The history of tattoos goes back thousands of years. they have served as markers for both good and evil. they have been a record of history, they have been used to mark prisoners and slaves, express one’s identity and regain control over one’s own body. Researchers believe that ancient Egyptian women used tattoos as a way to protect their unborn children during pregnancy and childbirth. Today, 36% of Americans over the age of 18 have at least one tattoo. today, they are a common choice after the loss of a loved one or a major life trauma, such as a miscarriage.
After experiencing a miscarriage, we may find ourselves searching for answers, comfort, companionship, and support. Although every four or five pregnancies end in abortion, that does not diminish the importance or meaning of the life you led. While there are many ways to honor a loss, like planting a tree or creating a custom piece of jewelry, many turn to something a little more intimate and permanent like a miscarriage tattoo.
In part due to its artistic beauty, symbolism, and public display, a miscarriage tattoo can be an incredibly meaningful and beautiful way to remember and commemorate the life of an angel. In addition to honoring the life of your baby above, having others see and ask about the meaning of your miscarriage tattoo is also a great way to connect with others who may have suffered a similar loss and raise awareness of an important and often underrated. theme. Let’s start with some beautiful examples of miscarriage tattoos.
miscarriage tattoo inspiration
Indeed, there are countless miscarriage tattoos that are beautiful in meaning and illustration. Here, we’ve collected a few of our favorites along with a few words from the moms who wear them to give you some inspiration and support on your own journey.
a special lotus flower
credit: trisha
trisha’s miscarriage tattoo meaning
if you ask trisha what helped her recover from her miscarriages, she would say one of the things that helped her the most was getting a tattoo. Her tattoo beautifully commemorates and honors her entire family, her children who live next door to her, her husband, and her angels above her. but let’s talk about her tattoo in her own words:
“7 petals for 7 angels. 3 points to represent my living children. 1 point above to represent my husband, my rock. the man who keeps my family together.
a lotus flower represents “trusting the light”. growing through the land and believing in new beginnings.” It is small, simple, but with great meaning. I love the permanent reminder I get every time I look at my ankle. I’ve been through a lot of “mud and pain” in my life. but I know in my heart that because of those hard times, I am stronger. It has taught me to be a better person. It has shown me that even on my toughest days, I can choose to keep growing in all areas of my life and myself. I can always strive to do better. love stronger. to open my heart and be more compassionate. the struggles of losing so many babies have somehow made me blossom into a beautiful lotus. But most of all, I just want my children and my angels to know that they are loved forever.”
angel flying and painting a rainbow
credit: raquel
rachel in her miscarriage tattoo
“Tattoos are cathartic for me, and I definitely recognized that the pain of this one helped me heal and move on as we search for our rainbow after the storm. super blessed jake was with me and got the same tattoo so we could support each other. We have worked hard to grow together and remain united in our marriage while we are grieving. being intentional about it has been our saving grace and sometimes a challenge. none of this loss has been easy for us as individuals or as a couple. the best advice we were given was to support each other in the individual ways we grieve and be open about what we need. this is very useful and very difficult, but it’s worth it.
another thing is that surely anyone who has suffered this type of loss feels that they deserve it on some level. or that they don’t deserve to be parents or experience a pregnancy. I was recently reminded by a good friend that he would never tell anyone else that on a ttc trip, so why do I feel like it’s okay to tell myself? I am making an active choice to be kind to my body instead of hating or resenting it. it is capable of amazing things.”
angel with mom
credit: ashley
meaning of ashley’s miscarriage tattoo:
“I lost my daughter in August 2019 after a miscarriage at 14 weeks. this loss rocked my world because it came along with a possible cancer diagnosis. I had never heard of a partial molar pregnancy until it happened to me. It essentially means that my daughter started to develop normally, but she was carrying an extra copy of each chromosome, causing tumors to grow all over her body, eventually cutting off her oxygen supply. these tumors, if left inside her body, can metastasize and turn into cancer. if the D&C left at least one cell, I was considering a potential hysterectomy or months of chemotherapy and radiation.
I only had one child, my 18-month-old son, whom I desperately wanted to give a brother. he wasn’t done having kids, so sticking with these options was nothing short of a nightmare.
luckily the d&c was successful and i was cleared to start trying for another baby almost six months later but i was left with this gaping hole in my heart. I had a daughter she existed she was real I have photos of her I heard her heartbeat only three days before she left her. but when she was in public, people only saw me and my son. people would ask me if I wanted to have more children, which hurt more than I can explain because I would have given anything to have her there too. so I thought a tattoo was a perfect idea to honor her life.
I get a lot of compliments and it’s always an opportunity to share your life with the world. My tattoo artist Nicco gave me something that I will treasure for the rest of my life. It was a full moon the day we found out he had passed away, so I knew Luna was the perfect name for her. she became a part of nature, but I will always keep her with me.”
Elephant miscarriage tattoo blowing hearts
credit: cristina
christina miscarriage tattoo meaning
Even when I’m not consciously thinking about my lost babies and due dates, my body and mind never seem to forget. something feels wrong. I am more sensitive. more anxious. more impatient. not quite myself. every time the anniversary of a due date or miscarriage passes, it’s hard not to think about what could have been. after baby 3, I decided to remember my babies in my body forever. It has become one of my favorite parts of my body. a daily reminder of the babies who were part of me, lived inside me and grew in my womb, even if only for a short time. every part of my tattoo is full of meaning. the elephant has numerous meanings which I will not go into now. the hearts were drawn by dan, because these babies are part of him too. they are ascending to the sky with the elephant looking at them longingly, wondering what could have been. the solid hearts represent each of my lost babies. And though they may not be in order, I know exactly which heart is for which baby. the open heart reminds me to have hope. move on despite the struggle. put one foot in front of the other and move forward, but don’t move forward.”
little bird
credit: kayla – instagram @kaymich_fitlife
kayla miscarriage tattoo meaning
“January 5, 2020, a date that before last year had no special meaning. but now i will always remember it as the day we were supposed to welcome our sweet baby into the world. At 10 weeks pregnant, we hear the words: “your baby has no heartbeat.” pain is something I still can’t put into words & i don’t want to try miscarriage may seem common, but that doesn’t mean it’s not incredibly painful.
there are times when god allows loss and allows pain. And that’s honestly pretty hard to accept. but god is good and we are strong. we may not always know his plan or his time, but we know that it is much greater than we can imagine.
so today I take this moment to commemorate our sweet little bird💕
I share this now, not out of sympathy, but because it’s such a big part of my story, my growth, and my life. And while it’s not my favorite part, it’s one of the most important because it broke me, rebuilt me, shaped me, and continues to teach me.
And while being in this “club” isn’t something anyone wants, it’s a community nonetheless. God has sent me incredible support during this journey and I hope to be that source of encouragement and encouragement. love for any other mother who needs it.”
pea in a pod
credit: joy van
meaning of joy’s miscarriage tattoo
“my first baby died in the first trimester the size of a sweet pea, so that’s where we got the symbolism from. we call that baby our sweet pea.”
joy also has a podcast where she interviews parents who have lost children during pregnancy and childhood.
baby foot
credit: maddy
words from maddy about her miscarriage tattoo
Having a miscarriage is hard no matter what, but it can be even more devastating as a young person when people don’t validate your feelings and dismiss your grief with simple things like, “oh, you’re still so young.” That’s what happened to Maddy, but her tattoo is a beautiful reminder to her and to the world that her angel on top of her does matter.
“As someone who speaks openly about my experience with a consecutive miscarriage, I feel that, sadly, it is still this word that is only whispered. Miscarriage is often experienced by women all over the world, more commonly than we know.
I’ve had two miscarriages without a successful pregnancy (obviously) and being 21 I often get told “oh but you’re so young” and for me that’s part of the problem. I’m supposed to be the healthiest and most fertile right now. being a person who has experienced this loss twice at 21 really f%(g#@g sucks, and that’s not going to get better on its own over time as you get older, it’s actually probably going to make things worse.
For some reason, admitting to miscarriages feels weird, almost embarrassing! it’s like people judge you as a woman for failing, and even though i know it’s a reflection of how i feel inside, it still eats my ego when i admit it, but i put it aside to share, to be the voice of others who don’t feel it’s safe to say it, shout it out loud so they can see us, for couples going through these feelings, who cry every time there’s a baby shower, birthday, christmas, online pregnancy announcement, those who feel that they can’t talk about their baby because it’s taboo.
I see you, I speak for you, and that is worth it to me 💛”
poppy
credit: brigite
brigite’s miscarriage tattoo meaning
“poppy flowers: symbol of rest-fullness + peace in death. the flower for August. 🌿 August: the month we were supposed to meet our little one. this tattoo is much more than ink. it is a beautiful reminder that you are as beautiful as these simple flowers. as precious as the delicate petals. You are and always will be my baby. my world. I can not wait to meet you. Until then, you will be with me forever. Mommy loves you.”
birds on a branch and flying
credit: renee
Renee’s words about her miscarriage tattoo
“I love having all my babies permanently painted on my arm to see every day. And the best part is that most people understand the symbolism immediately. It has given me a lot of peace to know that I have our branch of our family tree with me at all times”
angel wings and amor fati
credit: courtney
courtney miscarriage tattoo meaning
““amor fati” means love of destiny. if you’re looking for the meaning, it’s a beautiful representation of life and loss, and felt very appropriate for this type of memorial.
In April 2014 we lost our 12 week old baby. she had just turned 19, she was newlywed and alone in alaska while my husband trained across the country and our family and friends were in california. To say that this loss broke me is an understatement. but thanks to my loving husband and finding the most amazing therapist, they helped me through one of the darkest months of my life. the pain of this loss consumed me and there were days that I didn’t know if I could continue. I know many of you can unfortunately identify.
I personally feel that the hardest thing about losing this child was the fact that I had nothing to prove that this baby was here on earth. his time was very short. I never got to know if she was a girl or a boy, but my heart has always felt that she was a girl. when you lose something so precious but so early in the pregnancy, you fear that this little life will be forgotten. sometimes you can feel silly mentioning it or mentioning your angel baby and i am here to tell you that he is more than fine. I am a safe space for anyone who wants to share with me about her baby angels.
The more we share, the more awareness there is and hopefully we can help others cope with their loss and help prepare those who may also go through it. I will be sharing a video later this month about my miscarriage and healing process. “
baby feet with halo
credit: marlaina
Marlaina’s words on miscarriage
“1 in 4 women experience this loss…I’m 1 in 4. If you’re not familiar with our story, I’ve been pregnant 8 times, had 4 miscarriages and 4 healthy pregnancies. 3 of my kids are rainbow babies… and even though maddox isn’t technically a rainbow baby, I still see him as special, after having my first 2 miscarriages back to back and close together, I had mason and maddox together and felt like it . It was God giving me back what was taken from me. after having 2 healthy pregnancies i honestly thought i was past the miscarriages i thought i was done with them but i was wrong. i ended up having 2 more, 1 after maddox and 1 after cole. at such times it’s hard to hear the full “everything happens for a reason” speeches. but after time has passed I would like to say that I firmly believe that yes, everything happens for a reason, and maybe in those moments it is difficult to realize the reason, but now that I remember it is because I was destined to have these specific children. I couldn’t imagine my life without these 4. Everyone handles miscarriage differently. I am someone who prefers to talk about my difficult times because it helps me cope. not everyone is like that and that’s perfectly fine. my advice to the world is to try to be a little more sensitive with women, don’t ask “when are you going to have a baby?” “ or “when are you going to have another” because you never know who is really trying and struggling, or who has been trying and experiencing loss.”
flowers
credit vine
Lina’s words about her miscarriage tattoo
“More than two years ago we had an abortion, and that’s how we found out I was pregnant. It took me a while to process it, and when I did, I was devastated. was it something i did? Was it because she would be a bad mother? What if I had known? I was so confused, and when I expressed my feelings to others, it seemed to make things worse. I was hit with comments like “well it’s not like you’re trying to have a baby” “it’s not like you knew you were pregnant” “it’s not like you were that far away” “it wasn’t meant to be” “it’s not great thing” etc. I felt guilty at the time because I thought that was valid, but now I know it’s not. Those attitudes kept me from approaching friends who I knew had had a miscarriage for a long time because I was worried that my anger when I “shouldn’t” it would be offensive. but guess what? that’s not true!! ❤️ because when I finally talked to women who understand it, it was very healing and soothing for me, knowing that my feelings were normal and understandable. that we can’t reason with our babies like it’s nothing. it’s kind of crazy that I even feel the need to say this, but if you’ve lost a baby too soon, it’s okay to cry. it’s okay not to be okay. miscarriage matters, our babies matter ❤️ now i have a n or forget me on my baby doll, i’m proud of my heavenly baby. such a small and short life had a big impact on mine. our baby changed us, changed our perspective, gave us new compassion and stronger faith and a plea to heaven.”
Since miscarriage isn’t talked about much, I thought I’d start drawing about it… so here’s my new miscarriage portrait to show the pain and sorrow. I think it’s a unique pain, maybe because the devastation you feel is met with so much loneliness. because you have this huge loss and when you come clean about it, you can be brought down real quick. “oh, it’s normal, it’s natural, it’s not a big deal.” but this does not lessen the pain, it only deepens the hurt and adds guilt to your feelings. As if you no longer feel guilty + crazy about being jealous of healthy pregnancies! it is awful. it’s messy. and isolates you but in reality you are not alone. ✨happens to a lot of women, and by the way, I’m not saying this to make you feel like it’s normal. nothing about losing your baby is normal. I’m just saying that so you know there really are people out there who get it. who see your pain for what it is. who cares. who can tell you things like wow that sucks but it gets better and you may not be the same but that’s okay because your baby changed you. “
tattoo quotes about miscarriages
never forgotten forever loved
credit: the cheerful morning
i love you forever
credit: lizalvarezart
getting help after a miscarriage
Here at cny fertility, we have many support options for those experiencing infertility and pregnancy loss. While one miscarriage or even two can be painful, it’s not entirely out of the ordinary. while support groups and professional counseling can help, it may or may not be something you need to worry about medically. recurrent pregnancy loss, on the other hand, which is experiencing a multitude of miscarriages, is a very serious medical diagnosis, and it is important to seek help. Fortunately, recurrent pregnancy loss can be treated quite successfully with the help of a fertility doctor and IVF with genetic testing or reproductive immunology.
Final words on miscarriage tattoos: a way to remember, mourn, heal and recover
miscarriage and pregnancy loss can often feel like a silent loss. Outward expressions of your grief (such as a miscarriage tattoo) can help minimize feelings of stigma. A miscarriage tattoo is a public and permanent exclamation that this child was real, loved and deeply missed. Some parents choose “explicit” tattoos, such as footprints with wings and the child’s name or date of loss. others choose more subtle references, such as the baby’s breath flower, miscarriage and pregnancy loss awareness ribbon, a small heart, or a miscarriage quote tattoo. whatever speaks to you the most is the perfect memory and will hopefully bring you some comfort and healing. A miscarriage tattoo can also be an opening for conversation, providing an opportunity to talk about the meaning of your tattoo, the child you lost, and a chance to connect with someone who cares enough to listen.
can a tattoo help with the miscarriage recovery process?
Because painful or traumatic events register in our bodies as a series of images and sensory activity, trauma experts encourage survivors to work from the body as they recover and heal. Using your own body to physically register a powerful loss can help you express and release the impact of your grief. In many ways, enduring the pain of the tattoo process provides another opportunity to release and express some of the pain of the loss itself. and is an important physical and visual reminder of your little one, especially if you place the tattoo on your wrist or lower arm, where you will see it hundreds of times throughout the day.
Wherever you are, we want you to know that you are not alone and we send you our love.
