Introducing video into maternity care research: Lessons learned

Abstract

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that of the 297,900 births in 2010, 1767 babies were stillborn and a further 842 babies died during the first 4 weeks of life. The ABS also estimates that in 2007, 150,000 parents experienced early pregnancy loss and this figure is ongoing and on the increase. Evidence in the literature recognises that the death of a baby is a traumatic life event and bereaved parents experience a unique grief that may result in complicated grief because of a lack of appropriate support and understanding of the response needed. There is significant evidence that bereaved parents experience the most effective grief support through a response which includes: – ‘Permission to grieve’, recognising the significance and uniqueness of the loss; – Encourages the opportunities to create memories of their baby; – Facilitation of contact between bereaved parents in the form of peer support – delivered through one-on-one support or through support groups; and – The best maternal services by informed health professionals. At ACM 2015, SANDS would like to take the opportunity to deliver a workshop on the SANDSmodel whilst also highlighting the needs of bereaved parents in themedical situation after their baby dies. This will be a beneficial way for midwives who care for bereaved parents to learn about the bereaved parents’ grief and loss experiences around the death of their baby so that they can better anticipate and understand the needs of the bereaved parents, and how best to care and support them. Workshop outcomes: A greater understanding of SANDS’ peer support model and its benefits to bereaved parents; a greater understandingof theneedsofbereavedparentswhentheirbabydies; an insight into how to give bereaved parents ‘permission to grieve’.