“I just wished someone had a crystal ball, so they could tell me everything was going to be ok. I wanted guarantees, I wanted assurances, but I knew no one could give them to me, and that was incredibly frightening.' - Hannah

Parents hope the birth of their baby will be a happy experience: one when people show a joyous affection towards their newborn and congratulate them on their new family member. Tragically, your baby has died or is going to die very soon. 

You may be feeling tremendously alone, but rest assured that you are not. Many parents have walked this road before you. Whilst the death of a baby is uncommon it is sadly not rare. In Australia 1 in 120 births will be a stillbirth or a newborn death. Please know that there is help at hand to get you through these dark times. 

Making sense of what has happened can be challenging and upsetting. Every parent reacts differently to the death of their baby. You may feel like a completely different person with new priorities in life. Performing what were once simple daily activities may now be challenging and difficult to achieve. You may feel like you will never be happy again and that joy, laughter and happiness will never return to your life. These feelings are normal and to be expected for bereaved parents. 

The opportunity to spend time with and create memories with your baby is an important part of you grief journey. To help you navigate the time you may have with your baby in the hospital Sands has fact sheets on what to expect.  

Throughout this difficult time it is important that you get the support and help you need. Being with people who have been through similar experiences and can understand your feelings is extremely beneficial. This is where Sands can help. 

Talking with our volunteer parent supporters who have lived through a similar experience can help reassure you that you are not alone and your reactions are normal. 

Download our stillbirth and newborn death fact sheet

Read other families' stories of stillbirth and newborn death