Maternity Bereavement Care
Would you like to know more about bereavement care?
We provide emotional and practical support to families experiencing a pregnancy loss and the death of a baby. The maternity bereavement team is made up of two Specialist Bereavement midwives and a dedicated Bereavement Lead Consultant. The team offers care and support for women and their families at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust following a pregnancy loss and the death of a baby due to identification of fetal anomalies, pregnancy loss after 16 weeks gestation, stillbirth and babies who have sadly died shortly after birth. Prior to 16 weeks’ gestation, women will be supported by the Early Pregnancy Assessment Service, further details can be found on the dedicated webpage.
The Bereavement Team offer ongoing practical and emotional support and guidance in the weeks and months following a pregnancy loss or the death of a baby. They make sure that families understand how and when they need to register their baby, and guide them through some of the choices they need to make. For example, the team can provide families with information about funerals or about any tests that may be undertaken on the mother or baby (such as a post-mortem examination or placental investigations).
The team continue to offer support to families after their loss and will arrange an appointment for them to discuss any test results, ongoing plans and concerns for a future pregnancy with a consultant. This appointment may be several months later whilst the hospital is waiting for the final investigation reports.
The team can also provide information about local and national support groups, counselling and psychological support services available.
All Maternity staff are also able to provide support to bereaved families. As part of mandatory training, midwives and other health professionals have a year’s Multi-disciplinary Bereavement Training update. This includes important topics such as sensitive communication, memory making, choices, resources and the National Bereavement Care Pathway Standards.
Language and terminology is personal to each individual and family, and we understand that some may prefer certain terms over others. Please let our teams know the words and terms you would prefer for them to use when communicating with you.
We have one dedicated bereavement room at our Princess Royal Hospital in Telford. This room is located on the delivery suite and allows women and their families to be cared for during the birth of their baby and to spend special time with their baby afterwards. The bereavement room has tea/coffee making facilities, a double bed to enable a partner to stay, a settee and armchair, as well as a television.
The soft furnishings and ambient lighting has been provided by local families who have raised money to help improve the facilities and care for bereaved families.
Occasionally, care may be provided in an alternative hospital room due to capacity and safety.
Many parents treasure the time they were able to spend with their baby, and keepsakes can play and important role in the grieving process, following pregnancy loss or the death of a baby. Most parents find making memories and having such reminders afterwards a great comfort.
Our hospital offers a range of memory making opportunities, which includes photographs, memory boxes, inkless hand/footprints and clay imprints. Memory boxes are donated by the charities 4Louis, the Lily Mae Foundation and SANDS. Further information on these charities can be found on their respective websites; 4Louis, The Lily Mae Foundation and SANDS. Aching Arms offer a beautiful comfort bear to fill parents’ arms as a gift from one bereaved family to another. We are also able to offer Ibraheem’s Gift packs – a culturally appropriate baby loss pack for Muslim parents – containing the immediate necessities that parents may need to help them prepare for their baby’s Muslim burial. These packs are provided by 4Louis.
We have some beautiful homemade knitted baby clothing which has been donated by our local knitting community. These are available for our bereaved families to have. Please speak to one of the bereavements midwives for more information.
Our hospital also works with many other charities that provide memory making opportunities to families; please ask the specialist bereavement midwives for further details.
Many families supported by our hospital have told us how thankful they were to spend time with their baby, bathing them, dressing them and making memories.
Please discuss with the midwives if you have any personal wishes you may wish to consider relating to capturing memories.
Families can bring in their own baby clothes and belongings or alternatively, we have a range of hats, clothing, nappies, moses baskets and blankets, knitted and donated by our volunteers, which are available for babies of all gestation. Please speak to one of the bereavement midwives for further information.
In Maternity, we have a ‘Book of Remembrance’ for babies. Parents can write a message or poem and add a picture of their baby, if they wish. The book is kept secure with the specialist bereavement midwives. Once families have written a message, they can give this to the Midwife to place in the book.
Our hospital’s chaplaincy team provides spiritual, pastoral and religious care to patients and their families. Whatever your circumstances or beliefs, you may find that you would value the opportunity to talk with someone in confidence about your feelings or thoughts. You do not have to be religious to talk to a chaplain. Our Chaplaincy Team are committed to care for each individual and to respect all people regardless of race, religion, creed or belief, gender, culture or lifestyle.
Our Chaplaincy Team are also able to provide a religious or non-religious naming ceremony or blessing for babies. Please talk to the midwife caring for you or the specialist bereavement midwives if you would like a blessing or naming ceremony for your baby.
This service is for women or birthing persons who live in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin with moderate-severe or complex mental health difficulties associated with loss, grief and trauma directly arising from, or related to, the maternity experience. For example:
- Those who experience PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) following birth trauma
- Service users, their partners and families who have experienced a miscarriage, an ectopic pregnancy, a medical termination, a stillbirth or neonatal death
- Those with severe fear of childbirth (Tokophobia)
Any health professional, such as midwives, doctors and health visitors, can refer families to the Lighthouse service. Further information on the service can be found on the following dedicated webpage: Lighthouse Service.
While you are in hospital, our team will discuss with you the ongoing support you require and, with your consent, we will inform hospital and community healthcare staff of your baby’s passing. This will include community midwives, GP’s and health visitors.
Gathering of remembrance events are held every six months by the Trust and are an opportunity for families who have suffered pregnancy loss or the death of a baby to gather and commemorate the lives of their babies.
The events have been resumed following a pause due to Covid-19 and are open to families of all faiths and beliefs and will include readings, reflection and the reading of names of children who have passed. Representatives from across our Maternity services and local communities will be in attendance.
The next Gathering of Remembrance will be announced soon.
If you would like to attend a future event, please email sath.bereavementmidwives@nhs.net for further details and to register your interest. If you are unable to attend but would still like to be involved in the gathering or have your child’s name read out, please contact sath.bereavementmidwives@nhs.net.
Contact details
Bereavement Specialist Midwives
- Michelle Powell: 07512795823
- Charlotte Tongue: 07871986895
Urgent queries
- Delivery suite (24hrs) Telephone number: 01952 565924
Have you or someone you know experienced a bereavement? Here are some support groups that might help you find the information you need.
Hope House Children’s Hospice
01691 671 999
IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies)
Telford and Wrekin: 01952 457415
Shropshire County: 0300 123 6020
Cruse Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin
Cruse Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin have volunteer counsellors trained by the Foundation for Infant loss. Parents or other family members can refer themselves on 0845 6066812. Their services are free of charge and via Zoom.
SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society)
Offers support and information for anyone affected by the death of a baby, before or after birth. National helpline, local parent-led support, literature, and online support.
Tel: 020 7436 7940 (general enquiries); Tel: 0808 164 3332 (support)
www.sands.org.uk
sands.org.uk/app
Shropshire SANDs is a local support group running friendly and relaxed meeting, providing bereaved parents, families and friends with an opportunity to meet others who have been through a similar experience.
Support meetings are held:
Where: Meeting Point House, Southwater Square, Telford TF3 4HS
When: 2nd Tuesday of each month 19:00-21:00hrs.
Support Group for dads
Dad Still Standing is an online group created as a way of helping other dads along their journey with grief. To discuss the difficulties they go through in bereavement, both in the immediate aftermath of baby loss and as time moves on.
https://www.dadstillstanding.com/
Child Bereavement UK
Child Bereavement UK helps children, young people, parents and families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies. They support children and young people up to the age of 25 who are facing bereavement, and anyone affected by the death of a child of any age.
Helpline: 0800 0288840
Email: helpline@childbereavementuk.org
Saying Goodbye Charity
Saying Goodbye provides comprehensive information, advice, support and much more to anyone who has suffered the loss of a baby, at any stage of pregnancy, at birth or in infancy.
https://www.sayinggoodbye.org/
0300 3231350
Email: support@sayinggoodbye.org
Lullaby Trust
Bereavement support after the death of a baby or child
Support: 0808 8026868
Email: support@lullabytrust.org.uk
Lily Mae Foundation
Baby loss support service
01676 535716
Miscarriage Association
01924 200 799
www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk
info@miscarriageassociation.org.uk
Aching Arms (Supporting Arms)
Aching Arms offers direct support to parents via their Supporting Arms support service, a telephone and email support service which is run by bereaved parents. The service offers families the chance to talk to someone who has an understanding of what they’re going through and helps them feel they’re not alone.
07464 508994
Email: support@achingarms.co.uk
Remember My Baby Remembrance Photography
UK-based charity who have professional photographers who voluntarily provide their photography services to parents whose baby dies before, during or shortly after birth.
www.remembermybaby.org.uk
Freephone: 0808 189 2345
Email: info@remembermybaby.org.uk
Samaritans
Offers confidential support that is available 24 hours a day to people who need to talk.
116 123 (UK) free
Tommy’s
Miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth charity who offer support following a pregnancy loss
Baby loss information and support | Tommy’s (tommys.org)
Email: midwife@tommys.org
Support: 0800 014 7800
Twins Trust Bereavement Support Group
Offers support for families who have lost one or more children from a multiple birth pregnancy, birth or at any time.
www.twinstrust.org/bereavement
Winston’s Wish
Offer support to bereaved children, their families and professionals
Helpline: 08088 020021
www.winstonswish.org.uk
Funeral Payments – UK Government
Financial help that is available for individuals on low incomes in England, Wales and Scotland who need help to pay for a funeral that they are arranging
www.gov.uk/funeral-payments
Jobcentre Plus-Bereavement Services Helpline
Provides information about benefit claims
03456088601
www.gov.uk/contact-jobcentre-plus
Natural Death Centre
Offers support, guidance and advice for families and other individuals who are arranging a funeral, including information about environmentally friendly funerals and woodland burial sites.
Helpline: 01962 712690
Parental Bereavement Leave
Government scheme enabling parents who lose a baby or child to be entitled to parental leave (April 2020)
www.gov.uk/goverment/news/uk-first-who-lose-a-child-entitled-to-bereavement-leave