Tonight the exterior facade of the Library of Birmingham will be light up Pink and Blue in support of Baby Loss Awareness Week.

Lily Mae Foundation:

"The Lily Mae Foundation is here to help and support Parents and Families that have been affected by the death of a baby to Stillbirth, Neonatal Death, Miscarriage or Medical Termination.

Despite its frequency, there is very little public perception of the devastating impact of Stillbirth, Neonatal Death, Miscarriage and Medical Termination on parents, their families and friends. Working alongside Medical & Healthcare Professionals, other Charities and the All Party Parliamentary Group for Baby Loss, we want to be recognised as the main provider of bereavement support for families who have lost a baby to Stillbirth, Neonatal Death, Miscarriage or Medical Termination in the West Midlands."

Did you know, pregnancy and baby loss are not rare experiences?

More than half of people who responded to a YouGov survey ahead of Baby Loss Awareness Week 2020 said that they had either been personally affected by pregnancy or baby loss, or knew someone else who had been through it.

The effect of social distancing from Covid-19 has had a major impact on access to care and support and has complicated grief and responses to pregnancy and baby loss. Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, feelings of isolation have become more widespread around the world and many people have begun to talk more openly about loneliness.

All week we are talking about the isolation that many people experience after pregnancy and baby loss (including partners, other family members and friends), how this has been complicated by the Covid19 pandemic, and its impact on their mental wellbeing. Parents and families tell us how important it is that they each find a way to remember their baby in a way that suits them. Some join with others at special services organised by their local hospital or a local support organisation, some find solace in events organised by their faith community while others will remember alone in a way unique to them. It is important to remember there is no right or wrong way and it can change as the years pass too." From the Baby Loss Awareness website.

Article posted 15 October 2020