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Help and care in pregnancy loss under 24 week’s gestation

Reference number: 11294 Review date: 06/2025 East Cheshire

We would like to offer you and your family our sincere condolences. The loss of a baby can be devastating and sometimes cause confusing emotions. We hope you find this booklet helpful in explaining what happens next.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Bereavement Team if you need any help.

The early days following bereavement can be bewildering and difficult. There are certain decisions and arrangements to make. This book has been compiled as a guide to help you with these choices. The Bereavement team and the Bereavement midwife will be happy to discuss any details requiring further explanation and assist you in obtaining the information you need.

Your wishes are important to us, and the staff are here to help you make difficult decisions.

Bereavement Midwife

The bereavement midwife will arrange to offer support either at home, in the hospital or a conversation over the phone. You can directly contact the bereavement midwife on 01625 663738 Monday - Friday between 9am-5pm or via email: ecn-tr.bereavementsupport@nhs.net.

If you require out of hour support, you can contact a member of the midwifery team on 01625 663367.

Please contact the 24 hour 7 day a week emergency triage on 01625 661857 if you have any urgent concerns.

Bereavement Team

The bereavement team are responsible for processing the clinical documentation and have direct contact with other services, such as funeral directors who will be directly involved.

The bereavement office is based at Macclesfield District Hospital, you can contact them on 01625 661107 or 01625 661105 Monday - Friday 10am-4pm.

SANDS

Sands is the leading stillbirth and neonatal death charity in the UK. Founded in 1978, Sands exists to reduce the number of babies dying and to ensure that anyone affected by the death of a baby receives the best possible care and support for as long as they need it wherever they are in the UK.

Sands exists to support anyone affected by the death of a baby, before, during or shortly after birth. Sands provides bereavement support services at both a local and national level. This includes the Sands Freephone helpline, mobile app, online community, family support packs, memory boxes and over 100 regional support groups run by trained befrienders. Sands works to improve bereavement care available to parents and families, by offering a range of training programmes and resources and working in partnership with health care professionals, trusts and health boards.

Sands packs provide lots of information such as practical and emotional support, in understanding why your baby passed, saying goodbye, supporting children, physical challenges, returning to work and information and support for relatives.

Memory Box

4Louis is a charity who work across the country to support families who have suffered a miscarriage, stillbirth or the death of baby or child, they also help improve care provided to bereaved families by health care professionals or other professionals.

Memory boxes can provide a special way for bereaved families to store meaningful items and remember their baby, each memory box contains different items to support and inspire bereaved families to capture important memories with. Each memory box includes: two teddy bears (one for you and one for baby), a candle and a book for poems.

Aching arms

The Aching Arm Bears are a tangible comfort during a heart-breaking time. Many parents who have experienced the loss of a baby during pregnancy, at birth or shortly afterwards, find comfort in receiving the gift of an Aching Arms Bear. Each beautiful bear wears a personalised, handwritten label with the name of the baby in whose memory the bear was dedicated.

It is hoped that each bear is a comforter to hold, extends the hand of friendship from one family to another and connects families to those who can offer information, support and understanding. You will be offered a comfort bear when you are discharged from hospital, please note there is no obligation to accept a comfort bear.

When I received a bear donated by the parents of Lucas, I did not know them, nor did I have the pleasure of ever meeting their baby Lucas, but I instantly felt as though I wasn’t alone.

Spending time with your baby

If you wish to return to spend more time with your baby after you have left the Hospital, please phone to speak to the Bereavement Midwife who will arrange a suitable time for you to come and see your baby.

Naming or blessing your baby

You may wish to choose a name for your baby and some parents find it helpful to have a brief ceremony for naming or blessing their baby.

The hospital chaplains can conduct a naming or blessing ceremony, please let the maternity team know and they will be able to contact the chaplain on your behalf to arrange this.

Ways in which the Hospital Chaplains can help

Our Chaplains are available to support you as specialists in bereavement care. Chaplains are trained in pastoral, spiritual and religious care for bereaved parents and relatives and are a confidential ear and pastoral support for you during this difficult time. They can also offer a range of short services or ceremonies if you wish including blessings, baptisms and naming services. If you would like a personal service for your baby, our Chaplains are available to help you plan this and to officiate at the service if you wish. Our Chaplains will be able to help you with creation of memory boxes and provide other resources to support you in this difficult time. Chaplains are a support to you, whatever your world beliefs are. They are also in contact with other faith representatives, should you require specific religious support during this time.

To contact the chaplaincy team, email: ecn-tr.chaplaincyteam@nhs.net or the maternity staff can call out a chaplain via the switchboard.

Book of Remembrance

There is a book of remembrance located in the Bluebell Suite, here you can write a message about or to your baby. There is no obligation for this book to be completed during your stay or even at all. If you would like more time to compose your words, please discuss this with the Bereavement Midwife so an entry can be made on your behalf or we can arrange a time for you to return to make an entry.

There is also a book of remembrance located in St Lukes Chapel, please let the hospital staff know if you would like to make an entry into this book.

Hospital contracted funeral directors

Unless stated otherwise, baby will be cared for by the hospital contracted funeral directors. Contact names and information will be provided to you once you are discharged from hospital.

Please speak to the Bereavement Midwife for more information.

Making your own independent funeral arrangements

You may choose to use your own funeral director and they will help you arrange a funeral which can be religious or non-religious according to your beliefs.

The funeral director will discuss with you options for the date, time and venue for the service along with other choices about the funeral. They will guide you through all the arrangements.

It is important to know that your baby’s funeral does not have to take place within a certain number of days. Before making any arrangements with your own funeral director, you can take time to think through and make your choices and discuss these with your family and friends.

Cremations

Baby will be taken to Macclesfield Crematorium and families will not be invited to attend the cremation for babies born before 24 weeks.

If you find the above arrangements unsuitable for your family, please contact the Bereavement Midwife who will be able to support you further.

Burial at home

If you are planning on burying your baby at home, please contact the Bereavement Midwife who can provide guidance of what must be done.

Remembrance Services

Whilst the services are held in a church or the chapel, it is open to all religions, beliefs and those of no faith to attend who have experienced loss through miscarriage, termination for medical reasons, stillbirth or sudden death.

Annual Baby Remembrance Service

Once a year, we hold a Service of Remembrance during baby loss awareness week in October at St Michael’s Church in the centre of Macclesfield.

The service is co-ordinated by the Bereavement Midwife and supported by the East Cheshire Maternity Team and Chaplaincy. The service usually lasts around 4550 minutes followed by refreshments. If you consent, you will receive an invitation to the service in the post, equally, information is shared on the maternity social media pages (Facebook & Instagram: Macclesfield Maternity & Neonatal Unit).

Monthly Remembrance Service

East Cheshire Trust will provide a ceremony for babies, held on the first Monday of each month. This service takes place in St Luke’s Chapel at Macclesfield District General Hospital which is led by one of the hospital Chaplains. Invites for the ceremony will be co-ordinated by the Bereavement Midwife. Please contact the Bereavement Midwife for further information.

Investigations and debrief appointments

There are a variety of different investigations that can be offered following a pregnancy/baby loss. These options will be discussed with you and you will be given time and information to enable you to make an informed decision on what you may like.

Please note, it can take up to 6 months before investigation reports/results have been received. Following this, you will be offered an appointment to meet with a consultant obstetrician to discuss these in depth and ask questions. It may also be possible no cause of the loss has been identified.

Please speak to the Bereavement Midwife if you have any questions.

Children and Bereavement

As adults we feel the need to protect our children from things that we might find difficult. It is easy to assume children will not understand death and bereavement, or that it will be too upsetting for them. However, we often underestimate a child’s ability to cope. Children like adults, find it hard to cope if they are not told what is happening and can be more frightened by their own imagination.

Children should be told facts in a simple manner using appropriate words, such as dead, rather than lost or asleep. They should be given time to ask questions and offered lots of love and reassurance. It is helpful for adults to share their feelings with children, such as feelings of sadness. Remember children often like to draw pictures or write stories as part of their way of saying goodbye. If children are at school, it is important to tell the school about the bereavement.

Children, like adults, are individuals and will grieve in a variety of ways depending on their age and maturity. They may also need extra comfort and support. It is important to listen to their fears and anxieties at any stage.

Further Information

East Cheshire NHS Trust welcomes any feedback you may have to help improve our bereavement services. This questionnaire is for families who have experienced the loss of their baby/babies during pregnancy or shortly after birth. Please complete as much or as little of the form that you are able to. Some questions may not be relevant to your experience.

All information given will remain anonymous unless you wish to provide your contact details at the end of this questionnaire. If you would like to discuss any aspects of your care, please contact the bereavement midwife at the hospital.

Useful telephone numbers:

Bereavement Midwife

Hospital chaplain

01625 663738

01625 421000 ext. 1862

Sands 0808 164 3332

Miscarriage Association 01924 200799

QR support codes

SANDS Aching Arms

4Louis

Antenatal Results & Choices

Mind

Cruse

Miscarriage Association

Dad Matters

Daddys with Angels

Reference: Macclesfield District General Hospital - Help and care in pregnancy loss under 24 weeks gestation

Review Date: June 2027

Publication Date: June 2025 www.eastcheshire.nhs.uk