Baby Loss Awareness Week shines a light on for bereaved families

Families who experience the loss of a baby are being encouraged to access support and remembrance events taking place across Somerset as part of Baby Loss Awareness Week.

The national awareness week, which runs from 9 to 15 October, brings people together to remember babies who have died, raise awareness of pregnancy and baby loss, and ensure bereaved families know they are not alone.

The week culminates in the global Wave of Light at 7pm on 15 October, when people around the world light candles in memory of babies gone too soon.

At our trust, colleagues from our maternity bereavement team will be marking the week through a series of remembrance events, displays and opportunities for families to honour their babies.

These include remembrance tables at Musgrove Park and Yeovil hospitals, a Name Your Baby Heart Box initiative, a service of remembrance at Taunton Minster, and participation in the national Wave of Light.

For Jo Beebee, our interim lead bereavement midwife, the week is an important opportunity to recognise the babies whose lives have touched so many families and to remind parents that support is available whenever they need it.

“Marking this week is so important because it helps us remember all those babies that families have lost and honour them in a meaningful way,” she says.

“We want families to know that they are not alone and that there is support available for them, however and whenever they need it.”

Our maternity bereavement team supports families following the loss of a baby during pregnancy or shortly after birth. Support is tailored to the needs of each individual family and can continue for as long as they feel it is helpful.

The team helps families navigate both the emotional and practical challenges that can follow a loss, from arranging investigations and follow-up appointments to providing guidance around funerals, work, future pregnancies and accessing specialist support services.

“Everything we do is individualised and family-centred,” says Jo. “We focus on supporting the whole family, including children, and we will walk alongside them for as long as they want us to.

“There is no set timeframe for grief, and every family's experience is different, so we aim to provide the support that feels right for them.”

Support can take many forms, including phone calls, text messages, home visits or meetings at hospital. Families may also be connected with local charities and support organisations, including Towards Tomorrow Together and children's grief charity Josephine's Star, depending on their needs.

Our specialist bereavement team brings together colleagues from a range of professional backgrounds, helping ensure families receive holistic care during an exceptionally difficult time.

Alongside direct support for families, the team also helps deliver training across maternity services to ensure colleagues have the knowledge and confidence to provide compassionate bereavement care.

Among the events taking place during the week is an annual service of remembrance at Taunton Minster on Saturday 10 October, where families can choose personal readings and music, write messages for their babies and light candles in their memory.

A Name Your Baby Heart Box will also be available at both Musgrove Park and Yeovil hospitals throughout the week, giving people the opportunity to write their baby's name and place it in a remembrance display. Families who aren’t able to attend in person can also contact the team and ask for a name to be added on their behalf.

Families and supporters are also invited to join remembrance events taking place across Somerset as part of the national Wave of Light on Thursday 15 October, including services in Bridgwater and Yeovil.

Both the maternity buildings at Musgrove Park and Yeovil hospitals will be illuminated in pink and blue during the week as a visible sign of remembrance and support for bereaved families.

Jo adds: “We can't change what has happened, but we can make sure families are supported with kindness, care and compassion.

“There are lots of ways we can help, and lots of organisations that can help too. If you have experienced the loss of a baby, please don't feel that you have to go through it alone.”

For more information about Baby Loss Awareness Week and local events, visit the national campaign website or contact our maternity bereavement team on [email protected].