Baby Loss Awareness Week 2024

Sadly, the death of a baby is not a rare event. It can happen to anyone. One in four people in the UK experience pregnancy or baby loss.

Unfortunately, at Nelsons, we often see clients who have suffered the loss of a pregnancy or baby due to clinical negligence. When this happens, not only does the family have to deal with a devastating loss, but also with the prospect that it was entirely preventable.

Starting on 9 October 2024, Baby Loss Awareness Week is an important and vital campaign that takes place every year and is aimed at raising awareness and encouraging people to talk about baby loss.

Baby Loss Awareness Week – What is it?

Baby Loss Awareness Week takes place annually from 9th to 15th October and is an opportunity to mark the lives of babies lost in pregnancy, at birth, or soon after birth.

It is a chance for bereaved parents and their families and friends to unite with others to commemorate their babies’ lives and to raise awareness about the issues surrounding pregnancy and baby loss in the UK.

Charities and groups work together throughout the week to raise awareness of the issues that affect people who have lost a baby and to highlight the need for improvements in bereavement care, research, and prevention of infant loss.

2024 marks an incredible 22 years of the event which has continued to provide an opportunity for individuals and organisations to come together, share stories, and promote understanding and compassion for those who have experienced the devastating loss of a baby.

How to get involved with Baby Loss Awareness Week

There are lots of ways to get involved.

Community activities such as Remembrance Wall Displays or Ribbon Remembrance Displays are a great way to remember your baby or help support a loved one.

You can also add a ribbon to your social media pages to show your support for the campaign.

Finally, at the end of the week, there will be a virtual International Wave of Light, where people all over the world will light a candle at 7pm on 15 October 2024 in memory of the baby or babies they have lost. Photos will be shared on social media to create a wave of light.

The Baby Loss Awareness Week website has lots of ideas for how you can get involved, along with lots of information and support available, see here. Tommy’s website also has baby loss support and pregnancy information, see here.

If you have suffered the loss of a pregnancy or baby due to the actions of a medical team, it might be possible to bring a claim against the hospital. Such claims are legally and medically complex and it is vital that you have the right specialist support from the outset.

When you are dealing with the consequences of loss in this way, it can be difficult to know where to start. At Nelsons, we have a specialist team of experienced medical negligence solicitors. We understand the impact that a loss of a pregnancy or the loss of a baby can have and we pride ourselves on our friendly and professional service, particularly in these difficult and emotional cases.