BRAZOS COUNTY, Texas — Lauren Van Buren is a Bryan resident who launched a hairbow-making business after experiencing three miscarriages.
October is Miscarriage and Baby Loss Awareness Month and the Van Buren's say it's a hard topic that needs to be talked about more.
In Van Buren's nursery are a crib, blocks and everything you need for a baby.
"The minute you see that positive line, your brain takes off, with 'Ok, we're going to have first birthdays. We're going to have first days of school. We're going to have all of these future events," Lauren said.
She put this nursery together the first time she was pregnant in 2018.
"In the blink of an eye, all of that's gone. You don't know what to do with all of that planning that you let your heart and your brain do," Lauren said.
She and her husband were expecting a boy but miscarried. The couple suffered from two more that year.
"Most days I'm okay. Then there are days where it just hits me. I don't have my son here and those days are hard," Steven Van Buren said.
"It doesn't get easier with time. It just becomes a part of your story," Lauren said.
Lauren Van Buren found making hairbows and bow-ties helped her cope with the loss.
She enjoyed making them so much, she launched her own business, Rainbows of Hairbows.
Proceeds are going towards an adoption fund for the couple.
She also joined support groups.
With 10 to 20% of known pregnancies ending in a miscarriage, she encourages others who experience this loss to also look for support.
"It's ok to talk about it. It's fine. You're able to show pictures if you have them. You're able to mention their names if you named them. That's ok. It's not something to be ashamed of and swept under the rug," Lauren said.
She says Miscarriage and Baby Loss Awareness month is also a hard month.
"We don't need a month to remember that we lost three children. We remember that on a daily basis," Lauren said.
It's a chance for people who have not experienced one to learn.
"To be aware of when you ask the questions, 'Oh, is this your first baby? Well, it may be their first baby they get to raise here on Earth, but it may not be their first pregnancy or their first baby," Lauren said.
Hoping that as more people talk, those who never experience a miscarriage will gain more understanding and those who have, find healing.