Julie Brooks RN BSN Why perinatal death can be complicated The suddenness and unexpected nature of the loss The way infant death is socially defined in our society When a person is born we rejoice and when they marry we jubilate but when they die we pretend nothing happened ID: 325129
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Slide1
Pregnancy Attachment and the Need to Create Memories
Julie Brooks, RN, BSNSlide2
Why perinatal death can be complicated
The suddenness and unexpected nature of the loss
The way infant death is socially defined in our societySlide3
“When a person is born we rejoice, and when they marry we jubilate, but when they die we pretend nothing happened.”
(Margaret Mead)Slide4
Attachment/Bonding ConceptsPlanning the pregnancy
Confirming the pregnancy
Accepting the pregnancy
Feeling the pregnancy
Accepting the fetus as an individualSlide5
Grief is experienced in relation to the significance of the attached
*Each family that experiences perinatal loss will have unique feelings about the pregnancy.
*
Understanding what the pregnancy means to is the foundation for understanding pregnancy loss.Slide6
What happens when there is perinatal loss and how can we help?
It
is critical that the caregiver allow the family to guide their own journey of grief rather than attempt to have a recipe for every
situation. Slide7
Grieving is not a process of forgetting but rather of remembering.
Bereaved parents need time to say “hello” before they can say “good-bye”
Give information in small
doses
Parents may not know what memories will be important to them laterSlide8
Memory Making/Offering Choices
Assisting with memory-making can be one of the most important things we can to help parents process their grief.
Creating
Memories
Holding their
baby
Photographs
Mementos
(Door card, Blessing Card , clothing, Memory Box)
Support for families and follow
upSlide9
Holding their baby, no matter the gestational age.
Seeing, holding, and touching may confirm for a parent the reality of the baby’s death and create memories for the future.Slide10
Photographs provide a lasting memory of what the baby looked like. This is a one-time chance to create the visual memory that must last a lifetime for the parents.Slide11
Don’t forget the
siblings!!!
Children are disadvantaged grievers.Slide12
Follow Up!!!
Essential to a bereavement program
Contacts are intended to let families know they are still thought about at times we know are difficult to for them (e.g., anniversary date)
Keeps communication channels open and allows families to ask questions, seek advice
Ideal times…within 1 week, at 3 weeks, between 6-10 months, at the anniversary date