*Trigger warning*

Every year in Australia approximately 48,000 babies are born requiring the help of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or Special Care Nursery. Of the 48,000 requiring specialised care, up to 1,000 of these precious babies will sadly lose their fight for life. 

Some families may spend months in the NICU or Special Care Nursery, and for others they face the heartbreaking reality that they will never bring their baby home. A reality that no parent should ever have to face.

Miracle Mum Kylie shares Luana's story:

“Throughout our pregnancy & at each scan we were told that our baby was ‘small’. We undertook blood test after blood test in a mission for answers however, there were no clear answers. We carried on with our pregnancy in hope that it was just in fact a ‘small baby’.

At 30 + 5 weeks I was working, picking Blueberries & finished early to head into the Hospital for a scheduled scan. On my drive in my thoughts consisted of what to have for dinner & what our plans for the weekend looked liked. Little did I know that sitting on the chair & having my scan would then lead to being admitted as our babies’ life was in danger…so many thoughts were running through my mind! I was then swept off to maternity & signing C Section approval forms….

The following morning after a scan it was all systems go and the C Section preparation was well & truly underway. Later that afternoon at 30 + 6 weeks our beautiful little girl, Luana was born & little she was weighing in at a tiny 620 grams. At first there was silence then she cried…I have never felt so much joy!

Our little girl was then whipped up into NPICU. Later that afternoon we made the exciting trip up for our first visit, my stomach was full of butterflies & excitement! She was on CPAP & had an NGT but for being so small was doing remarkably well. The following day the CPAP came off & she went onto low flow then by the third day she was off all breathing support - we felt like we were kicking so many goals!"

Read the full story

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is an annual day of remembrance for pregnancy loss and infant death, held on October 15^th each year.

Sadly, “prematurity is the number one cause of death for children in Australia.” - Dr. Robert Guaran, Executive Medical Advisor in Neonatology.

During the days, weeks, months, and years following the death of a baby, parents may find comfort in the memorable moments and experiences had with their baby, and the keepsakes received around the time of their birth.

These memories will play a vital role in dealing with grief and can often become the greatest comfort. Lifelong memories can be created in different ways, and the precious time had together should be about doing what feels right for the family.

To provide solace and support to these families, Miracle Babies Foundation provides special Memory Boxes, provided often via the hospital. Within the Memory Boxes is:

• A No-mess, Clean Touch Footprinter Ink Pad
• Two identical matching memory blanket and pillow sets - allowing the family to wrap their baby in one set and keep the identical set in the memory box provided
• Three Miracle Babies Foundation heart lapel pins - one for baby and one for each of the parents
• White organza bags to hold a lock of hair or other tokens of remembrance

In honour of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day, to support families as they grieve, Natalis (Corporate Partner and Australian made pregnancy multivitamin brand) is generously funding Memory Boxes for 100 grieving families.

Thank you to Natalis for the wonderful support. Read more about Natalis’ support down the page.

Advice for friends or family of a grieving parent:

• Know that there is no remedy for this situation. There are no words that can take away our pain. 
• Be careful about offering platitudes. It is of little use to us if you chalk this tragedy up as "God's Will" or "Not meant to be." This is not helpful. In crisis, we often try to rationalize. We do this in attempt to bring order to this often messy and confusing world. Rationalizing a baby's death does not ease the pain. Often well-meaning friends and family think that they can ease our pain by offering platitudes. The parent will often interpret these comments as cold and unsympathetic, belittling their grief and discrediting the child's life.
• Encourage the friend or family member that you are supporting to be open and honest with their needs. It is often hard to speak up and say what it is exactly that you need, especially when you are so vulnerable. Maybe they need physical help like meals, house cleaning or someone to take the kids for the afternoon. Maybe they need some emotional support. Maybe they need to be left alone for a while or maybe they need to just cry.

About Natalis and Miracle Babies Foundation’s Partnership

Natalis, the Australian made pregnancy multivitamin brand, is a proud Corporate Partner of Miracle Babies Foundation, working together to achieve better, healthier outcomes for premature and sick newborns and their families. With a commitment to making a positive difference to women, newborns and also to the wider community, Natalis has generously provided funding for 100 Memory Boxes.

Entering our third year of partnering together, Natalis will once again:

• Support the vital NurtureProgram including NurtureLine (24 Hour Family Support Line), NurtureTime (in hospital support) and NurtureGroups (after discharge play and support groups).
• Support families in hospital via resources which provide information and tools to help families cope through the challenging experience of having a baby in NICU or Special Care, and;
• Assist in further educating pregnant women and new mothers, building confidence and improving the long-term outcomes for newborns.

Find out more about Natalis here: https://natalispregnancy.com.au/

Always read the label and follow the directions for use.

1. Amber Webb, graciously reproduced with permission from CLIMB, the Centre for Loss in Multiple Birth, Inc. © 2003: https://www.miraclebabies.org.au/families/in-hospital/bereavement/supporting-parents/