While the reproductive journey is one of great beauty for many, for many families around the world, it is one marked by devastating loss. Pregnancy and infant loss encompass a range of disheartening scenarios, including miscarriage, stillbirth, and the death of a newborn. Unfortunately, despite the prevalence of the phenomenon, many families find themselves trudging through the pain in isolation. Organizations like Aaliyah in Action are founded on the notion that this does not have to be the case.
Aaliyah in Action is a 501(c)(3) organization committed to supporting families through pregnancy and infant loss, by honing in on the realm of self-care. In addition to a valuable resource for families navigating the difficult journey, the organization stands as a commemoration. Aaliyah in Action is named after founder Elizabeth O’Donnell’s daughter, who was born still, at 31 weeks gestation, in December of 2020. When Elizabeth found herself nestled in the love and support of community members, she decided that other families deserved the same comfort, at baseline.
While community care is important and among the principles on which the organization is founded, the decision to zero in on self-care stems from another devastating aspect of the experience–it is quite difficult for families to feel worthy of self-care in the face of this kind of trauma. In this way, taking care of people moving through pregnancy and infant loss enables Aaliyah in Action to create corrective emotional experiences; experiences that affirm their sense of worth, and their right to optimal comfort and care as they grieve the loss of their little one.
The organization primarily serves women, birthing people, and their families in the Washington, D.C. area. Among their offerings to serve the immediate needs of families facing pregnancy and infant loss are self-care packages and support books, and resources for no-cost local and national bereavement support.
Their self-care boxes are available to order and for distribution at local hospitals, for immediate provision to families who have experienced neonatal or perinatal loss. Each box consists of a pair of fuzzy socks, lip balm, face mask, tea, lavender shower steamers and a candle. While the boxes symbolize self-care, they are a simultaneous show of communal care. The organization purchased each item from a small business in the curation of the packages, one of which is run by a birth worker. In addition to these items, included in the package is their Self-Care Choice Board, which is designed as a gentle push to get families moving and using the package.
Featured in the package is a book tailored to the parents’ unique grieving process and needs. Options include Alisha Anderson’s Still Here: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Triumph After Stillbirth, Emily Long’s You Are Not Alone: Love Letters from Loss Mom to Loss Mom, and JaRonda Dockett’s When the Heartbeat Stops: Organic Accounts of Women Breaking the Silence Around Miscarriage. These address the experiences of stillbirth, infant loss, and miscarriage, respectively. Other options, depending on the family’s need, include He Lost his Baby Too: Survival Guide for the Grieving Dad written by father, Kelly Farley, I’m Still a Big Sister, written by Brittany Day and her daughter Eliza, and Mi bebé nació al cielo: Una nueva visión para ser feliz con tu bebé celestial written by Patricia Mora Gonzalez.
In addition to the sourcing of the materials, the funding of the packages stands as a product of community care. Outside of partnerships with hospitals, Aaliyah in Action relies on the generosity of donors to provide packages for those in need. You can support their positively life-altering mission by making a donation via PayPal, or through Venmo (@aaliyahinaction).
