Skip over main navigation
  • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
SANDS - MISCARRIAGE STILLBIRTH NEWBORN DEATH SUPPORT
24hr Support: 1300 072 637
  • Search
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Linkedin
Main site Get Support Donate
Menu
  • Find support
    • Our services
    • 24/7 phone support
    • Online Support
    • Support groups - online and face to face
    • Fathers Support Services
    • Hospital Support Services
    • COVID-19
  • Find information
    • Early Pregnancy Loss
    • Medical Termination
    • Stillbirth and Newborn Death
    • Creating Memories
    • Resources
      • Early Pregnancy Loss Recognition Certificates
      • Funeral Director Recommendations
    • COVID-19
    • Grief Information for Families
      • For friends and family
      • Children and grief
      • Older loss
      • A Fathers Grief
      • A partner's grief
      • A Grandparent's journey
      • Planning another pregnancy
  • For health professionals
    • Referrals
    • Order fact sheets
    • E-Learning
    • Workplace In-Services
    • Bereavement care
  • News & Events
    • News
    • Events
    • Say Their Name Day
    • October 15
      • About October 15
      • Oct 15 Resources
    • Blogs
    • Parent stories
  • Support us
    • Donate now
    • Fundraise for us
      • Set up a fundraising page
      • Fundraising at Sands
    • Shop for Sands products
    • Other ways to give
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer with us
    • Volunteer FAQs
    • Volunteer application
  • About Sands
    • Who are we?
    • Our impact
    • Our history
    • Our people
  • Admin
    • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
  • Stillbirth and newborn death

Stillbirth and newborn death

“I just wished someone had a crystal ball, so they could tell me everything was going to be ok. I wanted guarantees, I wanted assurances, but I knew no one could give them to me, and that was incredibly frightening.' - Hannah

Parents hope the birth of their baby will be a happy experience: one when people show a joyous affection towards their newborn and congratulate them on their new family member. Tragically, your baby has died or is going to die very soon. 

You may be feeling tremendously alone, but rest assured that you are not. Many parents have walked this road before you. Whilst the death of a baby is uncommon it is sadly not rare. In Australia 1 in 120 births will be a stillbirth or a newborn death. Please know that there is help at hand to get you through these dark times. 

Making sense of what has happened can be challenging and upsetting. Every parent reacts differently to the death of their baby. You may feel like a completely different person with new priorities in life. Performing what were once simple daily activities may now be challenging and difficult to achieve. You may feel like you will never be happy again and that joy, laughter and happiness will never return to your life. These feelings are normal and to be expected for bereaved parents. 

The opportunity to spend time with and create memories with your baby is an important part of you grief journey. To help you navigate the time you may have with your baby in the hospital Sands has fact sheets on what to expect.  

Throughout this difficult time it is important that you get the support and help you need. Being with people who have been through similar experiences and can understand your feelings is extremely beneficial. This is where Sands can help. 

Talking with our volunteer parent supporters who have lived through a similar experience can help reassure you that you are not alone and your reactions are normal. 

Download our stillbirth and newborn death fact sheet

Read other families' stories of stillbirth and newborn death

Published: 3rd July, 2019

Updated: 18th August, 2020

Author: Janelle Moran

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Latest

  • Request your Mother’s Day 2021 remembrance tile

    Request your Mother’s Day 2021 remembrance tile

    This Mother’s Day we invite you to request a Mother’s Day 2021 remembrance tile to remember with joy, love and appreciation, the baby or child that made you the mother you are today.

  • Finding Ways to be OK Forum: Preparing for Mother's Day

    Finding Ways to be OK Forum: Preparing for Mother's Day

    Mother’s Day for bereaved parents can be a particularly heartbreaking time. Whether it’s your first or twentieth Mother’s Day since becoming a bereaved parent, our community can help you navigate this difficult time.

  • Art of Grieving

    Art of Grieving

    This workshop will use creative, visual and written expression to explore the experience of grief. No artistic skills are required, just a willingness to heal, explore and learn.

  • Introducing our new Community Advisory Committee

    Introducing our new Community Advisory Committee

    ​Red Nose Chairperson Craig Heatley is pleased to present our new Community Advisory Committee.

Most read

  • Sands welcomes new leave provisions for stillbirth and newborn death

    Sands welcomes new leave provisions for stillbirth and newborn death

    Sands welcome the federal government’s announcement that parents dealing with stillbirths and infant deaths will soon have access to 12 months unpaid parental leave under legislation flagged for later this year.

  • Miscarriage

    Miscarriage

    Helping you understand the complex range of emotions you may experience during fertility treatment or after miscarriage or early pregnancy loss

  • UPDATED: Sands Facebook page now back online

    UPDATED: Sands Facebook page now back online

    The Sands Australia Facebook page is now back on online after being restored by Facebook overnight.

  • Remembering Betty Birch

    Remembering Betty Birch

    The members of the Sands Older Loss Group are sad to share the news that our long-term friend Betty Birch has passed away aged 96.

  • Advocating for increased services for Dads

    Advocating for increased services for Dads

    Increased funding for services for dads following pregnancy and infant loss is a key talking point this Father's Day. At Sands we believe peer support can play a key role in supporting bereaved dads.

  • Accessibility

  • Walks to Remember across Australia

    Walks to Remember across Australia

    Our sincere thanks for your support of our Walks to Remember, Wave of Light and Community events around Australia this October.

  • February update from Jackie

    February update from Jackie

    February update from Jackie: what's happening across Sands

  • Learn more about Sands' peer-to-peer model of support

    Learn more about Sands' peer-to-peer model of support

  • Online support

    Online support

    Support via email, Live Chat & Facebook

Tag cloud

World Kindness Day
COVID-19 Support Appeal

COVID-19 Support Appeal

Help Sands support bereaved parents during COVID-19 text HOPE to 0400 858 858 Read more

Published: 12th May, 2020

Updated: 30th July, 2020

Author: Bridget Sutherland

Our address
Suite 4, 670 Canterbury Road
Surrey Hills VIC 3127

General Enquiries
VIC Telephone: 03 8595 2400
QLD Telephone: 07 3254 3422

24/7 Phone Support
1300 072 637

  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Whistleblower Policy

Sign up for our newsletter

Please enter your first name
Please enter your last name
Please enter your email address Please enter a valid email address (e.g. [email protected])
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land in which our staff, Board and community work, live and visit. We pay our respects to the Elders of those many nations from past and present, recognising their continuing connection to land, waters and community.

We respect the knowledge and expertise of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with their strong culture and traditions whose hands have touched many babies birthed and children reared on this land, and acknowledge their experience of loss in many forms.

© 2021 Red Nose Australia. Sands Australia is now proudly part of Red Nose.

ABN 81 462 345 159