Baby Loss Awareness Week (BLAW) aims to break the silence of baby loss that often impacts parents grieving the death of their baby. It gives an opportunity to remember your baby or babies and commemorate their life, as well as connecting with others who have shared the heartbreaking experience of baby loss.
In the not too distant past, parents were often expected to stay quiet about the loss of their baby with an expectation that their grief should be something they put to the furthest corners of their mind. An impossible expectation of families who should have been supported and their baby remembered.
BLAW is a week of reflection and remembrance and is in its 21st year. Social media has provided a platform to increase the visibility of this week and has given opportunity for people to share their experiences in a collective way. More information about baby loss awareness week can be found here: Baby Loss Awareness Week and Sands – Baby Loss Awareness Week.
The week runs from 9th October until 15th October culminating in the wave of light, a worldwide event that globally invites people to remember their baby or babies by lighting a candle at 7pm local time. Posting a picture of your candle or candles with the hashtag #waveoflight creates a global wave of light and increases the visibility of the meaning behind wave of light across social media. Community events are arranged in towns and cities up and down the country, as well as individuals having personal moments of reflection at home. The number of buildings being lit up in pink and blue lights has increased, ribbon displays, community gatherings and walks have developed in some areas too. You can find out more information about lighting up buildings in your area here.
BLAW looks to raise awareness of the differing experiences of people who have lost their baby too. There is hope that this awareness and sharing of experiences will improve the care of people going through baby loss.
It can be so helpful to attend BLAW events and meet others who have similar experiences. It can also be helpful to read about others’ experience of baby loss which can often leave parents feeling less isolated in their own grief, but equally it can be important to consider self-care during baby loss awareness week.
Often there can be lots of stories and pictures shared on social media platforms and at events and this can sometimes leave people feeling overwhelmed. This is a normal reaction to a week that can bring personal moments of reflection of your own loss as well as a collective sharing of grief. Thinking about how much time you spend reading posts and reflecting on how, what and when you share and connect with others experiences can also be helpful and thinking about having support provisions such as counselling and support groups in place for yourself may also be useful.
Support at Claire House
Support after the loss of your baby or babies can be accessed through our Family Support team via a counselling referral. A referral can be made by yourself or by a healthcare professional, if you or your child has received care through Claire House.
Our butterfly babies group is for parents bereaved through baby loss. The group was created to provide a space for parents with similar experiences to support each other and provides a place to talk. Many friendships have developed through the sharing of experience and understanding for one another. The group is supported by our Butterfly team as well as a counsellor from our Family Support team. More information can be found in our spring 2023 issue of Our House Magazine.
We also have our Bereavement group for parents who have experienced the loss of a child which meets on the second Tuesday of the month between 6pm and 8pm.
And we have our Liverpool walk and talk group which meets in Sefton Park on the last Friday of every month between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm; providing opportunity to get a tea or coffee before the start of the walk at 10:30 am.
There is also support available through the following national charities who provide helpline support and a listening ear:
Sands: Support for you | Sands – Saving babies’ lives. Supporting bereaved families.
Child bereavement UK Baby Loss Awareness Week | Child Bereavement UK
Twins Trust: Twins Trust | Bereavement support
Lullaby trust Bereavement support after the death of a baby or child – The Lullaby Trust
Tommy’s: Baby loss information and support | Tommy’s (tommys.org)
If you are taking part in the wave of light please tag Claire House in your posts to raise awareness of the work we are doing to improve bereavement support for our families. @clairehouse #clairehouse #waveoflight
