Today marks the beginning of Baby Loss Awareness Week (9 – 15 October 2026), a time to remember the babies who are no longer with us, to stand alongside the families affected by their loss, and to recognise the profound and lasting impact that baby loss can have.
For many families, the loss of a baby changes their lives forever. The grief can be complex and deeply personal, affecting parents, siblings, grandparents and the wider family in ways that may continue long after the loss itself. Every family's experience is different, and there is no right or wrong way to grieve.
Baby Loss Awareness Week provides an important opportunity to remember, to raise awareness and, perhaps most importantly, to listen.
Every family's story deserves to be heard
Behind every statistic is a baby, a family and a story.
For some parents, the loss of their baby is accompanied by unanswered questions about what happened, why it happened and whether anything could have been done differently. They may want to understand the care they received during pregnancy, labour, birth or the neonatal period, or whether concerns were recognised and responded to appropriately.
Seeking answers is a deeply personal decision. Some families may wish to explore the circumstances surrounding their loss, while others may not want to pursue this at all. Both choices deserve to be respected.
For those who do want answers, understanding what happened can be an important part of their journey. This does not necessarily mean seeking compensation or pursuing legal action. It may simply mean wanting an explanation, having their concerns taken seriously or understanding whether there are lessons that could help protect other families in the future.
Whatever a family decides, they should be treated with compassion, dignity and understanding.
The importance of listening and learning
Baby Loss Awareness Week is also an opportunity to reflect on maternity and neonatal safety and the importance of learning when care has not gone as it should.
Where concerns arise about the care provided, families may be left feeling that their questions have not been answered or that their experiences have not been fully understood. Listening to those families, taking their concerns seriously and providing clear, honest explanations are essential parts of a compassionate response.
Where mistakes have occurred, it is important that they are recognised and that appropriate lessons are identified and acted upon. Learning from adverse outcomes can contribute to improvements in clinical practice, maternity services and patient safety.
No explanation or improvement can undo the loss of a baby. However, ensuring that families are heard and that meaningful lessons are learned can be an important part of providing accountability and helping to prevent avoidable harm in the future.
When might specialist medical negligence advice help?
For families who have questions about the care they received, specialist medical negligence advice may help them understand whether there are grounds to investigate further.
This might include concerns about antenatal monitoring, foetal growth, the interpretation of foetal heart rate monitoring during labour, delays in recognising or responding to complications, decisions about the timing or method of delivery, or the care provided to a baby following birth.
Every case is different, and an adverse outcome does not automatically mean that negligence has occurred. Establishing whether care fell below an acceptable standard, and whether this caused or contributed to the outcome, requires careful investigation and appropriate independent medical evidence.
A specialist solicitor can help families understand the process, explain what an investigation may involve and discuss the available options. This should include an honest assessment of the evidence and a sensitive recognition of the emotional demands that pursuing answers may bring.
Families should never feel pressured to take legal action. The decision to seek advice, and what to do afterwards, belongs to them.
Supporting families with compassion and understanding
We are proud to have joined the Foundation for Infant Loss as its exclusive medical negligence legal panel member for Bristol and Bath, Nottinghamshire and Leicester.
The Foundation provides support to families affected by baby loss and infertility, helping them access trusted services and information during what can be an incredibly difficult time. Its wider work also promotes education, awareness and improvements in professional practice.
We are also proud to support Zephyr’s, a charity in Nottingham that supports families touched by pregnancy loss or the death of a baby or child, and Tommy’s, a national charity that funds research into miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth, and provides pregnancy information to parents, baby loss support, and pregnancy advice.
These partnerships reflect our shared commitment to ensuring that families who wish to explore their experiences can access specialist advice in a supportive and understanding environment with clear communication, management of expectations honestly and ensuring that families feel listened to and respected throughout the process.
A week to remember, listen and reflect
Baby Loss Awareness Week is a reminder that behind every loss is a family whose experience deserves recognition.
It is a time to remember babies who are no longer here, to acknowledge the grief carried by those who love them, and to make space for conversations that can sometimes be difficult to have.
It is also an opportunity for healthcare professionals, organisations and those working alongside bereaved families to reflect on how we listen, how we respond and what we can do better.
Throughout this week, and beyond it, we remember every baby, support every family and reaffirm the importance of learning wherever lessons can be found.
Hannah Carr, Legal Director and Specialist Medical Negligence Solicitor from MDS, said “Behind every loss is a lifetime of love, a baby who will never be forgotten, and a family whose world may have changed forever. Every family's grief is different, and there is no timeline, expectation or right way to navigate it. What matters is that their loss is acknowledged, their stories are heard, and they are met with compassion, understanding and support for as long as they need it. For those who seek answers about what happened, they deserve to be listened to with sensitivity, to have their questions taken seriously, and to be supported without judgement as they decide what feels right for them. Above all, every baby matters, every family matters, and no family should feel that they have to face the aftermath of baby loss alone.”
Where to find support after baby loss
If you or someone close to you has experienced baby loss, finding the right support can feel difficult, particularly at a time when you may already be dealing with overwhelming emotions and uncertainty.
You do not have to navigate this experience alone. There are charities and organisations across the UK offering bereavement support, practical information, opportunities to connect with other families and specialist help for different types of loss.
The following organisations may be helpful starting points. Each offers different forms of support, and you can explore what feels right for you and your family.
Foundation for Infant Loss
The Foundation for Infant Loss supports families affected by baby loss and infertility, helping them access information, trusted services and support through its national directory and wider network.
Website: https://directory.foundationforinfantloss.co.uk/
Zephyr’s, Nottinghamshire
Zephyr’s provides support for families following pregnancy loss or the death of a baby or child, regardless of the circumstances or how long ago the loss occurred. Its services include bereavement counselling, drop-in sessions, wellbeing activities and opportunities for families to connect with others who understand their experiences. Its specialist counselling service is available to eligible bereaved adults based in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
Website: https://zephyrs.org.uk/
Tommy’s
Tommy’s provides information and support for families affected by miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth and other pregnancy complications. Its resources include specialist information and support from midwives.
Website: https://www.tommys.org/
The Lullaby Trust
The Lullaby Trust offers bereavement support to families affected by the sudden and unexpected death of a baby or young child. Support includes a confidential helpline, online resources and opportunities to connect with other bereaved families.
Website: https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/
Child Bereavement UK
Child Bereavement UK supports families when a baby or child of any age has died, as well as helping children and young people who are bereaved. Its services include information and bereavement support for families.
Website: https://www.childbereavementuk.org/
Sands
Sands supports anyone affected by the death of a baby before, during or shortly after birth. Its services include a national helpline, local support groups, an online community and bereavement resources for families.
Website: https://www.sands.org.uk/
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