The experience of miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death (Revised edition)

by Nancy Kohner and Alix Henley
Routledge, 2001 - 244 pages

Read a sample chapter

Sometimes I try to block it out that I was ever pregnant, because when I try to come to terms with it, it breaks my heart.' (A bereaved parent)

When a Baby Dies describes the tragic and bewildering experience of losing a baby through late miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death. Each year, many thousands of parents are bereaved in this way, yet almost all feel isolated by their grief and by the shocking, incomprehensible fact that the beginning of life can also be its end.

Based on the experiences of bereaved parents, the book is liberally illustrated with stories and quotes taken from many hundreds of letters and interviews. Parents themselves speak about what happened when their baby died, how they felt, what helped them, and how they helped themselves.

This compassionate, perceptive book offers understanding of what it means to lose a baby and the grief that follows. It offers support to bereaved parents and insight to the professionals who care for them. This new revised edition also includes fully updated medical information about the known causes of perinatal death, recommendations for professional practice, and sources of further information and support for parents.

When a baby dies is produced in co-operation with SANDS (the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society), a UK charity which provides support for parents whose babies die before, at or soon after birth.

Readers' comments and reviews
'My baby boy died at birth two years ago and it has really been a help to me to read about other parents who have been through the same experience and somehow come out the other side, even though, like me, their lives will never be the same. This book has kept me going through the worst times. It has also helped me understand a lot more about why my little boy died - things that they didn't tell me at the hospital. I thoroughly recommend it. My mother-in-law also says it has helped her understand better some of what we are going through.'

A bereaved mother

'Parents tell of their experiences, from hearing the devastating news to, for some, a subsequent pregnancy. I particularly liked the chapter 'Looking Back', in which parents who had shared their stories in the first chapter explained how they feel now and what helped them come to terms with their grief. 'The parents' stories are the most powerful part of the book, emphasising individual reactions among common experiences. Staff cannot understand how parents feel, but reading their stories will help professionals appreciate how devastating the death of a baby is, and how far-reaching the consequences can be for the family. Parents' stories highlight how sensitive, appropriate care, while not taking the pain away, can make it easier to bear. If this does not happen, their pain can be exacerbated.'

Jan Symes, Obstetric/Neonatal Counsellor, Professional Nurse

List of chapters
1.  Parents' stories
2.  Immediate feelings
3.  Experiences in hospital
4.  Grief and grieving
5.  Another pregnancy
6.  Another baby
7.  Looking back

Appendix 1 Medical explanations

Appendix 2 Principles of good practice

 Read a sample chapter

 Buy from Amazon

 Find further support from SANDS

 Routledge's website

 [ Childbearing ]  [ Patient Care ]  [ When a Baby Dies ] [ About Alix Henley ]  

site created by The Word Pool