Day five of Baby Loss Awareness Week: looking after partners

13 Oct Day five of Baby Loss Awareness Week: looking after partners

Looking after the partners of people who have experienced pregnancy or baby loss is something that everyone can help do – friends, family, health professionals and colleagues. ​

Partners often feel they have to be strong and keep their feelings hidden, or that their wellbeing isn’t important. They can often be sidelined by pregnancy, maternity or neonatal services. During Covid-19 partners have faced even more challenges with many not being able to attend scans or appointments or allowed into hospital.​

By looking after partners, validating their experience and helping them to ask for support, we can help them cope through what can be such a distressing time.

Each day during the Week we’ll be sharing the stories of people who’ve found different ways to look after their wellbeing. Today we’re sharing Keyan’s story.

Tips on looking after yourself

The following tips are simply suggestions that we hope may be helpful, but it’s all about finding what works for you.

• If you know someone who’s experienced pregnancy or baby loss ask them how their partner is coping as well as asking how they are feeling. They have experienced a loss too and may not know where to go for support.​
• If you know someone who’s the partner in a couple who has experienced pregnancy or baby loss check in on them, invite them out for a coffee or a walk. They may welcome a space to share how they feel.​
• Keep in touch with the partners of people who experienced pregnancy or baby loss, let them know you’re thinking of them.​
• Remember baby loss is the loss of the hopes and dreams of a future family.