Experiencing the loss of a pregnancy, infant, or child brings unimaginable pain and grief, and can make you feel alone and lost. We want you to know that there are good resources for your loss and grief that provide non-judgmental support, information, and connection with others. We’ve listed some below and hope that you find them useful. Please visit our local support page to find resources near you or email us at support@postpartum.net.
If you are recovering from the loss of a loved one due to suicide, please visit our resource page dedicated to the memory of those we have lost.
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support Group
Our online Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support group provides connection for mothers grieving the loss of their baby. Led by PSI trained facilitators, this group helps bereaved mothers find support as well as provides useful information and resources to help them navigate the pain of their loss. Losing a baby can be a lonely experience and this group helps provide an avenue for healing and hope. We are here to help.
Discussion Tool for Parents Experiencing Loss
As many as 1 in 7 moms (1 in 10 dads) experience symptoms of depression and anxiety during the postpartum period. People of every age, income level, race and culture can develop Perinatal Mood Disorders (PMDs) during pregnancy and within the first year after delivery. Parents who are grieving the loss of a child may experience many of these symptoms, which is a normal part of the grieving process. If the symptoms worsen or persist for longer than two weeks you may be experiencing a mood disorder. This tool can help track your symptoms and be a resource to help you discuss them with your medical provider. Being your own advocate is okay and you deserve to be well.
Provider Directory
There are many different treatment options available for treating perinatal mood disorders including peer support, therapy, and medication. Finding a provider can be daunting. The provider directory link directs you to providers who identify as knowledgeable and competent in treating individuals who have experienced loss.
Helpful Resources
- Compassionate Friends – provides highly personal comfort, hope, and support to every family experiencing the death of a son or a daughter, a brother or a sister, or a grandchild, and helps others better assist the grieving family. (resources in Spanish and other languages available)
- Exhale: an After-Abortion Hotline 1-866-439–4253
- Glow in the Woods (for babylost mothers and fathers) – discussion forum and helpful posts for parents who have lost a baby.
- Griefwatch (for perinatal loss) – a publisher and manufacturer of bereavement books and materials used by families and professionals around the country.
- Georgetown University – Emotional Healing after a Miscarriage: A Guide for Women, Partners, Family and Friends
- March of Dimes – overview of dealing with grief after the death of one’s baby.
- M.E.N.D. – (Mommies Enduring Neonatal Death)- Christian, non-profit organization that reaches out to families who have suffered the death of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth, or early infant death.
- Miscarriage for Men – website that offers directional guidance and support. A place where men, who are suffering in silence, can voice their worries, fears and just support each other, either publicly or anonymously.
- Miscarriage Matters – community of parents who have experienced the loss of our child/children, willing to offer our friendship and a listening ear.
- MISS Foundation – provides support for families struggling with traumatic grief. Family Support Packets are available with information and resources for bereaved parents, grandparents and siblings.
- Rachel’s Gift – provides support and guidance for caregivers and families enduring pregnancy and infant loss.
- Return to Zero – provides compassionate and holistic support for people who have experienced unimaginable loss during their journey to parenthood. (resources in Spanish and other languages available)
- Return to Zero: LGBTQIA+ – Support for LGBTQIA+ families
- RESOLVE through Sharing – for providers; a not-for-profit organization providing thought leadership, and an evidence-based yet compassion-first approach to bereavement care.
- SHARE Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support – mission to provide support toward positive resolution of grief experienced at the time of, or following the death of a baby. This support encompasses emotional, physical, spiritual and social healing, as well as sustaining the family unit.
- Sisters in Loss – dedicated to replacing silence with storytelling around pregnancy and infant loss and infertility of black women.
- Star Legacy Foundation – virtual grief support groups for family members who have experienced pregnancy or infant loss (group in Spanish available)
- Tears Foundation – seeks to compassionately lift a financial burden from families who have lost a child by providing funds to assist with the cost of burial or cremation services. Also offers parents comprehensive bereavement care in the form of grief support groups and peer companions.
These links are provided for your convenience and are not under the control of Postpartum Support International, and are not intended as an endorsement or an affiliation by Postpartum Support International of the organization or individual so linked or named.