FOR Caregivers & Medical Staff
working with the bereaved
Your role is difficult, but an extremely important one. Your words and actions will ultimately send a grieving family down a path of either healing or regret.
SUGGESTED READINGS:
STILLBIRTH SUPPORT & DECISIONS FOR THE FAMILY
CREMATION & BURIAL ASSISTANCE
GRIEF COUNSELING & SUPPORT
*For support and resources that are tailored specifically to the mother, father/partner, surviving sibling(s), and/or grandparents, please visit the pages in the drop down menu under the "Grief Resources" tab.
MOVIES ABOUT DEALING WITH GRIEF & CHILD LOSS
Return to Zero (Loss of baby) *This movie also has a Discussion Guide for Bereaved Parents
Collateral Beauty (Loss of child)
SUGGESTED READINGS:
- When Children Die: Improving Palliative and End-of-Life Care for Children and their Families (Grace H. Christ, D.S.W., George Bonanno, Ph.D., Ruth Malkinson, Ph.D., and Simon Rubin, Ph.D. )
- A Letter to My Hospital (This is the letter that I gave to my hospital when I brought the first batch of Wrapped in Love Project infant burial gowns to be donated. It shares my stillbirth experience and the little things that they did very well or could improve upon to comfort the next mother to face this tragedy on their watch.)
- A Letter to My Doctor (a blog post from One Pink Balloon) is a great place to start. It is the heartfelt letter to a doctor by a mother who has lost her baby. There is a dramatic reading and video of this letter that can be watched here.
- Healing From the Start Manual
STILLBIRTH SUPPORT & DECISIONS FOR THE FAMILY
- The Star Legacy Foundation is a national non-profit with free programs promoting research, education, awareness, advocacy, and family support. They offer a support line staffed by certified grief counselors with personal experience in pregnancy loss, online support groups facilitated by mental health professionals, peer support is offered in the form of face-to-face groups, and patient education materials for families. The SLF also offers education workshops and retreats for health professionals as well as supporting and conducting research aimed at preventing stillbirth and improving care after a stillbirth.
- Loss Doulas International can locate a Loss Doula who can support parents emotionally through the diagnosis, delivery, and funeral arrangements for their stillborn child.
- S.O.B.B.S. (Stories of Babies Born Still) provides online support (including counseling and projects) for bereaved parents.
- Can/Should the family bring the baby's body home? Some bereaved parents feel that this is helpful in their healing process. Sherokee Ilse created a brochure for informing parents about this decision.
- Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep has a network of volunteer photographers that can be reached at (877) 834-5667 or through their website.
CREMATION & BURIAL ASSISTANCE
- The TEARS Foundation assists with expenses associated with funerals and memorial markers. A Request for Assistance Application must be completed. They can also be contacted at (253) 200-0944 or office@thetearsfoundation.org.
- Angel Names Association has a program called S.E.O.L.E. (Securing End-of-Life Expenses) that helps low income families with expenses related to autopsy, burial, funeral, and cremation. A Request for Assistance must be filled out.
- The Wrapped in Love Project brings comfort to bereaved parents by repurposing wedding dresses into beautiful burial gowns and pockets for babies lost before, during, or soon after birth. Each layette includes a handkerchief made from the same fabric as the baby's garment. Layettes are packaged with a memorial baby book, a certificate signed by everyone who donated time or materials to the garment, and a card suggesting Charlotte's Purpose for support. Check your hospital to see if they have received donations from this project.
- The Mary Madeline Project has volunteer seamstresses who take donations of wedding dresses and create burial gowns for babies. Gowns are donated to neonatal intensive care units as well as labor and delivery units for stillbirths. Check your hospital to see if they have received donations from this project.
- If either of the baby's parents are in the military, they may be eligible for a little known $10,000 death benefit through The Family Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (FSGLI) for Stillborn Children.
- Individuals currently serving in any one of the following occupations may be eligible for up to $1,000 of funding through the Wounded Warriors Project: 911, EMS, or Fire Communications Officer (Call Taker/Dispatcher), Correctional Officer (to include Parole and Probation Officers), Firefighter, Military (Air Force, Army, Navy), Paramedic, Police Officer, A Peace Officer as defined by the Criminal Code of Canada. Funding requests must be submitted by a mental health professional. Requests must be submitted in writing. The letter must include the following: Name of Mental Health professional, Contact information of the Mental Health Professional, Name of Patient, Occupation of Patient, Patients contact information (for audit purposes), Number of sessions required, Amount of funding requested. All cheques will be made payable to the Mental Health professional who has requested the funding. For complete application information visit: www.tema.ca
GRIEF COUNSELING & SUPPORT
*For support and resources that are tailored specifically to the mother, father/partner, surviving sibling(s), and/or grandparents, please visit the pages in the drop down menu under the "Grief Resources" tab.
- Star Legacy Foundation offers face to face, online, and hotline support.
- Compassionate Friends provides face to face and online support groups.
- The MISS Foundation provides support for families grieving the loss of a child.
- Angel Names Association provides assistance through their GRASP (Grief Recovery Assistance Program) for uninsured/underinsured families in need of grief counseling services due to stillbirth.
- Search for a therapist through Goodtherapy.org
- Search for a Christian based counselor through Christiancounselordirectory.org
- Search for secular counselors through The Secular Therapy Project
- Search for an online counselor through Better Help
MOVIES ABOUT DEALING WITH GRIEF & CHILD LOSS
Return to Zero (Loss of baby) *This movie also has a Discussion Guide for Bereaved Parents
Collateral Beauty (Loss of child)