Losing a baby is one of the hardest things anyone can experience. There’s a lot of stigma around miscarriages and the grief that can follow, and many families struggle to find a way through this emotional pain. This feeling stays with you for years or even a lifetime.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- What Is a Miscarriage Tattoo?
- Masculine Miscarriage Tattoo Design Ideas
- Feminine Miscarriage Tattoo Design Ideas
- Simple Miscarriage Tattoo Design Ideas
With so many people wondering what to do in memory of someone, finding the perfect tribute for a miscarriage can be challenging. Honoring their life and legacy, no matter how brief, with a permanent tattoo is a touching way to keep this memory close to your heart.
With so many design ideas to choose from, a miscarriage tattoo is a powerful way not only to practice healthy remembrance but also to start a conversation around your loss. Tattoos are a highly personal thing. This is something you’ve chosen to keep on your body permanently.
Like the loss that comes with losing a pregnancy, a tattoo stays reminds you of your loss and ongoing strength. Here are 17 miscarriage tattoo ideas for both moms and dads.
What Is a Miscarriage Tattoo?
A miscarriage tattoo is a form of physical representation for an emotional loss. It’s common for people to get tattoos after losing a loved one, whether it was a parent, child, or a pregnancy. Because these losses come with feelings of pain, a physical symbol often brings a lot of relief.
This type of memorial tattoo is a personal way to hold your pregnancy close to your forever. Common amongst both moms and dads, there are no rules to how you represent this grief. Though not everyone chooses to get a memorial tattoo, they’re incredibly meaningful to those who opt for this type of permanent art.
Masculine Miscarriage Tattoo Design Ideas
While society often focuses on how women cope with a miscarriage, many men experience similar feelings of grief and loss. The emotions that come along with a partner losing a pregnancy are hard to explain.
A physical symbol represented in a masculine miscarriage tattoo design idea can be a source of peace.
1. Birds
One discreet miscarriage tattoo idea is birds. Birds have long been a symbol of peace, wellness, and freedom. A bird in flight represents a loss, something that’s gone but never forgotten.
2. Tree
Many of the best tattoo ideas around loss have to do with nature. Nature cycles through life and death naturally, paying everyone equal attention.
A tree is a powerful symbol not only of strength, but that life continues on through every season of life.
3. Roman numerals
Another powerful reminder of life is to capture an important date in Roman numerals.
This could be the day of conception, the date the parents discovered the pregnancy or the day of the loss. Keeping these numerals close can be healing on its own.
4. Lifeline
Getting a lifeline tattoo in honor of a pregnancy loss is a simple masculine tattoo idea.
This tattoo resembles a heart monitor reading, not unlike what the parents would have seen at pregnancy appointments. Having a physical representation of this memory to carry close keeps this legacy alive.
5. “Amor omnia vincit”
A common design trend amongst men’s tattoos is to use Latin phrases to say something meaningful.
One unique option is “amor omnia vincit” which means “love conquers all.” The love a parent has for a child, even one they never met, is always the strongest of love.
Feminine Miscarriage Tattoo Design Ideas
A miscarriage tattoo design acts as its own miscarriage memorial. Though small and often discreet, this reminder plays an important role in the healing and grief process. Consider these feminine miscarriage tattoo design ideas for your next body art.
6. Flowers
After a loss, flowers are typically given as a common sympathy gift. Not only are they a gorgeous reminder of life, but they’re also a form of support.
A flower tattoo honors the idea that though their time was short, it was endlessly beautiful. This beauty lives on even after the petals wilt away.
7. Angel wings
When you lose a pregnancy, that spirit is still with you. This guardian angel is always watching closely throughout the remainder of your days until you meet again. An angel wing tattoo honors this touching symbolism.
8. Moon and stars
As the saying goes, we love our children “to the moon and back.” Bring this idea to life with a stunning tattoo of the moon and stars.
The night sky is a source of ongoing comfort for many. The stars might be galaxies away, but we still see their light shining bright every night.
9. Footprints
One of the most difficult parts of a miscarriage is not having any physical representations of their children aside from ultrasound images. A footprint tattoo helps fill this gap. This also makes a powerful stillbirth memorial tattoo.
10. Butterfly
For women, butterflies are a common tattoo choice. With so many colors and shapes to choose from, this is a customizable design that fits any aesthetic.
Because butterflies go through extreme transformations, they’re the perfect symbol for grief and remembrance.
Simple Miscarriage Tattoo Design Ideas
Last but not least, there are a number of profound miscarriage tattoo design ideas that are beautiful in their simplicity. For some, less is more when it comes to body art. Not only are these discreet, but they still pay tribute to the loss.
11. Feather
In some belief systems, feathers are seen as a sign that a guardian angel is watching over you.
Though simple, this imagery evokes powerful feelings of legacy and angels, perfect for a miscarriage memorial.
12. Their name
Some parents find it therapeutic to name their child, even if they never met them in-person.
Honoring this name with a tattoo brings their memory to life. Though they might have only been on this earth briefly, their existence mattered.
13. Heart
Of course, one of the classic design ideas is a heart. This can be customized with a variety of colors and sizes to suit the individual.
A heart is a literary representation of the rich feelings the parent felt for their little one taken from the world too soon.
14. Miscarriage awareness ribbon
There’s a stigma around talking openly about miscarriage and the grief that comes with it.
For many parents in this situation, raising awareness about this reality is part of the healing process. The pink and blue ribbon is traditionally used to raise awareness around miscarriages and stillbirth.
15. “Too beautiful for Earth.”
A common phrase attributed to the miscarriage awareness movement is “too beautiful for Earth.” The infant’s soul was too beautiful for this world. Though it was called away too soon, it is going on to serve an even higher purpose.
16. Rainbow
Rainbows are commonly associated with miscarriage and loss. Rainbows are beautiful, but they only appear after a storm. The darker the storm, the brightest of rainbows. This imagery carries a lot of meaning.
17. Infinity symbol
Last but not least, an infinity symbol is a brilliant reminder that life and legacy always live on.
Though your baby might no longer be with you physically, they are still close to your heart. Like the infinity sign, it continues onward through life and death.
Choosing the Right Memorial Tattoo
There are few things in life as permanent as tattoos, so this is an easy way to share your love for someone, no matter how brief their life. After losing a pregnancy, it can be hard to find the path forward from grief. Additionally, because there’s a stigma around these types of losses, many moms and dads feel they can’t be open about this pain.
A memorial miscarriage tattoo ensures they always have their little one close. This intimate, personal way to honor their life, no matter how short, proves that legacy can mean so many different things. If you or a loved one are going through a miscarriage, a memorial tattoo is a touching tribute.
If you're looking for more ways to memorialize or cope with your miscarriage, read our guides on miscarriage care packages and memorial garden ideas.