How kids know eldest sibling is their mom’s “rainbow baby” breaks hearts

A Maine mom shared the heartbreaking moment her children showed they understood what a rainbow baby is.

Sadie Trask (@soldwith_sadie) posted a reel on Instagram, explaining that her eldest son, Payton, is a “rainbow baby.”

The term is used to describe a child born after a miscarriage or loss, symbolizing hope after heartbreak.

Trask, a real estate agent in Waterville, was surprised that her children even knew what a rainbow baby was and didn’t think it would be such a “big deal” to them. The way they found out? Bluey was a rainbow baby.

“I think their mind was blown that our family had something in common with a cartoon character,” the 34-year-old told Newsweek.

“I let them watch Bluey because I had watched a few clips of it and I knew it was a wholesome show,” she continued. “I was surprised to learn they incorporated that into the show, but I thought it was a sweet thing to teach kids.”

Trask told viewers in her reel that she hadn’t exactly hidden that information from her children, it simply hadn’t come up—until her mom mentioned it in a casual conversation with her grandchildren. “I didn’t realize that they cared,” she added.

The particular episode of Bluey, the series which is known for exploring grief and healing through age-appropriate storytelling, made a subtle reference to the possible pregnancy loss experienced by Bluey’s mother Chilli in Season 2.

For Trask, the loss that preceded Payton’s birth remains deeply etched in her memory. “It was our very first pregnancy 13 years ago,” she told Newsweek.

“My husband Matt and I were over the moon excited for our first child. While I knew that people waited a while to tell people about their pregnancy because of the possibility of miscarriage in the first trimester, the possibility that I could miscarry never crossed my mind.”

Sadie went in for a routine 12-week checkup only to learn there was no heartbeat. She was alone for the appointment and had to call Matt to come to the hospital for an ultrasound to confirm the miscarriage.

“To go from the most joy and excitement to devastation was so hard,” Sadie said. “We had told everyone about the pregnancy, so then came the daunting task of letting people know about my miscarriage. But looking back, I wouldn’t change that. So many people shared their own stories, and I learned how common it is—it just isn’t talked about. We felt so seen, loved, and supported by our people.”

Though the experience was painful, Sadie hadn’t mapped out when—or even if—she would talk about it with her children.

“It never occurred to me that it was something I should tell them, but I wasn’t against them knowing by any means,” she said. “I just thought the opportunity would present itself when the time was right.”

Sadie’s Instagram reel has been viewed over a million times and received over 350 comments. Many users shared their heartbreaking experiences of baby loss and miscarriage in the comments, praising the show for teaching children.

“When I worked out Chilli had had pregnancy loss, and it was addressed so subtly but sweetly, I loved that show even more,” one user wrote.

“My daughter loves bluey and had a similar reaction when she found out her older brother is also a rainbow baby,” another said.

Sadie told Newsweek that her children may have preferred to know earlier so they could relate to the show.

“They also had so many questions about the baby, so I think part of it was not knowing they had a sibling in heaven,” she said.