When Autumn Safley went out to her local Hobby Lobby, she probably didn’t think too much about what she was wearing. But Courtney Mixon certainly noticed, especially the black t-shirt with a unique design that Autumn had on. Oddly enough, it was that exact clothing item that Autumn’s husband wasn’t so keen on her wearing out in public.

The t-shirt had a rainbow design on the stomach with this quote: “You’re looking at a rainbow!”

Now, considering that Autumn was pregnant, it’s easy to see that the “rainbow” her shirt is referring to is her unborn baby. But the expression has much more meaning than you might think.

What her shirt is alluding to is something called a “rainbow baby,” or a baby that’s been conceived after a couple previously miscarried a baby. The expression comes from the rainbow that often appears after a storm, just like discovering you’re pregnant is a joy after going through something so terrible.

This is a silent tragedy that many grieving parents don’t often talk about, but it’s a devasting lost nonetheless. And Autumn and her husband had just gone through that exact misfortune. Since they were fresh off the tragedy, Autumn’s husband wasn’t crazy about her “rainbow baby” t-shirt, but she insisted it was fine to wear out to run errands.

She certainly had no idea she’d run into another rainbow mom in the process. As it turned out, the beautiful rainbow pattern almost served as a code word between the two women, who had never met before.

 

 

When Courtney saw Autumn’s baby bump, she immediately understood that the little one she was carrying was a “rainbow baby” and immediately felt for her – naturally, she had gone through the same tragedy. She was hoping herself that her own baby would be on its way and felt like she had to say something to this stranger.

The interaction was so touching, she posted about it on a now-viral Facebook post:

“As she passed me I had to speak up. I said I love your shirt!” she wrote on Facebook. “She replied that her husband was hesitant for her to wear it (because people wouldn’t know what it meant). I then told her it’s so taboo to talk about miscarriages and I was proud of her for wearing it. I told her my story and she told me hers. We hugged and said we would keep each other in our prayers! Me for her baby’s continuing good health, and her for me to conceive.

She’s such a beautiful woman and mommy!!! A complete stranger… Thank you Autumn for making me and my husband’s day! Please share this so maybe she can see how much she touched our hearts…”

Well, we bet Autumn was so glad she ended up wearing that t-shirt out! We certainly are because reading about this interaction definitely made our day.