Sands’ bereavement support booklets have been updated and refreshed into a new Sands Bereavement Support Book.
The publication is primarily written for bereaved parents and families and covers many different subjects to help through the difficult days, weeks and months after the death of a baby.
The book includes supportive information around giving birth, spending precious time as a family and making memories, information to help with funeral planning and making difficult decisions about having a post mortem, as well as working through grief and finding a “new normal” in the months ahead.
The language is inclusive of single parents and same sex couples and also includes additional information on telling and supporting children.
Each section is available as a downloadable chapter from our website, as we have found that more and more parents and their families are using digital channels to reach us.
Naomi Hepworth from Exeter found our bereavement support information to be of help and comfort to her when her baby daughter Cymbeline sadly died in 2015.
Naomi Hepworth said: “We lost our daughter unexpectedly during labour in an otherwise healthy pregnancy. We were absolutely unprepared for what happened, so the information from Sands we were given at the hospital was absolutely critical in giving us the support and information that we needed to navigate the difficult days and weeks ahead.
“We were totally at sea and had no idea what to do to organise a funeral, or if I’d lose my maternity leave and pay, but the information was right there to help us take some steps forward.
"Even more importantly, the information in the Sands booklets gave us the encouragement of knowing that we were not alone, that other people had survived the death of their child and that there were things we could do to help ourselves.”
The Bereavement Support Book also includes advice on returning to work after the death of a baby.
Jen Coates, Director of Volunteering & Bereavement Support at Sands, said: “Few experiences can compare to the trauma and pain of losing a baby. We hope that our new book will help anyone whose baby has died to understand they are not alone, that they still have choices in caring for and spending time with their baby and that Sands is there to support them in the challenging weeks and months ahead.”
Click here to download a copy of the new Sands Bereavement Support Book
There are many other ways that we can support you. The Sands Freephone Helpline number is: 0808 164 3332. Bereaved parents and their families can also get in touch by email at: helpline@sands.org.uk, by joining the online community.
