Grief journaling gives parents the freedom to express their deepest thoughts, feelings, and emotions about the loss of their baby in a safe place. Sharing your thoughts and emotions about the death of your baby provides an opportunity for you look inward and gain a better understanding of yourself and how you are coping with the loss of your child. Telling the story of your loss may help to calm your emotions.
*Find writing materials that appeal to you: notebook, journal, loose paper and a pen or pencil (crayons, markers and colored pencils work too!)
*Chose someplace comfortable to write though sometimes inspiration comes anytime so consider keeping your journal with you
*Start writing (see prompts and check our blog for writing ideas and prompts)
When beginning writing, simply write; do not worry about grammar, punctuation, or spelling. If you cannot think of anything to write, doodle, draw, decorate the page. Your mind will begin processing thoughts and emotions. From that words and sentences will begin to form.
You want to observe yourself, pour out your heart and study your thought process. Journaling will provide you with a new perspective at some future point so you can see your progression through your grief.
=================================================================================================
Idea #1
Dedicate your journal to your baby. Find a picture of your little one to put on the dedication page and write why that picture is special to you.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Idea #2
Take a few moments to reflect on where you see yourself right now at this moment in time
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Idea #3
What are your current feelings about the next upcoming holiday or anniversary since your baby died? How do you plan to honor your child on this day?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Idea #4
Has anyone told you or made you feel that you need to “get over” your grief? Where and when and in what circumstances did this happen? How did this make you feel?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Idea #5
How do you feel about the reality that you do not get over your grief but rather learn to reconcile yourself to it?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Idea #6
“Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible” -Anonymous
What are your current hopes and future hopes? What are you feeling now? What do you hope to achieve?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Idea #7
Write a letter to your little baby sharing with them your love, your feelings….what is in your head and in your heart. Then consider writing a letter to you from your little one in response the letter you wrote them.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Idea #8
Guilt is a very powerful emotion. Journal about your feelings of guilt related to the death of your baby. Read over what you wrote and then write about how you can address these feelings.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Idea #9
Have you had a case of the “if-only’s” since the death? Write about them and how they make you feel.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Idea #10
What are you doing to express your guilt and regret?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Idea #11
Are there certain days or times of day that are saddest for you now? Explain.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Idea #12
When you start feeling sad, what can you do to help yourself embrace your sadness instead of moving away from it?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Idea #13
What am I most scared of about life after the death of my baby?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Idea #14
In what ways could I have my family/extended family help me?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Idea #15
In what ways could I have my friends help me?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Idea #16
What/How am I currently feeling (the good, the bad, the ugly)