First of all, I think this reference would go over almost any kid's head. Before I lost Dominic, it absolutely went right over my head because I didn't notice it at all and I was in my twenties. But I sure as heck notice it now, and even though it absolutely makes me cry, I applaud Disney for acknowledging that this is the harsh reality that a lot of couples face. I think it is tastefully and beautifully done, and that Ellie's silent strength while she sits in the front yard afterward so accurately depicts the strength and grace that comes over you during the "eye of the storm" of pregnancy loss.
I have also mentioned before that the movie "Julie & Julia" also alludes to infertility. Although not blatantly stated, there are a couple scenes in the movie that let you know that Julia Child was suffering with the fact that she could not have a baby. One scene, you see her walking down the street in Paris and when she passes a woman with a baby in a stroller, you can see the pain on her face. Again, before I experienced it myself, I didn't even notice what the scene was really about. She doesn't even say anything about the baby, she's actually talking to a friend about something completely different. It's just a quick facial expression, if you blinked you would miss it. But now I know... and I know that face. I've made that face. There's also a scene where she finds out her younger sister is pregnant and even though she is obviously happy for her, she breaks down crying. I also can relate to these conflicting emotions all too well.
The show "Friends," depicted Monica & Chandler's struggle with infertility and eventual adoption. But since "Friends" was a comedy, I don't believe it really showed the true darkness that infertility can bring upon someone's life. The movie "Return to Zero," is a very dark movie about a woman who has a full-term stillborn baby, but almost no one has ever heard of this movie. I watched it because I am a glutton for punishment, apparently. If you have recently had a pregnancy loss, I do not suggest it... wait a few months.
I just wanted to give credit to the few brave souls who have breeched the taboo subjects of pregnancy loss and infertility in the media. Because in my opinion, I don't think it's shown nearly enough to be proportional to how often it occurs in real life. The odds of a woman experiencing a pregnancy loss in her lifetime are 1 in 4. The odds of you being attacked by a shark are 1 in 3.7 million, but there's tons of movies about that scenario. In my experience, I have often felt extremely isolated and alone, like everyone else but me can have healthy babies at the snap of a finger. If the subject wasn't considered so taboo, maybe women like me wouldn't feel so stigmatized and alone.