Baby Loss Awareness Week
Baby Loss Awareness Week takes place every year and raises awareness about pregnancy and baby loss in the UK. Throughout the week, bereaved parents and their families and friends come together to commemorate the lives of their babies who died during pregnancy, at or soon after birth, and in infancy.
This is a message from our Family Support Team during Baby Loss Awareness Week.
The loss of a baby is a shocking and devastating event for not only the parents themselves, but the whole family, including grandparents and siblings, all of whom will have had dreams and hopes for the future with their new family member.
Our Care Team, including the Family Support Team at Naomi House & Jacksplace, offers practical, psychological and spiritual support for bereaved families under their care, at a time when it is most needed. This support is tailored to suit individual families' needs.
In the early stages of loss and grief, family members are likely to be in a state of shock and can struggle to take in the loss and impact of their child’s death. At this time, families can find it useful to talk through some of the practical aspects such as funeral planning or maternity benefits and taking care of themselves at this stressful time. We can also assist them in memory making and have a range of different options available. Some family members also find their faith and spiritual beliefs are more prominent, or are questioned, and value the opportunity to discuss this with our Chaplain.
As time progresses, regular check-in phone calls, attendance at the bereaved parents’ group or bereaved dads group can help by offering the opportunity to talk to other parents who have experienced the loss of a child. If there are siblings in the family, the Family Support Team can offer direct one-to-one support, regular bereaved siblings’ groups in school holidays, or the opportunity to discuss with parents the best way to provide support to their children whilst grieving themselves.
One to one counselling is also available for parents and grandparents to help navigate their loss and at times that are even more difficult for the family for whatever reason, for example birthdays, anniversaries, date of diagnosis, hospital admissions etc.
As grief is unique to everyone, the type of support offered, and for how long, is led by the individual family members.
Support
We understand this can be an incredibly difficult time for families. If you're a recently bereaved parent or family member and are looking for help, please reach out by visiting: https://babyloss-awareness.org/for-bereaved-parents-families/