Monday 15 October 2018

The Foundation for Infant Loss. #BabyLossAwarenessWeek

Throughout October I will be joining in with Big Family Organised Chaos and her linky for Blogtober18. Today's prompt is: One's who couldn't stay. #BabyLossAwarenessWeek

I had a blog post for this prompt written all about the miscarriage I had before I fell pregnant with Becky but then an email dropped in my inbox from the lovely Chantal Lockey who set up The Foundation for Infant Loss years ago following the loss of her daughter Marnie Mae to SIDS when she was just 6 weeks old. Marnie would be 14 now

I thought this is more important to share as it could help and support those who are going through the unimaginable. 

Chantal had this to say.

In 2004 the unimaginable happened. My beautiful daughter Marnie Mae died suddenly in the middle of the night.She was just six weeks of age. The cause? Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

A photo of a baby

At the time we felt completely unsupported by healthcare services. We were never offered any support, counselling or any signposting that could have helped us.

In 2009 I set up The Foundation for Infant Loss. We offer training to midwives and other healthcare professionals so that we can raise levels of bereavement care across the UK.

We work frequently with bereaved families and we have set up an online directory for bereaved parents and we cover everything from assisting with funeral guidance and funding, providing memory boxes, signposting to a suitably trained counselling professional, support with legal issues, support for siblings and help and support with subsequent 
pregnancies after loss.

A photo of a baby

On 16th April 2018 The Foundation for Infant Loss launched their nationwide Baby Loss Helpline. Our helpline will be ran by trained staff and volunteers, many of which have suffered a pregnancy or infant loss themselves.

They can signpost you to the following professionals and organisations in your local area:

Funeral Directors that are experienced with Baby loss, Trained Counselling professionals and charities, Free Hire of a Cold Cot, Funeral Celebrants, Loss Doulas, We can advise of seeking financial support for Baby’s funeral and advise of funeral directors in your local area that offer free funerals for infants, Free Resources and information for Baby’s funeral, Baby specific Funeral suppliers, Bereavement Photography Specialists, Memory Making and Memory Box Charities, Florists, Angel Gowns for Infants, Information relating to maternity and paternity rights and financial entitlement after pregnancy and Infant Loss, Legal issues, Support and resources for Children, Support for those supporting bereaved parents, Alternative Therapies, Support for when a Twin dies, Healing support, Mental Health Support including anxiety and depression, and Support with subsequent pregnancies after loss.

They can be contacted by email: info@foundationforinfantloss.co.uk

3 comments :

  1. I'm pinning and sharing this post as it is so important. Thanks for sharing. #MMBC

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  2. What an amazing Foundation, so, so important. #Blogtober18

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  3. I lost my first child to SIDS. It's a horrible feeling knowing you could've done nothing to prevent it, the worst part is I also have PCOS and struggled to conceive again - we eventually got there, and my beautiful girl is 9 months as of next week! To everyone that's lost a child to this - it's horrible, but it's not the end of the world. You're strong enough to get through it.

    Thank you for sharing an important foundation that do some great work

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