Listed below are some of the trusted support services, providers and resources that we recommend.
Loss & grief support organisations
-
Red Nose Grief and Loss Support
Red Nose Grief and Loss Support is a specialised support service from Red Nose Australia, offering trusted guidance, resources, and information for families affected by the death of a baby or child.
Support is available to anyone impacted by miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, medical termination, stillbirth, newborn death, SIDS, or sudden and unexpected death in early childhood. This includes parents, siblings, grandparents, extended family, friends, colleagues, healthcare professionals, and first responders.
You can access the Red Nose Grief and Loss Support 24/7 Support Line on 1300 308 307.
-
Bears of Hope Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support
Bears of Hope is a provider of leading support and exceptional care for families who experience the loss of their baby, providing crucial information and guidance during their difficult time of loss and beyond.
You can reach them on 1300 114 673.
-
Mater Hospital (North Sydney) Support Group
The Mater Hospital offers a group for parents who have experienced the death of their baby. The group meets in order to give parents an opportunity to meet with others who have also experienced the shock, disbelief and deep sadness that accompany the death of baby.
The group is run by social workers Belinda Power and Deb de Wilde. Belinda and Deb offer a safe, nurturing environment in which parents can start to explore their feelings about the experience of their baby’s death and with the support, acceptance and friendship of other parents find their own path.
Meetings are held in the Conference Room of the Melanoma Poche Centre which is located opposite the Mater Hospital in Rocklands Road, North Sydney.
There is no charge to attend the group and all are welcome, irrespective of where their baby has been born.
If you would like to confirm your attendance, have questions or would simply like to talk about what happens at the group, please feel free to contact Deb on 0412 514 996 or email Deb at deborahdewilde@bigpond.com.
-
Penthos
Penthos provides free therapy for grieving couples.
They offer a specialised 16-week therapy program for couples whose grief is not resolving, and who are experiencing relationship difficulties, at least three months after the death of their child or loss of a pregnancy.
You can read more about Penthos’ free service here.
-
Pillars of Strength
Pillars of Strength provides timeout and support for bereaved dads and for dads with ill children in hospital.
-
Psychology services via a Medicare mental health plan through your GP
Talk to your doctor about a mental health care treatment plan.
If needed, the plan enables you to claim up to 20 sessions per calendar year with mental health professionals registered with Medicare including psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors and social workers.
To find out more, visit Services Australia.
-
The Female Clinic
Anett Gallagher provides compassionate, trauma-informed support for individuals and couples navigating pregnancy loss, stillbirth, infant loss, fertility challenges and pregnancy after loss. Drawing on both professional expertise and lived experience, she provides a safe, supportive space to help families process grief, navigate complex emotions and move forward at their own pace.
To find out more, visit: The Female Clinic.
Baby loss and grief books, podcasts and other resources
-
My Baby's Voice
My Baby’s Voice is a collection of articles, podcasts and videos for bereaved parents. You can also purchase the book, You Could Have Been, by bereaved mother, social worker, and Stillbirth Australia Foundation ambassador, Ann-Maree Imrie.
-
Heart Space
Heart Space by Ami Summers is a self-directed, therapeutically reviewed coaching book designed to help families through all stages of loss. You can also find downloadable grief and loss resources on the site.
-
Beyond Blue
Beyond Blue provides resources, tools and support for those coping with grief and loss.
-
Grief and loss
TED
- You don’t “move on” from grief by Nora McIrney
Podcasts
- Grief and Finding Meaning – Brene Brown and David Kessler
- Good Grief: Guru Singh on Grief and Loss – Rich Roll
Books
- The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Mole By Charlie Mackesy
- Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stages of Grief by David Kessler
- When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron
- The Other Side of Sadness by George Bonanno
- I Wasn’t Ready to Say Goodbye by Brook Noel & Pamela Blair
- The wild edge of Sorrow by Francis Weller
- Forever in our Hearts Guided Memorial Journal by Fox and Fallow
-
Baby loss
Books
- Empty Cradle, Broken Heart by Deborah L. Davis
- The Baby Loss Guide by Zoe Clark-Coates
- Saying Goodbye by Zoe Clark-Coates
- Healing Your Grieving Heart After Stilbirth by Alan D. Wolfelt & Raelynn Maloney
- Mackenzie’s Mission by Rachael Casella
- Small Miracles: Coping with infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth by Rachel Stanfield-Porter
- Changed: Living with Stillbirth by Liza Jankowski
- Ask Me His Name by Elle Wright
- Miscarriage – series 1 by Wood Nails & Cotton
- Miles Apart by Annabel Bower
Podcasts
- Still A Part of Us by Winter Redd and Lee Redd
- Stillbirth by Curveball
-
Baby loss for siblings or children
- Born to Fly by Cindy Claussen
- We were going to have a baby, but had an angel instead by Pat Schwiebert
- You Could Have Been by Ann-Maree Imrie
- The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
- The Golden Thread by Brenda Hartman
- Something Happened by Cathy Blanford
- Gilbert’s Cake by Emily Mir
-
Resilience
- Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales
- Loving What Is by Byron Katie
- Option B by Sheryl Sandberg & Adam Grant
Service providers or practitioners
-
Suggested practices
- Psychology and/or individual or group counselling
- Meditation and yoga
- Health and fitness – following guidance from your doctor or medical practitioner.
- Intuitive spiritual guidance and chakra healing practices.
- Kinesiology – to help process emotions and trauma.
- Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) – perceptual, behavioural and communication techniques to help process emotions and trauma.
- Womb healing – external and non-invasive massage to your uterus and surrounding organs help restore energy flow.
- Engaging with celebrants or trained Death Walkers – to support bereaved families and create meaningful end of life practices or care.
