A service of remembrance is to be held for parents and families who have suffered the loss of a baby.
The So Briefly Known service at the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) in Paisley is for anyone who has been affected by pregnancy loss and will take place this Sunday.
It is held annually in the run up to Baby Loss Awareness Week – which will be marked from October 9 to October 15 this year – and allows bereaved families to acknowledge their baby’s life.
Bereavement midwives, including Holly Wright, will attend with many other midwives from the RAH to provide support for families alongside NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s (NHSGGC) spiritual care team.
Candles will be provided at the service which parents and families will be invited to light in memory of their baby or babies.
They can also place a tag on a memory tree at the service and will be able to take candles home to allow them to participate in the Global Wave of Light at 7pm on Tuesday, October 15.
So Briefly Known will take place at 7pm on October 6 in the Sanctuary of the main RAH building and everyone is welcome to attend.
Holly Wright, an NHSGGC bereavement midwife who is based at the RAH, said: “Our annual service, So Briefly Known, is for anyone who has been affected by pregnancy or baby loss. It gives families an opportunity to acknowledge how precious their baby’s life was, and what their loss means to them.
“In our roles as bereavement midwives for NHSGGC, myself and colleagues are here to help parents process their loss. We know that Baby Loss Awareness Week can be a particularly difficult time for those affected and we want to encourage people to seek support if they need it.”
Last year, NHSGGC welcomed the introduction of the Baby Loss memorial book produced jointly by the Scottish Government and National Records of Scotland.
The memorial book is for anyone who has experienced pregnancy or baby loss prior to 24 weeks. It gives parents an opportunity – if they wish – to commemorate their loss with a physical record and it is a free and entirely optional service.
Mothers and families who experience a loss before 24 weeks of pregnancy are welcome to discuss this option with their midwife or alternatively visit www.gov.scot/news/baby-loss-memorial-book-1/ for further information.
Further information on the support available to those who have experienced baby loss can be found by visiting www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk and www.childbereavementuk.org and www.babylossretreat.org.uk and www.scottishcotdeathtrust.org
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