Glenn Maxwell, wife Vini Raman expecting rainbow baby: All you need to know

Australia cricket team all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and his wife Vini Raman are going to be parents for the first time, as the couple announced the pregnancy on Instagram with a heartwarming post.

Vini said that her journey to becoming a mother has not been easy and that she has experienced the sorrow and grief associated with pregnancy.

Taking to Instagram, Vini wrote, "Glenn & I are ecstatic to announce our rainbow baby is due September 2023. It’s so important for us to acknowledge this journey has not been the smoothest or easiest. I know first hand how painful it can be to see posts like these wondering if and when your time will be. We send our love and strength to other couples who are struggling with fertility or loss."

What is a rainbow baby?

A rainbow baby refers to a child expected after the loss of a baby to miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal birth.

The term was coined to represent something beautiful arriving after a storm.

According to parenting website parents.com, reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist Jennifer Kulp-Makarov said it represents “a rainbow after a storm; something beautiful after something scary and dark”.

“It is an extremely emotional and devastating experience to lose a pregnancy [or baby],” she said. “To create a life or bring a baby into the world after such a loss is amazing like a miracle for these parents.”

What is having a rainbow baby like?

According to healthline.com, the birth of a rainbow baby often brings about “mixed emotions”.

While rainbow babies are often described as “miracle” babies, the pregnancies can also “bring strong feelings of anxiety, guilt, and even fear”.

“Conflicting emotions of honouring a baby who has died while celebrating one that’s healthy – and grieving a loss while celebrating new life – often accompany a rainbow birth,” explains the website.