Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day

In this video, Dr. Maria Costantini-Ferrando helps shine a light on Pregnancy & Infant Loss Remembrance Day. On Saturday, October 25th our friends over at the FertiliFriends Infertility Support Group are holding a virtual Wave of Light ceremony to honor this important day.

 

Perinatal Bereavement Resources & Support Groups

New Jersey Support Groups

 

ENGLEWOOD, NJ
Perinatal Bereavement Support Group
Michelle Brauntuch | 201 – 608-3635
Englewood Hospital, 350 Engle Street, Englewood, NJ  07631
perinatalbereavementteam@ehmchealth.org

 

HACKENSACK, NJ
SIDS Family Services
Alyssa Sandler | 201-996-5131
Hackensack University Medical Center, 30 Prospect Avenue, Hackensack, NJ  07601
551-996-5131

 

LIVINGSTON, NJ
Perinatal Bereavement Group
Dorothy Kurzweil | 973-322-5745 | 973-322-5055
St. Barnabas Medical Center, 94 Old Short Hills Road, Livingston, NJ  07039

 

LONG BRANCH, NJ
HART – Healing and Recovering After Termination
Monmouth Medical Center, 255 3^rd Ave., Long Branch, NJ 07740
Judy Rokeach | Ivy Leight | 732-923-6527

 

MONTCLAIR, NJ
Pockets of Light
Erin | 973-619-4277 | info@pocketsoflight.org | pocketsoflight.org

 

MOORESTOWN, NJ
Tears Loss Support Group
Dara | 609-458-7487
Moorestown Library, 111 W. 2^nd St., Moorestown, NJ 08057

MORRIS PLAINS, NJ
Bereaved Parents of the USA – Northern NJ Support Group
Pat Olausen | 973-984-0251
bereavedparentsusa.org

 

MORRISTOWN, NJ
Perinatal Loss Group
Morristown Medical Center
973-971-5748

 

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ
SIDS Center of New Jersey
Jan Hader | 800 – 545-7437
UMDNJ, 100 Bayard Street, New Brunswick, NJ  08903

 

NEWARK, NJ
F.A.T.E. (Feelings After the Termination Experience)
Lorraine Suslak, Gisela Rodriguez
NJ Medical School-Genetics, 90 Bergen Street, Ste. 5400, Newark, NJ  07101
973 – 972-3302

 

NEWTON, NJ
Newton Medical Center
973-940-8140

 

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ
Share
c/o St. Peters University Hospital
254 Eason Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ
Irina Mariano-Brown | 732-745-8600 x 5214 | imariano@saintpetersuh.com

 

PATTERSON, NJ
St. Joseph Regional Medical Center
973-754-3451

 

PRINCETON, NJ
Good Grief
Patty Ryan | 609-498-6674 ext.8006
patty@goodgrief.org

 

PRINCETON, NJ
UNITE
Debbie Miller, RN | 609-897-8980
The Princeton Health Care System, 253 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, NJ  08540

 

RED BANK, NJ
Riverview Share Group
c/o Riverview Medical Center, 1 Riverview Plaza
Diane Labarbera | 732 – 530-2315 | Diane.Labarbera@hackensackmeridian.org

 

RIDGEWOOD, NJ
Healing Hearts, Men’s Support Group, and Pregnancy After Loss groups
Valley Hospital
201-447-8539

 

TEANECK, NJ
Holy Name Hospital
201-833-3058

 

TEANECK, NJ
Jewish Family Service of Bergen County
Reva Judas | 201-724-4083
Reva.judas@gmail.com

 

TRENTON, NJ
Time for Healing
Carolee Watkins, MS, MA | 609-394-4072 x2
Mercer Campus of Capital Health System, Trenton, NJ.

 

VINELAND, NJ
Inspira Medical Center, 1505 W. Sherman Ave., Vineland, NJ 08360
Nicole Bruno | 856-503-9889

 

VOORHEES, NJ
UNITE
Ann Coyle, RN | 609-502-7552
Barry D. Brown Health Education Center

 

WALL, NJ
The Tears Foundation
848-469-8180 | thetearsfoundation.org

 

WESTFIELD, NJ
Imagine, A Center For Coping With Loss
908-264-3100

 

NEW JERSEY & SURROUNDING AREAS
Three Little Birds Perinatal
www.threelittlebirdsperinatal.org
Providing all services free to families in the NJ and surrounding area.

 

Allentown Resources

ALLENTOWN

Stella’s Hearts (Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support Group)
Lehigh Valley Breastfeeding Center

1517 Pond Rd, Allentown, PA 18104

 

ALLENTOWN

Lehigh Valley Health Network Bereavement Services

2024 Lehigh Street
Suite 100
Allentown, PA 18103-4798

610-402-7800

 

Philadelphia Resources

 

HATBORO

Maternal Wellness Center

67 Byberry Road

Hatboro, PA 19040

215-649-9916

 

DREXEL HILL

UNITE, Delaware County Memorial Hospital
Facilitators:
Debbie Rafferty
Michelle DePrince
484-758-0002

HUNTINGDON VALLEY

UNITE, Holy Redeemer Hospital
Facilitators:
Denise Paul
Liz Steward
484-758-0002

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

UNITE, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Facilitator:
Michelle Ferrant
484-758-0002

 

WEST GROVE

UNITE, Jennersville Regional Hospital
Facilitator:
Karen Powers
484-758-0002

 

WYNNEWOOD

UNITE, Lankenau Hospital Medical Center
Facilitator:
Paris Margaritis
484-758-0002

 

MEDIA

UNITE, Riddle Memorial Hospital
Facilitators:
Regina Fazio
Sheila McCabe
484-758-0002

 

LANGHORNE
UNITE – Bucks County
St. Mary Hospital

Langhorne-Newtown Rd

Langhorne, PA 19047

 

PHILADELPHIA
The Center for Grieving Children, Teens & Families
3300 Henry Ave, Suite 100, Philadelphia, PA 19129
267-437-3123
grievingchildren@aol.com | www.grievingchildren.org

 

Lake Mary Resources

 

DAYTONA BEACH, FL
Begin Again Children’s Grief Center
Halifax Health Hospice, 655 N Clyde Morris Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Dr. Kimberly Beck-Frate | 386–425-3337 | www.halifaxhealth.org/hospice

 

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS

Life Choices Medical Clinic
441 Maitland Ave.
Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
Phone: 321-422-4168
After Hours: 800-712-HELP (4357)

 

Northern California Resources

 

UCSF Women’s Health Resource Center

415-514-2670

whr@ucsf.edu

 

SAN FRANCISCO

Pregnancy After a Loss Support Group

Newborn Connections Community Room
California Pacific Medical Center Cal East Campus
3698 California Street, San Francisco, CA  94118

 

The Compassionate Friends

Napa: Contact Judy at 707-258-1623

Marin County: Call 415-457-3123 or email tcfmarin@gmail.com. Website: www.tcfmarin.org

San Francisco & North Peninsula: Email sfcompassion@gmail.com

Mid-Peninsula & Burlingame: Call 415-377-4845 or email tcfburlingameca@gmail.com.

Oakland: Call Deanna Pankow at 510-835-3579 or email deannapankow@hotmail.com.

Walnut Creek: Call Nancy at 925-943-3217.

 

Houston Resources

HOUSTON
Resolution
Patti Furman
c/o Univ. of Texas-Houston Science Center
6410 Fannin Ste. 350, Houston, TX 77225
713 – 704-4000

HOUSTON
HAND (Houston’s Aid in Neonatal Death)
Chapelwood United Methodist Church
11140 Greenbay Street, Houston, TX 77024
832–752-1919

 

KATY
Houston’s Aid in Neonatal Death (H.A.N.D.)
Jennifer Franklin, Martha Adkinson
410 Abersham Ct, Katy, TX 77450
281 – 693-0403 | www.hand.net

 

THE WOODLANDS
MEND
Stormy Mitchell
Lone Star College, 3200 College Park Drive, The Woodlands, TX 77384
281 – 374-8528 | stormym@mend.org

 

 

Southern California Resources

 

Jake’s Journey Foundation

Email:  hello@jakesjourney.org

Phone: (805) 285 2313

 

ORANGE

Forever Footprints

1944 North Tustin Street, Suite 118
Orange, CA 92865

info@foreverfootprints.org
714-509-0065

 

SANTA CLARITA AND ANTELOPE VALLEYS

Joy in Bereavement Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Group

email: pearbabydoula@gmail.com
phone: 661-666-2423

 

THOUSAND OAKS

Hospice of the Conejo

80 East Hillcrest Drive
Suite 204
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

 

Empty Cradle

San Diego – amy@emptycradle.org

Temecula – Rachel@EmptyCradle.org.

 

Virtual Support Groups

 

Professional-Led Support Group for Pregnancy Loss

Macy Schoenthaler, MFT

assistant.drkatz@gmail.com

415.649.0950

Cost: $70.00

 

Infertility and pregnancy/infant loss for individuals and families

Tina Mody

info@themayaswingsfoundation.org

 

Postpartum Support International

PSI Online Support Meetings | Postpartum Support International (PSI)

1.800.944.4773

 

Hope after Loss

aliciaj@hopeafterloss.org

Pregnancy and Infant Loss’ Virtual Support Group: https://zoom.us/j/622707444

 

Miscarriage Matters

Services | Miscarriage Matters, Inc. (mymiscarriagematters.org)

Email: miscarriagem@mymiscarriagematters.org

Tel: 833-MM-HELPS (833-664-3577)

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The Star Legacy Foundation

Support Groups (starlegacyfoundation.org)

952-715-7731

 

The Miss Foundation

Online Support Group

cheryl.pence@missfoundation.org

 

The Compassionate Friends

Online Support: Chat

Online Support – Compassionate Friends

 

Sufficient Grace Ministries

419-278-7640

sufficientgraceministries@gmail.com

 

National Organizations

The Compassionate Friends Non-Profit Organization for Grief

Home – Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support (nationalshare.org)

MISS Foundation | Support for Bereaved/Grieving Parents & Families

Still Birth Day | A Pregnancy Loss is Still a Birthday

The TEARS Foundation – Helping bereaved families honor the life of a child.

Star Legacy Foundation: Stillbirth Education, Research and Awareness

Loss & grief (marchofdimes.org)

Pregnancy Loss | Miscarriage Matters, Inc. | United States (mymiscarriagematters.org)

Sufficient Grace Ministries | Comforting others with the comfort we have received… 2 Corinth. 1:3-4

Sisters in Loss – Replacing Silence with Storytelling around Pregnancy and Infant Loss and Infertility.

Perinatal Hospice and Palliative Care: Continuing Your Pregnancy

Grieving and Growing | RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association

 

Local Organizations

About Three Little Birds Perinatal – Loss Support in NJ and PA

Jewish Infant & Pregnancy Loss Support | NechamaComfort

Pockets of Light | Montclair, New Jersey

Start Healing Together

Forget Me Not Foundation (fmnfoundation.com)

The 2 Degrees Foundation – The 2 Degrees Foundation Home Page

Partnership for Maternal & Child Health | Resources for Families Coping with Perinatal and Infant LossPartnership for Maternal & Child Health (partnershipmch.org)

 

Books

Pregnancy Loss

• Empty Arms, Coping with Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Death, Sherokee Ilse
• Empty Cradle, Broken Heart: Surviving the Death of Your Baby, Deborah L.
• Unexpecting: Real Talk on Pregnancy Loss, Rachel Lewis
• Saying Goodbye: A Personal Story of Baby Loss and 90 Days of Support to Walk You Through Grief , Zoe Clark-Coates
• An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination, Elizabeth McCracken
• The Miscarriage Map: What to Expect When You Are no Longer Expecting, Sunita Osborn
• Empty Arms: Hope and Support for Those Who Have Suffered a Miscarriage, Stillbirth, or Tubal Pregnancy, Pam Vredevelt
• Life After Baby Loss: A Companion and Guide for Parents, Nikola Gaskin
• The Baby Loss Guide: Practical and compassionate support with a day-by-day resource to navigate the path of grief, Zoë Clark-Coates
• Unimaginable: Life After Baby Loss, Brooke Taylor
• Grieving the Child, I Never Knew: A Devotional for Comfort in the Loss of Your Unborn or Newly Born Child, Kathe Wunnenberg
• Miles Apart, Annabel Bower
• A Silent Sorrow: Pregnancy Loss—Guidance and Support for You and Your Family. Kohn, I., Wilkins, I. A., & Moffitt
• Coping with Infertility, Miscarriage, and Neonatal Loss: Finding Perspective and Creating Meaning, Wenzel, A
• Unspeakable Losses: Healing from Miscarriage, Abortion, and Other Pregnancy Loss., Kluger-Bell, K
• Coming to Term: Uncovering the Truth About Miscarriage, Cohen, J.

 

   Termination for Medical Reasons

• Our Heartbreaking Choices: Forty-Six Women Share Their Stories of Interrupting a Much-Wanted Pregnancy, Christie Brooks
• Precious Lives Painful Choices: A Prenatal Decision-Making Guide, Sherokee Ilse
• The Healing Choice: Your Guide to Emotional Recovery After an Abortion., DePuy, C. & Dovitch, D.
• Peace After Abortion, Torre-Bueno, A.

 

Books for Siblings

• We were gonna have a baby, but we had an angel instead, Pat Schwiebert
• My Sibling Still: for those who’ve lost a sibling to miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant death, Megan Lacourrege
• The Invisible String, Patrice Karst
• Something Happened, Cathy Blanford

 

Pregnancy Loss tips from A Loss Mom

 

1. Acknowledge your loss and allow yourself to grieve: Your grief and the emotions accompanying it (pregnancy loss) are valid. Take time and grieve at your own pace. There is no set time limit for healing nor is it something that can be rushed. Understand that grief looks different for everyone and there is no “one size fits all” grief blueprint.
2. Be mindful of emotions: It is normal to experience various emotions. You may feel shocked, angry, confused, exhausted, sad, and/or anxious. Allow these emotions to come and go. Although these emotions feel uncomfortable, it is important to accept and acknowledge them instead of attempting to avoid them.
3. This is not your fault: You are not to blame. Attempt to “let go” of any feelings of guilt and replace them with positive self-talk.
4. Lean on loved ones for support: Accept help and allow others to comfort you. No one expects you to do this alone.
5. Be kind to yourself: Set realistic and obtainable goals for yourself. It is OK to protect yourself by avoiding potentially difficult situations. (i.e. attending a baby shower, scrolling social media, or visiting a friend that recently had a child)
6. Engage in self-care: Take time to care for yourself. Rest, stay hydrated, eat healthily, and engage in healthy ways to reduce stress. (i.e. yoga, meditation, acupuncture, or massage) Seek mental health care from a trained professional when appropriate and attend all follow-up doctors’ appointments.
7. Expect some bumps in the road: You will have good days, and you will have bad days. Try your best to ride these waves. Know that people may unintentionally say hurtful things and/or give unsolicited advice. Try not to take it personally.
8. Memorialize your baby: Creating ways to remember your baby is a therapeutic way of expressing your grief. Some people plant a garden, purchase memorial jewelry, or name a star. Do what is most comfortable and healing to you.