This can create an extremely complicated emotional experience.
Parents may feel:
- Happiness
- Love
- Grief
- Shock
- Sadness
- Emotional exhaustion
A purple butterfly can help healthcare workers and visitors understand that the family may be experiencing both joy and grief at the same time.
A Symbol of a Surviving Sibling
The purple butterfly is sometimes placed near the surviving baby’s hospital cot or crib.
Its purpose is not to identify the baby as sick.
Instead, it can indicate that the baby had a sibling who was part of the pregnancy but did not survive.
This helps staff understand that the family may need additional sensitivity and emotional support.
Why a Butterfly?
The butterfly is often used as a symbol of transformation, remembrance, and the fragility of life.
For families who experience the loss of a baby, the butterfly can become a meaningful symbol of the child who is no longer physically present.
The image can represent:
- Love
- Memory
- Hope
- Transformation
- Remembrance
- The connection between siblings
The symbol allows families to acknowledge the baby they lost while celebrating the baby who survived.
The Purple Color
The color purple has also become associated with awareness and remembrance surrounding pregnancy and infant loss.
It can represent a mixture of emotions.
Purple combines elements traditionally associated with blue and red, and it is sometimes viewed symbolically as representing both sadness and love.
For families dealing with the loss of a baby, the color can therefore carry emotional significance.
The Story Behind the Purple Butterfly
The purple butterfly symbol became particularly well known through the story of a family who experienced the loss of one baby from a multiple pregnancy while another baby survived.
A purple butterfly was reportedly used to help explain the family’s circumstances to people entering the hospital room.
The symbol subsequently became associated with the idea of remembering a baby who was lost while honoring the surviving sibling.
Why Hospital Staff May Use Symbols
Hospitals can be busy environments.
Doctors, nurses, technicians, cleaners, volunteers, and visitors may all enter a patient’s room.
It is not practical—or emotionally fair—for grieving parents to repeatedly explain their personal circumstances to every person who enters.
A simple symbol can communicate an important message quickly and discreetly.
For example, it may encourage staff and visitors to:
- Speak sensitively
- Avoid insensitive questions
- Understand the family’s emotional situation
- Recognize that the parents may be grieving
- Give the family appropriate privacy
It Does Not Mean the Baby Is Sick
One of the most important things to understand is that a purple butterfly does not necessarily mean that the newborn is ill.
