Medical environments often use subtle visual cues to communicate important information quickly. In hospital wards dedicated to childbirth and newborn care, one such symbol is the purple butterfly, a seemingly simple decoration that carries profound and sensitive meaning. This emblem is part of a global initiative designed to offer discreet support to families navigating a complex emotional landscape in the neonatal unit. The marker signifies a deeply personal situation that requires a compassionate and mindful approach from everyone entering the patient’s space.
The Specific Meaning of the Purple Butterfly
The purple butterfly is a universally recognized symbol within neonatal and maternity units, indicating that the baby in that space was part of a multiple birth but that one or more of their siblings did not survive. This visual marker serves as a silent communication tool to prevent well-meaning staff, other parents, or visitors from making accidental, insensitive comments. It spares parents the emotional pain of repeatedly explaining their devastating loss.
The grief experienced by parents with a surviving multiple is often complicated, intertwining the joy of their living child with the profound sorrow for the child who died. This unique emotional state, sometimes referred to as “bereaved sibling grief,” involves mourning the loss of a whole family unit while simultaneously celebrating a new life. They are forced to reconcile these two opposing emotions, a task made harder when others focus solely on the surviving child.
The symbol honors the lost child’s existence and acknowledges the parents’ full experience of their multiple birth. Without this marker, innocent remarks like, “Are you excited to take your twins home?” can cause fresh trauma for the grieving family. By placing the purple butterfly, the hospital staff quietly confirms that they recognize and remember the lost sibling.
The color purple was chosen because it traditionally represents both male and female genders, making it an appropriate, inclusive symbol for any lost baby. The butterfly itself symbolizes the child who has “flown away,” a gentle visual metaphor for the brevity of life and the soul’s departure. This dual meaning allows for a respectful balance between celebrating the life that was and acknowledging the loss that occurred.
The Origin and Spread of the Campaign
The Purple Butterfly Project was created by a couple from the United Kingdom, Millie Smith and Lewis Cann, following the loss of their twin daughter, Skye, in 2016. After Skye passed away shortly after birth, her surviving twin, Callie, remained in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). It was during this time that another mother of twins, unaware of the family’s tragedy, made a comment to Smith about how “lucky” she was not to have twins.
This moment of unintentional pain spurred Smith to action, realizing there was no simple way to communicate her family’s situation to others in the busy hospital environment. The couple founded a movement to create a standardized sign that would prevent other parents of surviving multiples from enduring similar hurtful encounters. Their initiative rapidly gained traction, initially spreading across hospitals in the United Kingdom.
The campaign’s success led to its adoption in countries worldwide, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, as hospitals recognized the need for this specialized form of compassionate care. Organizations like the Australian Multiple Birth Association (AMBA) and Multiple Births Canada now work to implement the protocol, ensuring the symbol and its meaning are consistently applied across different healthcare systems.
Practical Use in Hospital Settings
In practice, the purple butterfly is a small, adhesive sticker or laminated placard displayed prominently near the surviving baby. Common placements include directly on the baby’s isolette or incubator, on the door of the patient’s room, or attached to the bedside chart or crib card. Its location ensures that any person approaching the baby’s space will see the symbol before interacting with the parents.
For hospital staff, the butterfly triggers a specific, trained protocol regarding communication and conduct. Nurses, physicians, and support personnel are educated to acknowledge the symbol silently, adjusting their language to avoid any mention of the number of babies or the word “twin” unless the parents initiate the conversation. This training often includes a focus on bereavement care and the complex psychology of simultaneous grief and joy.
The symbol acts as a non-verbal cue that informs visitors and volunteers that sensitivity is required in this area. It allows the parents to focus on bonding with their surviving child without the emotional burden of protecting themselves from insensitive questions. The hospital facility demonstrates a commitment to supporting the family’s dignity and emotional well-being.