7 ways to support someone who has lost a baby
Here are seven ways you can support someone who has lost a baby:
- Be like Nike, and JUST DO IT. Don't ask what you can do to help, chances are they are not going to ask. Bring over dinner, tell them you will treat them to dinner out while you clean their house, mow their lawn or do whatever to make the daily drudgery less of a burden.
- Say Their Name. The baby they lost is a person. Honour their baby. Some people just do not know how to act in these types of situations. Many times, simply saying the name of their baby acknowledges the life that was gone to soon.
- Ding Dong Ditch. Go shopping, get things that you know they like or are likely to need like flowers, beer, pizza, home-cooked dinner, whatever. Then, sneak over to their house, place these things on their porch, ring the doorbell and run like hell. Don't call or ask how they liked what you gave them. They will appreciate what you brought whether they know who to thank or not.
- Remember and acknowledge tough days. Mother's Day/Father's Day; due dates; their baby's would-be birthday; all of these dates are hard, a small gesture of a card will go a long way.
- Talk about it with them, and if they don't want to talk about then just sitting with the couple even if it is to "just be" will help more than you realize.
- A memorabilia item, like a necklace, footprints in sand kit or even a memory box can be a great way to change the atmosphere from one of loss to one of honouring the time they had together.
- Help plan a memorial to remember. There are several things you can do including a butterfly release, first birthday celebration at a park, plant a remembrance tree, etc. Anything you can do to bring honour and serenity to the memory of their child will be pivotal to their recovery.