Ison Harrison wish to share their support for family, friends, colleagues, and clients as they use this week to remember their much loved and missed babies and break the silence around baby loss.
Baby Loss Awareness week is now in it’s 22nd year. It is an annual event held from 9th to 15th October to raise awareness about pregnancy and baby loss, providing a platform for bereaved parents and families to share their experiences, fostering a supportive community.
Pregnancy and baby loss is often a taboo subject. However, 50% of UK adults said that they, or someone they know, had experienced at least one form of pregnancy or baby loss, in response to a YouGov survey published 9th October 2023.
Charities such as Tommy’s and Sands do a fantastic job of offering support and information to parents who have gone through miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, neonatal death and termination for medical reasons (TMFR), and molar and ectopic pregnancy.
The awareness week plays an important role in letting bereaved parents know that pregnancy and baby loss is devastating and utterly heart-breaking, but they are not alone. It raises awareness and gets people talking.
Alongside the work they do on bereavement, many of the charities involved work every day to prevent baby and infant deaths, pregnancy loss and maternal deaths.
What is the aim of Baby Loss Awareness Week?
- First and foremost, it’s a time to come together to support bereaved parents and families as they commemorate their babies’ lives and lost pregnancies.
- It’s an opportunity to raise awareness about pregnancy and baby loss. To share stories and break the silence that surrounds pregnancy and baby loss, which is often a taboo subject.
- To drive change and improvements in care and support for anyone affected and in the prevention of pregnancy and baby loss.
How can you get involved?
There are a few things you can do to get involved and show your support such as:
- Break the silence – talk about pregnancy and baby loss and help ensure that every bereaved family gets the support they need.
- Reach out – provide support to someone you know.
- Share your story – talking about your experience can help you and others. Talk about what helped you and what didn’t to raise awareness and shape better practices going forward.
- Take part in events across the UK – find out which events are on in your community and show your support. https://babyloss-awareness.org/events/
- Join the global #WaveOfLight – unite with bereaved families across the world by lighting a candle at 7pm on 15 October in memory of every baby who has died. Post a photo of your candle to appear on the social wall.
- Purchase merchandise or donate https://babyloss-awareness.org/
