On the day we lost our son, we were very fortunate to be taken care of by a number of professionals such as our Doula, Doctors, Nurses and a Social Worker.  Our GP even drove to the hospital after a full day of seeing patients at the clinic to see us.  The Manager had assigned a Nurse to my husband and I which was a huge blessing because she exactly what we were going through.  This Nurse took care to answer all of our questions and eventually shared with us that she herself had lost a baby.  It struck me at that time, that infant death isn’t all that rare after all.

What can Nurses, Social Workers, Doctors, Doulas and Midwives do to help parents who have just lost an infant?  From our own experience and from speaking to other parents, there are are some key things that healthcare providers can do to help facilitating how the parents will eventually say “goodbye” and these rituals can make all the difference.  Even if the parents are somewhat in shock, the healing process can begin to happen soon after hearing that their baby has died.

There is an innate desire to love and take care of your baby.  Not everyone will react the same to the news that their child is gone, however, newly bereaved parents time and time again have expressed that they need some kind of guidance at the hospital.  Read about the bonding activities that parents can do with their child before it is too late in Tips for Healthcare Professionals.