Remembering the babies who will never be forgotten: Baby Loss Awareness Week
The death of a baby is one of the most heartbreaking experiences a family can go through.
Hospital chaplains are there to walk alongside parents and whānau during these deeply difficult moments, to offer a compassionate presence when words alone aren't enough.
Baby Loss Awareness Week
Every year from 9-15th October, people from across Aotearoa and the world come together to recognise Baby Loss Awareness Week (BLAW). It is a time to remember the babies who died during pregnancy, and to acknowledge the profound grief carried by parents, whānau, and friends.
The week is organised by the Baby Loss Awareness Alliance, comprised of five individual organisations: Sands, Ectopic Pregnancy Trust, Lullaby Trust, Miscarriage UK, and Tommy's.
What are the aims of the week?
For many families, the loss of a baby can feel deeply isolating. BLAW is an opportunity to connect with others who understand their pain, and to honour the love that remains long after loss.
There are three core aims of BLAW:
Remembrance
Every baby matters, and every baby's life deserves to be acknowledged.
At its core, Baby Loss Awareness Week was developed to provide individuals and whānau that have experienced the death of a baby with a dedicated space to remember the lives of their babies.
Raising Awareness
Globally, 50% of people have either experienced or know someone who has experienced the death of a baby.
BLAW encourages greater compassion, to help communities recognise the reality of pregnancy and infant loss.
Driving Change
The Baby Loss Awareness Week Alliance is committed to working with health professionals and services to help improve the support available to those that have experienced the death of a baby, and to developing research to help reduce preventable deaths.
Baby Loss Awareness Week in Aotearoa
One of the most visible initiatives carried out across New Zealand during BLAW is "Light Up Aotearoa", organised by Sands New Zealand. Throughout the week, landmarks around the country are illuminated in pink, blue, and purple, creating a powerful symbol of remembrance and solidarity.
New Zealand also takes part in the Global Wave of Light service. Bereaved parents, whānau, and friends from all around the world light a candle at 7pm local time in memory of their baby or babies.
| As Aotearoa is among the first countries to mark the occasion, we help to begin a worldwide chain of remembrance.
Candles are lit across different time zones, creating a continuous wave of light that circles the glove in a powerful tribute to the babies whose lives left a lasting mark on the hearts of those who loved them.
Hospital Chaplaincy Aotearoa and Baby Loss Awareness Week
Our chaplains frequently say that some of the most difficult situations they encounter are supporting parents and whānau following the loss of a baby.
| In those moments, there are often no easy answers or words that can take away the pain. Instead, chaplains provide a compassionate presence, creating space for grief, remembrance, and the love that remains.
For the last 14 years, chaplains and staff at Christchurch Women’s Hospital have worked together to provide a dedicated baby loss service for those navigating their loss.
During the service they acknowledge the babies who have died, reading their names aloud. Families are invited to place a glass pebble into a bowl of water, symbolizing the tears shed for their baby.
Some families return every year to acknowledge their loss, although each service sees people arriving for the first time.
Find support for the loss of a baby
Although some lives are heartbreakingly short, they are deeply loved.
Grief after the loss of a baby is deeply personal, and there is no 'right way' to navigate it.
If you or someone you know has experienced the death of a baby, you might find the following resources useful:
Sands NZ: Support for bereaved parents
Healing Hearts: Regional Support Groups
BetterHelp: Specialised Therapists
Hospital Chaplaincy Aotearoa is here to ensure that no family has to face that journey of loss alone.
