miscarriage pregnancy

15 Sensitive Children's Books About Miscarriage, Stillbirth, And Infant Death

Parents who lose a baby experience tremendous grief, oftentimes finding it hard to comfort a sibling who also suffers from profound sadness and confusion. Children's books about miscarriage and stillbirth can offer comfort and open a channel of communication with the surviving children. These picture books offer a wide variety of perspectives and experiences that will resonate with families.

something happened
Something Happened

A beautifully written book that is beneficial for both parents and children experiencing the loss of a baby. This book serves as a helpful guide, addressing excruciating, difficult topics in a direct, yet comforting manner. Children are reassured that the range of emotions they may experience, from sadness to guilt and confusion, are normal. The author also provides advice for helping a child say goodbye to their unborn sibling and finding peace and closure.


Helpful Children's Books about a Mother's Miscarriage

Explaining the loss of a baby to a sibling is incredibly difficult. When a family has been preparing for the arrival of a new baby, older brothers and sisters are actively engaged and excited. Finding the right words to explain a miscarriage or stillborn baby to a young child can seem impossible. Talking about meeting the baby in heaven one day may bring comfort to little ones struggling to understand an unimaginable occurrence. Also, reading about the loss of a sibling can provide comfort.

Reading a variety of children's books about miscarriage is also a good way to communicate with your child about this incredibly sad and emotional experience. After a miscarriage, some parents are blessed with a healthy, full-term baby, often referred to as a rainbow baby. Rainbows are a gift from nature that symbolize hope and light after a storm, and have come to mean so much more when a new baby is born. Children's books about rainbowsprovide uplifting messages about brighter days ahead.



always my twin
Always My Twin

Written by a mother who suffered the loss of one twin shortly after childbirth. A young girl and her family find ways to remember and honor the baby. This heartfelt story explores the emotional journey of the parents as they confront the loss of a precious baby. It also gently addresses the feelings of sadness and loss of the surviving twin who feels an aching absence in her life. This book provides interactive opportunities for the readers to express their own feelings in journal entries throughout.



perfectly imperfect family
Perfectly Imperfect Family

A rainbow baby, or a child born after a miscarriage or stillborn baby, may be curious about the sibling who is no longer here. In a touching tribute to a baby who was lost, this story shows all the ways a little boy and his family celebrate and remember the spirit of the older sibling. A Perfectly Imperfect Family helps families talk about the miscarriage, stillborn babies, and infant death. The book helps to normalize conversation and removes the stigma about talking openly about this difficult subject.



we were gonna have a baby but we had an angel instead
We Were Gonna Have a Baby, but We Had an Angel Instead

A heartbreaking, direct book for siblings who experience the loss of a baby brother or sister. Sometimes there are no happy endings and a pregnancy ends in tremendous sadness. In this story, a child experiences incredible sorrow when he learns that an infant did not survive. Accessible picture book for preschoolers and very young children but does not gloss over the difficult reality or paint a rosy picture of the loss.



my sibling still
My Sibling Still: For those who've lost a sibling to miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant death

A beautiful story that addresses the importance of never forgetting a baby who is no longer with a family. Whether the baby was miscarried, stillborn, or died during infancy, they are still a brother or sister, daughter or son. Soft, pastel illustrations and comforting words offer guidance for remembering and celebrating this baby's life.



someone came before you
Someone Came Before You

A tender children's book about the loss of a baby that offers comforting words for the parent as well. When a new baby is born after the loss of another, a grieving parent experiences overwhelming joy. An important part of a parent's emotional journey is sharing the story of the baby that never had a chance to join the family.



stacy had a little sister
Stacy Had a Little Sister

Feelings of jealousy are normal in older siblings when a new baby arrives. Once the center of attention, kids experience a wide range of emotions with the arrival of a newborn. In this story, Stacy secretly wishes that her new sister Ashley would disappear. The unthinkable happens when Ashley dies from SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). Stacy is reeling with shock, guilt, sadness and disbelief, but her parents lovingly reassure her that she is not at fault. 



i love you still a memorial baby book
I Love You Still: A Memorial Baby Book

This book provides a special way to cherish the memories of a baby lost due to miscarriage, stillbirth or infancy death. A beautiful keepsake allows parents to express their feelings, store small mementos, and create scrapbook pages all about the baby they lost. The end result is a priceless book to share with the other siblings.



our heaven baby
Our Heaven Baby: A Book on Miscarriage and the Hope of Heaven

An achingly hopeful children's book about a little boy who envisions his unborn sibling in heaven. When Abel's mother has a miscarriage, his grief is replaced by wonder when he learns that the baby is in heaven with Jesus. At once deeply religious and whimsical, Abel imagines the baby dancing with dinosaurs in heaven. Delicate, breezy illustrations soften the profoundly sad message and offer a faith-based belief in an afterlife where the baby lives happily ever after.



the invisible string
The Invisible String

A lovely picture book for children about how we stay connected with special people who are no longer physically present. This story does not specifically address miscarriage or infant death, but is relevant and comforting in situations where the life of a newborn is lost. The concept of an invisible string connects a siblings to the babies they never had the opportunity to meet. Yet their love is real and connection is enduring.



a rainbow baby story
A Rainbow Baby Story: The Rainbow After the Storm

A little bird, left alone in his nest while his mother is out searching for food, is scared when the weather takes a turn. His mother soon returns, offering him comfort and love, like a rainbow after a storm. She uses this opportunity to tell him about a sister who came before him but did not survive. The bird learns that he is a precious rainbow baby, one born after a mother suffers a miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death.

 

happy tears and rainbow babies
Happy Tears and Rainbow Babies

A vibrant rainbow serves as the backdrop on every page of this heartfelt about love and loss, joy and sorrow. A mother and father set out on a walk with their two children. They decide it is finally time to tell them the story about their mother's miscarriage and their sibling who they never had the opportunity to meet. An uplifting children's book about miscarriage that sends a message of light and hope.



something very sad happened
Something Very Sad Happened

A simple and accessible book about death written for toddlers experiencing a sad loss. This gentle story reassures young children that their love for a someone who has died does not go away. Perfect for siblings who are dealing with the aftermath of emotions after a baby dies in infancy or a mother miscarries.



mommy says i have a brother
Mommy Says I Have a Brother

Written by a mother who suffered the devastating loss of her firstborn, this children's book speaks directly to the siblings who followed. An uplifting book that guides conversation with young children who have questions about what happened to the baby who came before them.



dancing on the moon
Dancing on the Moon

A little girl is devastated when her baby brother dies from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Although she was initially jealous when he was born, his death fills her with sorrow. A dream carries her off to the moon where she encounters her brother and experiences happiness once again.



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Children's Books about Loss of a Baby For Siblings

Grieving parents can read these children's books about miscarriage to guide their conversation with siblings who are struggling to understand what happened. Many of these picture books are written by parents who have experienced the loss of a baby. Their careful words and gentle illustrations reassure children that they are not alone in their sadness. And more importantly, brighter days filled with hope and happiness are right around the corner. 

Browse More Books Death of a Loved One

Helpful Stories About Grandparents Dying

When a Brother or Sister Passes Away

Picture Books About Losing a Parent

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