What are the psychological consequences of stillbirth on mothers and families?

For most women, when they need to cope with the depression, anxiety, and other psychological disorders caused by stillbirth, which may be long-lasting. Women who have given birth to a stillborn baby sometimes avoid social activities and isolate themselves, which worsens short- and long-term depressive symptoms. The negative psychological consequences are still present in subsequent pregnancies or even after the birth of a healthy child. All this alters how mother and father experience life and death.

How to help comfort a parent that experienced stillbirth

You and your partner will experience overwhelming grief at the death of your baby. As stillbirth often occurs without the appearance of any warning signs, you will go from joyful anticipation to utter desolation in no time. You may experience a range of emotions, from numbness to depression, denial, and anger. It is possible that each of you grieves differently, creating tension between you. To cope, consider seeking professional advice or joining a group of parents who have suffered a similar loss. Within the group, you will be able to talk about your feelings to people who have experienced the same situation, which will make you feel less alone.

Share in their love for the baby

It's never a bad idea to say good words about the stillbirth baby; it goes a long way in helping to comfort grieving parents. Just like every parent, grieving parents value kind words about their baby. This is even more evident in parents that have named their babies. They show a certain level of pride when you mention the baby's name.

Remember important dates

The comforting doesn't end after the burial of the baby. You must try to always show up for the parents on important dates. Such dates could be the anniversary of the stillbirth or other important holidays. There's a high chance that such dates evoke some sad memories for the parents, and it will be pretty helpful to have someone in their corner comforting them.

Asides from the birthday or anniversary, parents can feel the gap whenever there's an important holiday. Holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving come to mind; pay close attention to them on such family reunion holidays.

Avoid unnecessary questions

This is vital when comforting parents who have just experienced stillbirth. Some questions are quite sensitive, and they could affect the emotional balance of the parents. Such questions must be avoided in comforting these parents.

If you're unsure which questions to avoid, you could always consult with people with vast knowledge on such matters. It wouldn't be a bad idea to mention the processes leading to the stillbirth itself.

Mementos for the baby

You could never go wrong with Mementos as they bring a different feeling entirely. If the parents have ever shared images or items belonging to their departed baby, you could create mementos from those items. The parents can see and touch these remembrance items whenever they need to feel a connection with the departed baby.

Mementos can come in any form, and you must ensure that you opt for an option that will save the baby's memory.

Personalized boxes: There's a chance that the parent will want to keep some items belonging to the baby. Such things as blankets and socks could fall into this category. A noble idea for remembrance is to get a personalized box to store these items. You could always buy or create a personalized box to store these items.

Cremation jewelry: if you're looking for the perfect memento, cremation jewelry is exactly what you're looking for. This remembrance jewelry is crafted using the ashes of the stillborn baby. It helps to forge an eternal bond that no other memento item can compete with. There are many cremation jewelry to choose from: rings, earrings, bracelets, and pendants.