Parents and families in Scotland who have experienced the profound grief of pregnancy or baby loss are being offered support through a series of candlelit remembrance services titled ‘So Briefly Known.’ These services will be held at two key locations: the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) in Paisley and the Inverclyde Royal Hospital (IRH), with the events scheduled for October 5 and October 12, respectively.
The timing of the services is set to coincide with Baby Loss Awareness Week, providing a structured and supportive opportunity for bereaved families to ‘acknowledge how precious their baby’s life was and what their loss means to them,’ according to Clare Monaghan, Senior Charge Midwife at the IRH.
Midwives will be present at the events to provide direct support for the families, working in tandem with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Spiritual Care Team.
The ceremonies will feature a candle-lighting ritual, with parents and families invited to light candles in memory of their baby.
They will also have the option to place a tag on a memory tree.
Furthermore, attendees will be able to take a candle home, allowing them to participate in the Global Wave of Light at 7pm on October 15.
The service at the RAH will take place at 7pm on October 5 in the hospital’s Sanctuary, while the Inverclyde event will be held at 6:30pm on October 12 in the Sanctuary of the main IRH building, with everyone welcome to attend.
Holly Wright, a Bereavement Midwife at the RAH, noted that Baby Loss Awareness Week can be a particularly difficult time and encouraged people to seek support if they need it.
The services follow the introduction of the Baby Loss Memorial Book in 2023, produced jointly by the Scottish Government and National Records of Scotland, which offers a free, optional physical record to commemorate a loss prior to 24 weeks of pregnancy.
The timing of the services is set to coincide with Baby Loss Awareness Week, providing a structured and supportive opportunity for bereaved families to ‘acknowledge how precious their baby’s life was and what their loss means to them,’ according to Clare Monaghan, Senior Charge Midwife at the IRH.
Midwives will be present at the events to provide direct support for the families, working in tandem with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Spiritual Care Team.
The ceremonies will feature a candle-lighting ritual, with parents and families invited to light candles in memory of their baby.
They will also have the option to place a tag on a memory tree.
Furthermore, attendees will be able to take a candle home, allowing them to participate in the Global Wave of Light at 7pm on October 15.
The service at the RAH will take place at 7pm on October 5 in the hospital’s Sanctuary, while the Inverclyde event will be held at 6:30pm on October 12 in the Sanctuary of the main IRH building, with everyone welcome to attend.
Holly Wright, a Bereavement Midwife at the RAH, noted that Baby Loss Awareness Week can be a particularly difficult time and encouraged people to seek support if they need it.
The services follow the introduction of the Baby Loss Memorial Book in 2023, produced jointly by the Scottish Government and National Records of Scotland, which offers a free, optional physical record to commemorate a loss prior to 24 weeks of pregnancy.