How can my family and I support one another during a time of loss?

The pregnant person along with any partners or supporters will grieve this loss but many people express or experience grief in different ways and times. Your doctor, midwife, therapist, or social worker will be able to provide you with strategies to make sure everyone's feelings are acknowledged and supported to maintain the family's wellbeing. Gathering support from friends and colleagues may also help you through this life event.

Ritualizing your loss through mementos, faith or religious traditions, journaling or a letter to yourself or your lost baby, acknowledging and talking about your experience can be helpful. Naming or nicknaming your baby may be comforting. Planting and tending to something that grows can be a memorializing activity. Others prefer something tangible (tattoo, framed memento, future symbol for your next nursery) while others prefer memories only.

Join our grief counsellor and psychotherapist in our series on Navigating miscarriage and Loss for more specific tips.