby’s birth, it is the loss of your child. A loss that you should be able to grieve, one that you should never feel shame over, and one that you should be able to share as openly as you need or want to. The term rainbow baby has not only encouraged parents to share their stories of struggle but it has allowed them to rejoice in the happiness that a new pregnancy and baby brings.

When Lisa and Brock first approached me about documenting the birth of their baby they were extremely open about their previous loss. There was an obvious hurt that still lingered but they were so happy about their new blessing. There was a brightness in Lisa’s eyes, there was hope in her words; they had endured unimaginable pain but they weren’t going to be fearful of their future happiness.

The first time any parent holds their baby in their arms is an incredible moment, but seeing Lisa and Brock when they held their son, it was so much more. When they heard him cry, when they felt the rise and fall of his chest, when they knew their rainbow was shining, it was like they all took their first breath together.

On April 5, 2016 the clouds parted and the Boyd family finally saw their light at the end of a very long tunnel. William Parker Boyd is and always will be a rainbow of hope.