Baby Loss Awareness Week is held annually from 9 – 15 October. The week is an opportunity to raise awareness as well as remember and honour the lives of babies lost in pregnancy or soon after birth.
With 1 in 4 people affected, it’s likely that you’ll know someone who has gone through this deeply personal experience, or perhaps you’ve experienced baby loss yourself.
With the increase in social media activity around this time, we know that some people can find this week difficult.
We’d like to take to take this opportunity to remind you of the support available to you, whether you’ve experienced loss yourself, or you’re supporting a family member, friend or colleague.
If you’re a manager supporting a team member
Please let your team member know about the events planned and the sources of support below.
Get in touch with our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
Health Hero provides counselling, support and practical information. It’s free to use and the service is available 24hrs a day, 365 days a year.
Join a drop-in session with our Mental First Aiders and Champions who have a personal connection and experience with this topic
Tuesday 17 October, 12:00 – 14:00, Carnival House Wellbeing Space (Floor 2)
We recognise that support looks different for different people. If you would like to talk and share your experiences with others, then our Mental Health First Aiders are running a tailored drop in session on Tuesday 17 October. Whether you’ve experienced loss yourself, or you’re supporting someone through it, this session is for you.
Becky’s story
“This week is so important to me. Baby loss happens to so many couples and it can be a very lonely and isolating journey. I’m currently in the process of becoming a Mental Health First Aider with baby loss as my speciality. If you have been through loss, please reach out to me, I am more than happy to chat it through and ensure you have someone you can relate to.”
Becky Robinson, Manager, Cunard Guest Support
“After 8 amazing years together, my husband and I decided the time was right and we fell pregnant with our first baby in May 2021. We were delighted. Falling pregnant so quickly was shocking and we were so excited to start this next chapter of our life.
One week later and just three days before our wedding, I started bleeding. I sadly miscarried our baby at 6 weeks pregnant. We were devastated but luckily, we had a wedding and honeymoon to focus on. We made sure to take in every moment, knowing that we would try again when we were ready.
In January 2022, we found out we were pregnant again and we were over the moon.
Although there was an element of nerves and apprehension, we knew that 1 in 4 couples experience miscarriage so we reasoned that this time it would be fine.
Unfortunately, that was not the case, and we sadly lost our second baby at 6.5 weeks pregnant.
I had a feeling that something wasn’t right. I asked my doctor if any tests could be done but they advised that they couldn’t do anything until we had had three recurrent miscarriages.
I was heartbroken and scared that I would have to go through this again before we were taken seriously. However, my Google searches reassured me that 3 recurrent miscarriages wouldn’t be likely – it only happens to 1% of couples.
In April 2022, we found out that we were pregnant again, but this time, I didn’t acknowledge the pregnancy. I knew deep down that I would lose this one as well. We lost our third baby at 5.5 weeks pregnant.
We were referred to the Princess Anne Recurrent Miscarriage consultant for tests but everything came back normal. No answers, no explanations, and no further help.
The clinic advised that next time we fall pregnant, we could ask them to prescribe progesterone (the hormone needed to maintain a pregnancy in the early weeks), with the caveat ‘this may not work but there’s no harm in trying.’
In June 2022, we found out we were pregnant and we were prescribed progesterone. We had an early scan and the sonographer advised that they could see the baby but no heartbeat. They said that our dates may be slightly out so we felt positive. Sadly, nine weeks on at our next scan, it was confirmed that we had lost our fourth baby. Testing showed that our baby had abnormal chromosomes and would never have survived.
My husband and I went through genetic testing, which showed that our genetics were unlikely to have caused the miscarriages.
Heartbroken, our marriage felt under pressure, having gone through four recurrent miscarriages in 15 months. The whole of 2022 felt like a blur because of the grief I was dealing with, and I was diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety. My husband kept a lot to himself. He had anxiety and worried constantly because he couldn’t do anything to help.
Unless we wanted to pay thousands to have more tests done privately, we had nowhere else to go. We decided to give it one more try and hope that the progesterone worked.
In May 2023, we found out we were pregnant again. We anxiously waited for the first scan and for the first time in two years, we saw our baby’s heartbeat. It was the most amazing, surreal moment of my life.
We now have our miracle baby girl Evie in our arms and she is currently 8 months old and thriving. We never thought we would ever get to this point but hope triumphed and here we are.
The pain of our losses will never leave us, and we will always remember our journey. I hope my story has given some light and hope as well as the raw and real feelings relating to loss.”
