Parents' support of their other children after a miscarriage or perinatal death

This study, which grew out of the author's counselling work with the Edinburgh Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society, explores the way parents who have recently lost a baby support other children in the family. In view of recent research in America on the continuing but changing bonds with the deceased, the place which the parents give to the deceased baby in the ongoing life of the family was also examined.

Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eight families who had initially contacted the Edinburgh Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (SANDS).

The kinds of support parents provided and felt was needed fell under three main headings: recognising and acknowledging the child's grief, including the child in family rituals and keeping the baby alive in the family memory.

While there was some consistency in the kinds of support parents recognised as required, the parents own circumstances and beliefs influenced the way support was given. Further research might explore these factors with a larger sample. There did seem to be a recognition by parents, in their longer-term support and the range of family activities, of continuing and changing bonds with the deceased baby rather than the severing of bonds.