Please know that our thoughts are with you, your partner and your family at this very sad time. The loss of a baby is a shocking and devastating experience for parents and everyone affected.
The important thing to know is that you are not alone and that there is help from NHS Lothian Maternity Services, NHS Lothian Bereavement Service and from local or national charities. They can offer you and your partner compassionate care and support at this difficult time.
NHS Lothian Maternity Services
Your community midwife and care team will continue to look after you after your loss. They are here to support you and answer any questions you may have
NHS Lothian has a Maternity and Neonatal Loss Team who offer support for families whose babies have died after 24 weeks. This is provided through a phone call with a midwife and a psychologist. Your community midwife can give you more information and refer you to this service.
NHS Lothian Bereavement Service
This service provides practical support for parents. We can help with registration processes, funeral options and arrangements and can also signpost families to the most suitable bereavement support groups.
Tel: 0131 242 6995 or 0131 242 1996 (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm)
Email: bereavement.service@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk
NHS Scotland
You may also access information and advice from NHS Scotland here:
Spiritual Care
Spiritual care is part of the care offered by the NHS. It recognises that our beliefs, values, and understanding of life can help us cope at times of illness, change, or bereavement.
As chaplains, we offer spiritual care to patients, their family and loved ones, as well as to staff and volunteers.
We do this by listening to your story, offering space for reflection, supporting you at times of loss, and by facilitating prayer, blessings, ritual and celebration.
If you are a patient in hospital and would like to speak to a chaplain we can be contacted via ward staff or you may phone our offices 0131 242 1990.
If you are not in a hospital, or should you need to speak with us urgently, please call Switchboard 0131 536 1000.
We’re also on Facebook and Twitter – search ‘NHS Lothian Spiritual Care’
Local and national charities who can offer support
The death of a baby is an incredibly painful and traumatic experience. It can also be an extremely lonely time as you may struggle to find others who understand the feelings and overwhelming emotions you are experiencing. We understand how difficult it might be to reach out or pick up the phone but support at this time can be hugely beneficial. A member of your family, a friend or your healthcare professional can also contact these charities on your behalf.
Held In Our Hearts – An Edinburgh-based charity providing support to families who have suffered the devastating loss of a baby or young child. Our counsellors guide bereaved parents through the grieving process and our peer supporters give compassionate and flexible care in person, on zoom, by text or email and by telephone. Our peer supporters are all bereaved parents.
Our aim is to offer the best possible individualised support to families at all times. Families can self-refer or someone can refer on their behalf and our specialist and bespoke baby loss counselling is free and available for up to 18 months.
Email info@heldinourhearts.org.uk
Website www.heldinourhearts.org.uk
Phone 0131 622 6263
SIMBA — A Lothian-based charity providing memory boxes to bereaved parents to help gather timeless and precious memories of their child.
SANDS A national charity providing help to parents affected by the death of a baby. They provide a variety of resources and various forms of support.
Helping you make a decision about a post mortem
We hope that this film, made by parents for parents, will help you with making your decision about whether to have a post mortem for your baby. We created the film from the experiences of other bereaved parents and we hope that knowing others have faced the same decision, will help you feel less alone at this painful time and give you some comfort. We hope that this animation will help you make an informed choice to decide what is best for your family.
Memorial Book of Pregnancy and Baby Loss
A baby may sadly die later in the pregnancy, during the second-trimester. You may find it very hard to understand why, when a baby dies before 24 weeks of pregnancy, it is called a miscarriage rather than a stillbirth. This affects your ability to register your baby’s death with the registration office. The reason is that 24 weeks of pregnancy is currently the legal age of viability in the UK.
Parents have campaigned to change this and the National Records of Scotland now offer the opportunity to register a pregnancy loss or the death of a baby that occurred before 24 weeks. The Memorial Book, launched in October 2023, provides recognition and may offer comfort to those who wish to have a record of their baby’s existence. It was developed after listening to people who have experienced a pregnancy or baby loss prior to 24 weeks of pregnancy.
Applications for entries to be made in the Memorial Book are provided on a voluntary basis as there is no legal requirement to record the loss of a pregnancy or the death of a baby which took place before the 24th week.
There is no time limit on making an application for an entry in the Memorial Book. Applications may be submitted for an historical or a recent loss. A commemorative certificate of the entry will be issued to the applicant(s) free of charge.
For more information or to apply:
We hope you found the information you were looking for on this page. Please, talk to your midwife or doctor if you have any question about anything. The important thing to know is that you are not alone and that there is help from NHS services and local or national charities to support you, your partner and your family at this difficult time.
