SANDS National Support Line 13 000 72637 

Photo: Walk to Remember 2010

SANDS (Vic)

SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Support) is a self-help support group comprised of parents who have experienced the death of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth, or shortly after birth. SANDS is recommended by a majority of maternity hospitals in Victoria and Tasmania.

SANDS aims to:

• facilitate the normal grief process for the newly bereaved and for parents whose natural grief was denied appropriate expression at the time of their baby's death - providing direct support

• change the community attitude and associated practices that fail to recognise the death of a baby as a real loss, legitimate to mourn

• encourage research into the incidence, cause, effects on the family and methods of preventing and alleviating associated problems with the death of a baby. More information (definitions and statistics)

Our Babies Have Died Stories of Miscarriage and Neonatal Death This is a collection of 37 Stories written by bereaved parents for bereaved parents. The book, three years in the making, was written in the hope that these stories will be able to help others going through the grief of losing a child. These stories are at times heartbreaking, brave and sensitive, while showing an insight into the strength of the human condition.

 “Anyone who has lost a baby, or knows someone who has, should read this collection of stories. In a word: emotional”. - Cheryl Critchley, Herald Sun (Melbourne)