Tips

Tips for talking with someone who has experienced a stillbirth:


Say the baby's name, please! It lets the parents know that you think of the baby as a person.

Remember dad. He lost a baby too.

Don't use clichés. Don't tell the family that this is for the best, that the baby is in God's hands (they want the baby in their own hands!) or that an angel will be watching over them. Just tell them you're sorry and give them a hug.

Please, never say to anyone, "You will have more children." You do not know that for sure. To the grieving person, this comment is fraught with pain. You are not validating that they are grieving and have suffered a loss. A simple, "I am sorry," does wonders in a moment when you don't know what to say.