Our Babies, Our Grief : Infant and Pregnancy Loss Support Group
"Journeying through Birth & Loss Together”- Waterloo Chapter Edition
Over the last year the Home Hospice Association has been working diligently to bring services to the Waterloo Region. Bina Moore, Infant and Pregnancy Loss Doula ©, Registered Social Worker and Molly Hockin, Registered Midwife both part of the Pre and Perinatal Hospice Association will be offering the very first support group in the region beginning October 2018.
The six week group will aim to provide an invitation to families who have lost a baby through miscarriage, termination, stillbirth or as an infant, or struggling with repeated losses associated with infertility to connect and share their respective grief journeys. During the six weeks together, families will explore grief, and learn about healthy grieving practices. Facilitators hope to ensure a caring, open, listening environment is established for families to share and express their own unique encounters with grief. It is with great hope that this group setting can offer the opportunity for continued memorialization and reflection of grief, a safe space where families can continue to honour the memory of their child or experiences, coming together in unity with other grieving families to find support.
Our Babies, Our Grief is a peer led support group, meaning it is not an “expert” facilitated group such as a counselling group or government program. Through bringing families together in a peer-led group, families have the freedom to share their own wisdom, learn from one another, and explore grief with freedom and creativity. The six week program will be followed by the opportunity for families to continue to meet once per month for the continued possibility of community building among families.
The Five W’s of Our Babies, Our Grief
Why is it so important?
Families will often carry their grief with limited opportunity to share with family & friends, due to several reasons. A few common examples include: fear of being judged for their coping or difficulty finding closure, not knowing how to talk about grief, and fears, unknowns and lack of understanding regarding possible subsequent pregnancies or future of growing a family. A strong sense of loneliness, and isolation can be common, which, speaks to the power this group’s ability to build community.
Who is it for?
This support group is for any family unit who has experienced pregnancy, infant loss, or challenges with infertility.
What is Our Babies, Our Grief support group?
Our Babies, Our Grief is a peer led loss support group that is facilitated through Home Hospice Association, Pre and Perinatal Loss Program, and their local chapters. Current chapters include: Hamilton-Halton Region, Niagara Region, & **new** Waterloo Region.
When is it held?
The support group is held at various times during the year; one evening a week for 6 weeks. Each session lasts an hour and a half. The Waterloo Region Chapter will be held in Cambridge, Ontario at The Mahaya Clinic (55 Ainslie St. N). (See Flyer - Image)
Why the name?
The title Our Babies, Our Grief transpired through the intention to acknowledge the babies whom parents are grieving about but whom society often doesn’t give recognition. Our Babies, Our Grief looks at pregnancy and infant loss through the eyes of the parents, not the professionals.
Article submission by:
Bina Moore MSW RSW
Maternal Mental Health Advocate & Registered Social Worker
Bina is a Registered Social Worker (RSW) with the Ontario College of Social Workers, Maternal Mental Health advocate, Labour Doula candidate with DOULAs Inc. Bina recently completed certification and is an Infant and Pregnancy Loss Doula through the Home Hospice Association. She is the owner of Embrace Counselling Services (www.embracecounsellingservices.com) supporting birth persons and their partners navigate prenatal, birth, postpartum challenges, in addition to, infertility & loss of pregnancy.
