We have a Bereavement Lead Midwife in post, supported by a bereavement team and care is provided 24/7. The Team is responsible for offering immediate and long-term emotional support, information and practical guidance to those who:

  • Experience miscarriage from 14 weeks onwards
  • Experience stillbirth or neonatal death
  • Have an on-going pregnancy with a poor pregnancy prognosis
  • Choose to end their pregnancy for abnormalities
  • Have a subsequent pregnancy

Our Bereavement Lead Midwife understands that the parents of a baby who has died will be faced with many difficult decisions. She can be someone consistent and experienced to whom you can relate, who understands what needs to be done, and can explain all options and choices at a time of great difficulty and sadness. With Charlotte, families have a known person to contact whenever they have questions or requests, or simply want to talk. 

Charlotte will follow your journey from the point of diagnosis up until your postnatal consultant follow up and beyond.
We also have a Bereavement Lead Support Worker who works closely with our Specialist Bereavement Lead Midwife, Charlotte, to liaise with families facing the organisation of the funeral of their baby.
 

Forever Cherished

Forever Cherished is the name of our bereavement service. You will see the name and logo on your notes if you have suffered from the tragic loss of a baby.  We will also make sure you have lots of information and support from Forever Cherished.

We use this logo to make sure all staff involved in your care know that you have suffered a pregnancy loss. 


Bereavement Advocates

Some of our midwives have had special training so that they can support people who have lost a baby. They will provide the best care possible at what may be the worst time for a family. There will always be a midwife on shift who has had this special training. This means we can make sure you get the very best compassionate care. 
 

Postnatal Bereavement Care

We know that you may need lots of care and support after the loss of a baby.  We will be there for you at this really difficult time. 
We will make sure you can see, hold and spend time with your baby and follow all of your wishes.  We will help you with practical things that may seem impossible to think about.  

You care doesn’t stop when you leave hospital and we will make sure we have a clear plan to support you. We will talk to you about counselling services. We will also let you know about tests which can help to understand why your baby has died.

We know that each family will make the decisions that are right for them.  We are here to support you along the way. 

Memory Boxes

We will give you a memory box to capture precious memories with your baby.  This includes ink prints and clay prints of your baby’s hands and feet. These are donated by 4Louis.

 

Counselling

We can offer you and your family up to 6 counselling sessions.  These usually take place twice a month at the start of your bereavement journey.  

During counselling, there are often other things which come up.  If you need further support you can access our Maternal Mental Health Service. This means we can continue to support you. You may also wish to access our Birth Reflections service. This is confidential service to talk about what happened to you and your baby.  
 

4Louis Suites

At each of our hospitals we have a ‘4Louis Suite’. The 4Louis charity supported us to provide these fantastic facilities for families who have lost a baby.

People use the 4Louis Suite to spend time as a family and create precious memories. The suites are equipped with refreshments, kitchen facilities and toiletries and you can spend as much time there as you need.

The suites offer a non-clinical feel but, in an environment, where the right people are there, at the right time to provide the care that is right for you.

Useful Resources for Bereaved Families