Healthier Moms & Babies Launches New Support Group
While one of our goals at Healthier Moms & Babies is to decrease the infant mortality rate in our region, not every pregnancy is a success. Supporting someone through the loss of a pregnancy or infant is a deeply sensitive and challenging situation. It's important to approach this with compassion, empathy, and respect for their feelings.
We are honored to launch our Pregnancy and Infant Loss Grief Support Group, facilitated by our team of mental health therapists and nurses trained in Perinatal Mental Health and Bereavement. The group meets the 4th Tuesday of the Month from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in our conference room in The Summit Building H.
Recently, several of our staff attended a two-day Grief Support Training webinar to learn new techniques for supporting women and families through a loss.
Betsy, our Nurse Family Partnership Supervisor, found the training especially helpful as she supports her nursing staff when they are support HMB clients through a loss. “It was very helpful to hear the clinical aspect of the loss, so we can picture what they experienced,” she said.
Some of the topics covered during the training and incorporated into our Support Group and Home Visits include:
Creating a safe and empathetic environment: Establishing a safe and nonjudgmental space where our clients feel comfortable sharing feelings and experiences, and ensuring they know we are there to support them.
Validating emotions: Validating grief and acknowledging the depth of emotions. Letting our clients know that their feelings are entirely normal and that there is no right or wrong way to grieve.
Providing education: Offering information about the grieving process, the physical and emotional aspects of pregnancy and infant loss, and common reactions to such experiences. This can help normalize our clients’ feelings and provide context for their grief.
Exploring feelings and thoughts: Encouraging our clients to express their thoughts and feelings, whether it's sadness, anger, guilt, or confusion. Helping them explore the complex and often conflicting emotions they may be experiencing.
Supporting our clients in making sense of the loss: Assisting our clients in finding meaning or understanding in the loss, if they desire. This can involve helping our clients’ process any unanswered questions or unfinished business related to the pregnancy or infant.
Developing coping strategies: Collaborating with our clients to identify healthy coping mechanisms that work for them. This may include mindfulness techniques, relaxation exercises, or journaling to process their emotions.
Addressing trauma: Pregnancy or infant loss is traumatic. If our clients are experiencing symptoms of trauma (e.g., flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance), helping them work through these symptoms using trauma-informed therapeutic approaches.
Facilitating support networks: Helping our clients identify and connect with other individuals who have experienced similar losses. Sharing experiences with others who understand can be invaluable.
Encouraging self-care: Emphasizing the importance of self-care, including sleep, nutrition, and exercise, as well as engaging in activities that bring them comfort and joy.
Stephanie Burton, a licensed therapist, said, “We know that our role is to support our clients in processing their grief, finding meaning in their experiences, and building resilience.”
At HMB, we tailor our approach to their specific needs and preferences and collaborate with them to create a therapeutic plan that aligns with their goals for healing and recovery.