Mother’s Day Grief: Supporting Bereaved Mothers and Remembering Child Loss

Mother’s Day can be an incredibly painful reminder for mothers who have experienced the loss of a child or pregnancy. We understand the unique grief and challenges this day, and many others, can present. We’re here to offer support and guidance, to help make sure that no mums are forgotten because a child has died.

Coping with Mother’s Day Grief: Self-Care Tips

Put yourself first
Don’t feel pressurised to do anything you don’t want. Instead, spend the day doing things you enjoy. This could mean going for a long walk, spending the day watching your favourite films, or going on a trip out.

Put your feelings into words
Writing can be a useful way to manage or process your grief. Whether it’s writing in a grief journal or letter writing. This can be a good way to organise your thoughts and make sense of your feelings.

See family and friends
Getting together with loved ones to share memories about the child or baby who died can be very special and a lovely way to honour their life.

Honouring Their Memory: Ways to Remember a Child on Mother’s Day

If you want to mark the day and remember your child, there are a few things you can do:

• Light a candle and place a photo with it.
• Plant a flower to create a place to return to remember them.
• Visit a place which reminds you of them or was special to them.

Supporting Bereaved Mothers: Advice for Friends and Family

The run up to this day can be worrying for parents and relatives who have experienced pregnancy loss, or the death of their child, and they may need help to express how they feel and what they need. Family and friends may feel unsure how to handle the approach of Mother’s Day with bereaved parents.

Here are some tips about things you can do to show you care:

1. Acknowledge their child, or baby loss
2. Say their baby’s name.
3. Say something rather than nothing.
4. Ask them how they are.
5. Reassure that it’s ok to feel how they are feeling.
6. Encourage them to take things one step at a time.
7. Encourage them to do what is best for them.
8. Be kind – simple, kind caring message such as ‘I’m thinking of you’.
9. Offer to do an activity together such as a walk, or go for a coffee – if they would like to.
10. Be yourself and be genuine. If you think you’ve said something unhelpful, just apologise and say, ‘I’m really sorry I think I might be getting this wrong, but I just want to let you know that I am here for you.’

Finding Grief Support: Resources for Bereaved Mothers

If you’re struggling with your grief, then it’s important to ask for help. You don’t need to struggle alone, so this might mean speaking to your friends and family, or your GP.

You can find lots of helpful information online as a starting point:

Martin House GriefChat Bereavement Support: an online conversation with a trained bereavement professional. Click this link to access.

Podcasts:

• Bereaved Parents Club
• Andy’s Mum Podcast
• Grief Works

Websites:

• The Compassionate Friends
• Child Bereavement UK
• Sands