Grief is a journey that is different for everyone.
Every life is different and so every loss is different. There is no set path for grief to take and for parents experiencing baby loss, this complicated and unfamiliar route ahead can feel isolating and lonely.
This week, 9th to 15th October 2022, is Baby Loss Awareness Week. It’s a special week to remember the babies lost during pregnancy and during or soon after birth.
For families under the care of Neonatal Care Units, the complex mixture of emotions that comes with having to say goodbye to a baby is also impacted by where you are. In the NICU, experiencing grief happens alongside and mixes with the many other emotions that arise in a ward filled with fellow parents, medical professionals, new lives and sometimes–sadly–new losses.
There is no one kind of grieving and so there are many ways to seek and find information, comfort, support– you are not alone.
Our minds cope in all kinds of unpredictable ways to shock and sadness; sometimes with anger or jealousy, despair, numbness, disbelief to name just a few. These are difficult emotions, often emotions that can bring feelings of shame and guilt, but every single thought and feeling that combine to become a bereaved parent’s unique pathway through grief are nothing to be ashamed of.
Every response to baby loss is deserving of compassion and support.
You are deserving of compassion and support.
We all have our own ways of processing and coping with loss. If you’re looking for advice or support, below are more places you can reach out to for help:
https://www.tommys.org/baby-loss-support
https://www.achildofmine.org.uk
https://www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk
https://www.sands.org.uk/usefullinks
You can read more about baby loss awareness week here:
Read more about Baby Loss Awareness Week
At 7pm on 15th October there will be a virtual wave of light, as part of remembering the babies lost during pregnancy, birth and soon after birth. You can join this virtual wave of light by adding your photo on the night, with the hashtag #WaveofLight on social media.
