Baby Loss Awareness Week 2025 is taking place from 9 to 15 October to raise awareness about pregnancy loss and baby loss, and to bring a sense of community to anyone impacted by this.

Over the course of the week, bereaved parents, their families, and friends across the world are invited to commemorate the lives of much-loved babies who died during pregnancy, birth and in infancy, by sharing stories, remembrance, and hope. This includes taking part in the Wave of Light on Wednesday 15 October at 7pm, where families across the world are invited to light a candle for an hour, in memory of all babies who died too soon.

It is also an opportunity to be reminded that no-one is alone and that help is available if you need it.

Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust’s maternal mental health service for Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland is one example of this. The service is a psychology led, trauma informed team, which supports women and birthing people with moderate to severe difficulties related to baby loss, birth trauma and tokophobia (fear of pregnancy and childbirth).

Dr Jennifer Weedon, principal clinical psychologist in the maternal mental health service, said: “We understand that losing a baby at any point and for any reason can be incredibly painful. There is no single ‘right’ way to be feeling after an experience like this, and it can take some time to settle. You may find it helpful to reach out for support, whether this is your existing support network, professional help, or to feel supported by someone who has been through something similar.”

Help, support and resources

Below, are a list of resources which may help.

Local support

  • Bodie Hodges (https://bodiehodgesfoundation.co.uk/) supports families bereaved of a baby or child aged 24 weeks gestation to 18 years living in Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland.
  • The Laura Centre (https://thelauracentre.org.uk/) supports grieving parents and siblings through the difficult stages of bereavement of any baby or child loss.
  • Babyloss Support LLR (https://babylosssupport.org.uk/) offer peer to peer support to families affected by the death of a baby in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
  • Jakin Counselling (https://jakin-counselling.co.uk/) support those facing an unplanned pregnancy and those struggling after a pregnancy choice they’ve made.
  • The LPT maternal mental health service. Please speak to your midwive, obstetrician or health visitor to be referred. You can also access some of the Maternal Mental Health service’s meditations on the LPT YouTube channel, including the Developing loving kindness meditation and the Sanctuary meditation which can help to heal grief.
  • Local mental health support is also available at local neighbourhood mental health cafes
  • You can get urgent mental health support by calling NHS 111 and selecting the mental health option.

National support

Baby Loss Awareness Week local events

There is a special Wave of Light service being held in conjunction with the Bereavement Midwifery Hub. The event on Wednesday 15 October at Kings Centre, 56 Bull Head Street, Wigston LE18 1PA. Doors open at 6.15pm and the service will run until 8pm. The lighting of the candles will be at 7pm.

How you can help someone going through baby loss

Here are some tips from the maternal mental health service about how you can help someone who has experienced baby loss.

Presence over perfection

If someone you love has experienced baby loss, it can be difficult to know what to say or do. The key thing to remember is that there is no, one right way to support a bereaved loved one. Try to aim for presence rather than perfection. Showing up means a lot.

Listen without trying to fix

Listen without trying to fix; you can’t fix this. Ask “how are you today?” rather than “how are you?”, which can be overwhelming and be too big of a question for the person to answer.

Don’t ask, do

When you have had a loss, you don’t always know what you want or need. Ask yourself, ‘what might the person who has experienced the loss need today?’ It could be a bin emptying, washing up, a cup of tea, shopping, tidying, washing, support with childcare.

Stay in contact

Send the person a message after six months and on the anniversary to let them know you are thinking of them and that they are not alone.