Dear Mia,
As I queued in the corridor to drop your twin sister, Emma, into her classroom, I felt your absence.
I wanted to tell the other parents that you, Mia, should be here too.
I wanted them to know that one child is missing from the classroom and the photo collage of classmates hanging on the wall.
I wanted them to see your photograph and to tell them your story.
I want them to know that you had brown hair, just like your twin sister Emma.
But of course, I didn’t.
But I will talk about you if a fitting time comes up.
So, I watch as the other parents remain unaware of your existence and our loss.
I wonder how many other children should be in this pre-school but aren’t?
Back To School And The Grieving Heart
How many other mothers feel this way but, like me, remain silent?
Niamh Connolly-Coyne is mother to three daughters Alice and twins Emma and Mia. Mia passed away a few weeks before she was born. She had a heart condition called hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
Niamh lives in Ireland. She set up an awareness / advocacy group for bereaved parents who have experienced loss in a multiple pregnancy called Peas in a Pod: loss in a multiple pregnancy @peasinapodireland. Niamh hopes also to create more awareness and inclusion of the needs of parents who have lost a baby from a multiple pregnancy through campaign and lobbying work.
{Your Thoughts}