Are you spending this Mother¡¯s Day wondering if you are, in fact, a mother? 900,000-1 million women in the U.S. alone face this question every year after suffering pregnancy loss. ¡°For women who experience a miscarriage during their first pregnancy, the question of motherhood is an even greater one,¡± says Lisa Church of HopeXchange, a company dedicated to the support of women and their families facing pregnancy loss.

Mother¡¯s Day is the most difficult holiday a woman must face after pregnancy loss. A time that was supposed to be a celebration of a new life and a new motherhood becomes a time of sadness and grief. Church¡¯s book, Hope is Like the Sun: Finding Hope and Healing After Miscarriage, Stillbirth, or Infant Death, encourages women to use the holiday to remember their babies, rather than making it a dreaded event to endure each year. ¡°Nothing will lesson the pain of Mother¡¯s Day, but with some planning you can make sure the day has meaning for you,¡± says Church. Here are some tips from the book that can help:

- You Are a Mother.

The best gift you can give yourself on Mother¡¯s Day is the acknowledgement that you are a mother. You may not have a baby to hold in your arms, but you do have one in your heart.

- Let Your Family Know What You Need.

If you feel uncomfortable being recognized as a mother at a banquet or other function, substitute an activity you would feel good about. If you would rather not receive or wear a flower, then wear an item that helps you to connect with your baby, such as a piece of jewelry that includes the baby¡¯s birthstone.

- Remember Your Baby.

Mother¡¯s Day can be a great time for a husband and wife to talk about their baby and what the baby meant to them. Take a walk, have a quiet dinner, or just set aside some time to remember your baby together.

- Decide Ahead of Time.

The way you chose to spend Mother¡¯s Day should be your decision- and one you make ahead of time. Setting time aside to remember and talk about your baby will make you ¡°feel¡± more like a mom on the very day designed to do that. Church also reminds women that their spouses may experience similar feelings on Father¡¯s Day, ¡°so be sure to ask how he would like to spend the day.¡±

Hope is Like the Sun: Finding Hope and Healing After Miscarriage, Stillbirth, or Infant Death is available online at http://www.HopeXchange.com, Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com or by calling HopeXchange Publishing at 757-826-2162.

Lisa Church is author of "Hope is Like the Sun: Finding Hope and Healing After Miscarriage, Stillbirth or Infant Death and founder of HopeXchange, a company dedicated to helping women and their families facing miscarriage.

To find miscarriage support and sign up for her FREE, monthly newsletter visit http://www.HopeXchange.com