Collaboration Helps Create New Pregnancy & Newborn Loss Resource
Supporting families through pregnancy and newborn loss requires compassionate, coordinated care that extends beyond any one profession.
The newly released resource, When Goodbye Comes Too Soon: Acts of Love After Pregnancy & Newborn Loss, reflects that collaborative approach.
Developed by the Funeral Service Foundation, Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition, and National Funeral Directors Association(NFDA), the guide brings together the expertise of bereaved parents alongside professionals from healthcare, grief support, and funeral service to provide practical, compassionate guidance for families following pregnancy or newborn loss.
Members of the National Perinatal Loss Collaborative's founding organizations, including Return to Zero: Hope, were honored to contribute to the development of this resource.
The guide reflects many of the same principles that guide the National Perinatal Loss Collaborative:
Family-centered care
Interdisciplinary collaboration
Evidence-informed bereavement practices
Shared decision-making
Compassion across every point of care
Honoring each family's unique experience
How Can This Resource Be Used?
While written for families experiencing pregnancy or newborn loss, this guide is also a valuable resource for organizations that care for bereaved families.
Hospitals, birthing centers, NICUs, emergency departments, hospice and palliative care programs, coroner’s office, funeral homes, doulas, therapists, and community organizations may wish to keep copies on hand to include in bereavement packets, discharge materials, memory boxes, or resource libraries. Sharing a trusted guide can help families better understand their options and revisit important information when they are ready.
This resource demonstrates organizations working together toward a common goal: ensuring families receive compassionate, consistent support during one of the most difficult experiences of their lives.
The National Perinatal Loss Collaborative believes strengthening bereavement care requires healthcare professionals, community organizations, funeral service professionals, and bereaved parents working together to build systems of compassionate support. We are grateful to the Funeral Service Foundation, the Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition, the National Funeral Directors Association, and every contributor who helped bring this important resource to families and professionals nationwide.
The guide is available free of charge. Request or download a copy to share with the families you serve.
