When someone close to you, like a friend or a family member, has a miscarriage, you might feel a little helpless. You want to be there for them and you want to do something nice for them, but it can be hard to know what to say or do in a situation as sensitive as this one. Reaching out to extend your condolences and simply say, “I’m here if you need me,” is always a good idea. But if words feel like they aren’t enough or you want to go above and beyond, giving a gift to someone who had a miscarriage can also be an appropriate response.
Obviously a gift is never going to replace their loss, but it is a nice gesture: it shows the person that you’re thinking of them, you’re there for them when they’re ready, and you want to do something that makes them feel even a tiny bit better. The key is being sensitive when you think about what to purchase. Some thoughtful options include a bouquet of flowers, a care package full of items to help them relax, or a piece of jewelry to help them remember. I’ve put together a list of gifts for someone who had a miscarriage that will help you show them how much you care.
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A Sweet Charm Bracelet
Some people go through a miscarriage and prefer to get through it, then try to move on as if it didn’t happen. Others choose to remember the life and potential that was lost — everyone has different ways of coping. If you think your friend or family member would like it, a piece of jewelry meant to memorialize the loss is a nice gift. This expandable wire bangle bracelet from Alex and Ani is affordable and thoughtful. It features a two-sided heart charm, with a handprint on the front and the words “forever touched my heart” on the back. It’s a beautiful sentiment.
A Sympathy Care Package
A care package is a nice way to send a few items. You can always choose to put one together yourself, but if you’re low on time or you simply aren’t sure what to do, sending one that’s already done is a great way to go. This Spoonful of Comfort care package includes items that are meant to help someone experiencing a loss. There’s a cozy blanket, cookies, a Healing After Loss book, some tea, raw honey, and a personal notecard. These are just some comforting items that will help someone get through the grief when they need a little extra love.
A Relaxation Basket
Your friend is going through a lot right now, and while she might find it hard to focus on self-care, it is something that could help her. This box encourages relaxation and a little “me time” when they need it the most. It comes with a soothing lavender candle, lip balm, lavender castile soap, a rose petal bath bomb, an orange bath bomb, a greeting card, and an engraved wood heart with an inspirational message on it. You can also spend more and add on a gold pearl necklace if you want. Everything comes packaged in a lovely box wrapped in lavender ribbon.
A Necklace To Encourage Strength
Some of the sympathy jewelry out there is meant to remember the life that was lost. This particular necklace is more about inspiration to move through the pain and encouraging strength, which makes it a little different. In a minimalist rainbow shape, this necklace is pretty and easy to wear every day. It also comes with a beautiful message about getting through the toughest times in life and overcoming and surviving. Part of the message says, “And although the storm brought her destruction, it also brought her strength. She learned that she is more powerful than anything that arrives to break her — the darkness will never stop her from finding her own light.”
A Helpful Book
In many ways, navigating the loss of an unborn child is different than navigating other types of losses. You’re mourning a life that almost was and all of the possibility that came with it, and it can be really tough to work to work through that on your own. Whether the person you’re buying for is seeing a therapist or not, a book about dealing with that kind of grief can be extremely helpful. This is a thoughtful gift to give that also doesn’t cost a lot, and it could be something they didn’t even realize they needed. Gift this on its own, or add it to a DIY care package.
A Grief Care Package
This care package is meant to offer hope and encouragement during a time of grief and sadness. For $45, the base care package comes with a Citrus Sunrise candle, a glass apothecary bottle set of wooden safety matches, 10 Bible verse cards with journal reflection prompts on the back, a journal, a heart-shaped plantable seed paper, a watercolor hymn print, chocolate, and a resource card of song and book recommendations for dealing with grief and loss. If you want to spend a little more, you can add on an essential oil roller, a mini dried bouquet, a gold dipped lily necklace, or a book about grief after miscarriage.
Comforting Soup
You know how people often send food after a loved one dies? It’s a nice idea because it’s thoughtful: when you’re really going through something and feeling very sad, sometimes the last thing you want to do is think about putting in the effort to cook something. This soup care package is a great option because soup is such a good comfort food. It comes with 64 oz of soup (this makes four to six generous servings), a half dozen rolls, a ladle, and a half dozen cookies for dessert. You can also fill out a personalized note card. Chicken soup is a classic, but they have a few other flavor options as well.
A Thoughtful Bracelet
It’s hard to pick out jewelry for someone else (it can feel so personal), but this cuff bracelet is versatile and perfect for everyday wear, so it’s hard to go wrong with it. This bracelet, meant for those who are grieving, says, “Your wings were ready. My heart was not.” This feels very appropriate for any loss, especially a miscarriage. You can also personalize it with a name to make it feel more intimate. It comes in silver, 18K gold, or rose gold, and I love how this is worn with the message hidden so that it feels secret and special.
A Memorial Candle
Whether you want to get something small or you’re looking for something to add to a DIY care package, this memorial candle is a really nice option. It’s eco-friendly with a clean burn, made without any additives or dyes, and features a metal-free wick. It’s also scented with natural botanicals, juniper, and cypress, and is infused with natural essential oils like cedarwood, cypress, geranium, and mint, for a fresh, woodsy scent that anyone would enjoy. You can choose between an 8-ounce size for a 60-hour burn or a 12-ounce size for up to an 80-hour burn.You also personalize the candle with a name.
A Grief Journal
Although it might not be for everyone, journaling can be a really important part of getting through something tragic, like a miscarriage. Journaling is a great way to express thoughts and emotions without fear of judgement. This guided journal is meant to help. It’s loosely structured around the five stages of grief, and uses proven methods based in positive psychology to help people deal with grief and loss. Alongside space to write, there are also quotes and positive affirmations that can feel uplifting. This is a helpful way to encourage your friend or family member to work through their pain.
Flower Seeds
Sending over a bouquet of flowers after someone suffers a miscarriage is a really nice response. The only issue with bouquets, though, is that they only last for a few days. If you want to gift flowers that last much longer, gift seed packets. These forget-me-not seeds make beautiful flowers, they’re low-maintenance, and feel appropriate for someone dealing with loss (because they’ll never forget who they lost). You can stick a few of these in a nice card or throw them into a DIY care package. Gardening is also a nice distraction for those looking to keep busy.
A Pregnancy Loss Care Package
This sympathy care package was made with grieving mothers in mind, making it thoughtful and sweet. It comes with a handkerchief that features Psalm 56:8 on it, reading, “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears.” It also comes with plantable seed paper that is a mix of wildflower annuals and perennials, reflect journals with ruled pages for writing, a heart jewelry dish that is meant to be symbolic of the love shared, a necklace of the buyer’s choice, and a Forget-Me-Not hand cream. Each item is one that can be used and treasured over time.
A Versatile Bracelet
Another versatile bracelet option is this leather Laurel Denise pick, which is inexpensive (under $30), and is perfect for everyday wear. It’s nice on its own with a thoughtful card or can be added to a DIY care package. It reads, “I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart) -- e.e. Cummings.” The writing has been burned into the leather, so you don’t have to worry about it fading or rubbing off, and with regular wear it becomes very soft and comfortable. You can choose between brown or a metallic rose gold leather color, but either one is a good choice.
A Bouquet of Greenery
Again, a bouquet of flowers is always a beautiful and thoughtful gift to send when someone has suffered loss, but they don’t last very long. If you want something that will stick around longer, opt for a bouquet of greenery. This is often more low-maintenance, lives longer, and feels more modern and unique. This bouquet is made up of preserved eucalyptus, dried Aveena oats, starflower, and helichrysum italicum. Since it’s a dried bouquet, it will last a long time, and it comes in a beautiful white ceramic vase that can be used again and again.
The Right Card
The truth is, you really don’t need to spend a lot on a pricey gift to cheer someone up during this time. Sometimes, all you need to do is send an understanding card. Not just a text or an email, but an actual handwritten card: this is a really nice way to show someone you’re thinking of them, and it feels so much more personal and intimate. This card is honest in the best way, and states, “I’m not sure I have the right words, but know I’m thinking of you.” You can write a nice message inside that shows that while there’s no pressure, they can always come to you.
A Box of Tea
Combine two things your friend or family member might need (tea and food) and you get this really thoughtful box from Mouth. It contains orange pistachio shortbread, raspberry cave cookies, Splendid Serenity Tea by 2 Queens Honey + Tea, Chai Tea Concentrate by Dona Chai, and a really nice wildflower honey by TruBee. It’s basically everything they need to sit down with a cup of soothing tea and a snack, so they can relax and have a moment of silence to themselves. Everything will taste delicious, and it all comes wrapped in a nice box as well.
A Skincare Box
This gift box from Bodily is meant to support someone who recently went through a miscarriage and is full of items that are ideal for some self-care time. It includes two olive branch remembrance bracelets that symbolize resilience, strength, and the capacity for regrowth, which are meant for them and their partner to wear through challenging times. It also comes with a guidebook for physical and emotional recovery after loss that also includes messages from those who have gone through it, a Restore recovery latte, and an advice book titled The Miscarriage Map: What To Expect When You Are No Longer Expecting by Dr. Sunita Osborn.
A Box of Sunshine
I’ll be honest with you: it’s not going to be easy to cheer up someone who just went through a miscarriage. Still, this sunshine yellow box of items is meant to at least try, and at least it shows you’re thinking of them. It comes with a cup of Sunshine Herbal Tea from Big Heart Tea Co., shortbread cookies, a yellow mug, meyer lemon candies, a jar of organic honey, and lemon crisps. This is nice for a snack break when some relaxation is needed, and if you want to spend more, you can add on a soy candle, face mask, or throw blanket if you’d like.
It’s not always about the actual gift you’re giving—sometimes it’s more about the fact that you reached out and thought of them. Pick a gift that feels appropriate for what your friend or family member is like, and know that they’ll appreciate it so much, even if they don’t say it out loud.
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