Hope and Healing After Stillbirth And New Baby Loss

'Offering wisdom and understanding, written with sensitivity, this book has much practical help within its pages for a loss like that feels like few others' Sands

Whether it happens before or shortly after birth, the loss of a baby brings overwhelming grief and parents often struggle to access the professional help they need.

In this new edition of their compassionate and practical book, Professor Kevin Gournay - who himself lost a child to stillbirth - and distinguished midwife Dr Brenda Ashcroft offer understanding of what it means to go through this bereavement, and healing advice on how to make sense of it. They give important information about parents' rights, and cover such difficult topics as post mortems and inquests. The book considers parents' reactions, not least feelings of anger, as well as offering help for, and insight into, the relationship difficulties that often follow the loss of a baby. There is support for anyone who might be experiencing anxiety or depression, advice on how other children in the family might be affected, and possible prevention and treatment for future pregnancies.

Sympathetic, expert and warmly supportive of any bereaved parent, this book also provides a guide to good practice for professionals in all relevant fields.

"Gives an insight into grief, and on what may help in living with the loss. Midwives and maternity staff may also find this book useful to appreciate some of the challenges facing parents." Gail Johnson, Professional Adviser, Royal College of Midwives
"Our priority must be to provide appropriate support to the parents who are experiencing loss: that is why books like this one are so important." Vicky Foxton, MP

Professor Kevin Gournay, CBE is Emeritus Professor at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, and the author of several Sheldon books. He is a government adviser and expert witness, a consultant to the World Health Organization, and lead investigator and reporter on multiple reports on cases of stillbirth and perinatal death. He has covered a very wide range of research and is renowned for his work with patients suffering the effects of trauma, and with dying patients and their families. His professional interest in stillbirth stems from loss of his own child to stillbirth (at 40 weeks) in 1985.

Dr Brenda Ashcroft is a lecturer in midwifery/ethics and law at University of Salford. She is a distinguished midwife and an expert witness. She has a specialist interest in risk on the labour ward, and has investigated a large number of cases involving stillbirth and perinatal death, where negligence has been addressed. She has contributed to the work of SANDS and presented her work to government organisations.

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