If you ever see a purple butterfly sticker on a hospital cot, incubator, or NICU bassinet, it can carry a meaning far more emotional than it first appears. The symbol is used in some hospitals to indicate that a newborn was part of a multiple pregnancy, such as twins or triplets, but one or more siblings sadly did not survive. It quietly alerts staff and visitors that the family may be grieving while caring for their surviving baby.

The symbol can help prevent painful or awkward comments from people who may not know the family’s circumstances. A simple question such as “Is this your only baby?” or an innocent comment about being lucky not to have twins can unintentionally cause deep hurt. The butterfly represents the baby who has “flown away,” while purple provides a gender-neutral symbol that can honor any lost sibling. 💜

The idea was created in 2016 by UK mother Millie Smith, after she gave birth prematurely to twins, Callie and Skye. Sadly, Skye died only a few hours after birth because of a medical condition. While Smith was caring for Callie in the NICU, another parent made an innocent remark about being glad they did not have twins. That moment inspired Smith to create a simple way to help medical staff and visitors understand a family’s loss without requiring parents to repeatedly explain it. 🦋

Since then, the butterfly symbol has become associated with compassionate support for families experiencing neonatal loss and multiple births, with initiatives such as the Neonatal Butterfly Project helping spread awareness. It serves as a quiet reminder that even when only one baby is visible in a hospital room, another little life may still be deeply loved and remembered. For grieving parents, that small purple butterfly can acknowledge a loss that words sometimes cannot.