As Baby Loss Awareness Week comes to a close, Louise Howells, Lead Bereavement Midwife for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, has highlighted the importance of helping families treasure their precious memories when experiencing the heartache of baby loss.

Baby Loss Awareness Week serves as a reminder that people touched by pregnancy and baby loss are not alone, and fosters a safe and supportive space for people to share their experiences. As part of the week, a ‘Remembrance Tree’ ribbon display has been featured to honour babies lost to miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death, at The Grange University Hospital. Families are invited to participate by lighting a candle in a collective wave of light to remember their precious little ones at 7pm tonight (Tuesday, October 15).

Having served as a midwife for 21 years, with nearly three of those years focused on bereavement care, Louise understands the profound impact of grief.

Louise said: “I’d always had an interest in bereavement care and I know the value of it. I’ve experienced loss myself and I attribute the support I received at the time to how well we dealt with the loss, so if I can be that support to someone else, then I will feel I have succeeded.”

As part of the support that she offers to her families, Louise was able to secure the donation of baby loss memory boxes, which are provided by the charity 4 Louis. Containing items that help families cherish their lost little ones, including teddy bears, candles, books, photo frames and hair lock containers, the memory boxes offer essential comfort during the most challenging, vulnerable times and can be tailored to each individual families’ needs.

As well as obtaining these boxes in English, Louise was inspired to secure Welsh versions of the memory boxes after completing an entry-level course to learn the language herself and realising the value of language in the grieving process.

Speaking on Shwmae Day, which encourages everyone to ‘give Welsh a go’, Louise said: “When it comes to grief, it’s vital for people to be able to communicate in their mother tongue. Completing my Welsh learner course reinforced the importance of having these memory boxes in Welsh for our Welsh-speaking population, so I was really passionate about securing them for our families. We were incredibly fortunate that the 4 Louis charity were able to provide Welsh versions of these boxes for us, with absolutely everything translated into Welsh.”

Having recognised the value of tailored support for each family's unique needs during this difficult process, Louise and her team always strive to provide individualised, person-centred care. Louise has also obtained blessed memory packs specifically designed to help those of Muslim faith honour their loss, named Ibraheem’s Gift, allowing them to cherish their memories in a way that respects their culture.

Discussing the impact of her role, Louise said: “It’s the families, it’s feeling like you’re hopefully making a difference to those families. It’s about raising awareness of baby loss amongst the public and amongst colleagues. It’s a privilege to be a part of this journey and to have a part in that baby’s life - no matter how short it was - making sure people get the most appropriate support and the best bereavement care.”

Support for anyone affected by baby loss is available here: Support for you – Baby Loss Awareness Week (babyloss-awareness.org)