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Baby Loss Awareness Week runs from Oct. 9 to 15, highlighting the experiences of families affected by pregnancy and baby loss. Teddy’s Wish and Don’t Buy Her Flowers say acknowledging the baby and continuing to check in can support bereaved parents; Teddy’s Wish offers free care packages to eligible recently bereaved families in the UK.
Baby Loss Awareness Week runs from Oct. 9 to 15, with Teddy’s Wish and gifting company Don’t Buy Her Flowers highlighting ways to support parents after a miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death or infant death. The UK charity says it provides free care packages to eligible recently bereaved parents, while its co-founder says remembering the baby and checking in over time can help parents feel less alone.
The week brings attention to families affected by pregnancy and baby loss and the organisations that support them. Its closing event is the global Wave of Light at 7 p.m. on Oct. 15, when people light candles in memory of babies who have died.
Teddy’s Wish was founded by Jennifer and Chris Reid after their son, Edward Louis Reid, died from sudden infant death syndrome at three months old in April 2014. Jennifer Reid said a simple package from a friend, containing a book about baby loss, a candle and tea, stayed with her and later helped inspire the charity’s work with Don’t Buy Her Flowers. The partnership began in 2020.
The charity says its free packages are available to recently bereaved parents in the UK after a stillbirth or termination for medical reasons from 24 weeks’ gestation, a neonatal death or SIDS. Items may include books about grief and baby loss, tea, biscuits and candles. Where possible, the package includes the baby’s name. People can also buy a package for someone they know through Don’t Buy Her Flowers, which makes an annual donation to Teddy’s Wish from sales of the charity’s packages.
Support Beyond the First Messages
Friends, relatives and colleagues may want to help but feel unsure what to say. Jennifer Reid and Don’t Buy Her Flowers founder Steph Douglas say that fear can lead people to withdraw or avoid mentioning the loss. Their message for the awareness week is that acknowledging the baby and the parent’s grief matters more than finding perfect words.
Support may also be needed after initial messages, cards and flowers stop arriving. Teddy’s Wish points to continued check-ins and remembering significant dates as ways to show that a bereaved parent has not been forgotten. A care package can convey thoughtfulness, but the company says it is not a remedy for grief or a substitute for ongoing support.
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How the Partnership Began
Jennifer Reid said that after Edward died, well-meaning friends sent flowers, but caring for them felt like another task when she was barely functioning. The package from her old school friend offered a different kind of support: a few practical, comforting items and a sign that the friend was thinking of her.
Don’t Buy Her Flowers began in 2014 after Steph Douglas received eight bouquets following the birth of her first child and questioned whether flowers were always the most useful way to show care. The company later began making packages for difficult life events. Douglas said bereavement became a common reason customers sought gifts, and that the collaboration with Teddy’s Wish drew on bereaved parents’ experience.
“Sometimes simply showing that you remember and care can mean an enormous amount.”
— Jennifer Reid, co-founder of Teddy’s Wish
Eligibility and Individual Needs
The source report does not identify the year for the Oct. 9–15 awareness week, nor does it provide a current total for packages distributed or the number of families served. It also does not set out how long someone is considered recently bereaved for the free-package scheme; parents should check eligibility and request details directly with Teddy’s Wish.
The report does not suggest that one kind of gesture will suit every family. Bereaved parents’ needs and preferences can differ, and the organisations’ comments describe their experience rather than a guarantee that a particular gift or message will help every recipient.
Week Ends With Wave of Light
Baby Loss Awareness Week concludes with the global Wave of Light at 7 p.m. on Oct. 15. People wishing to request a free package can contact Teddy’s Wish for information about eligibility. Those hoping to send a package to someone else can purchase one through Don’t Buy Her Flowers; the company says it makes an annual donation to the charity from sales of Teddy’s Wish packages.
Beyond the week, the organisations encourage people to keep in touch and acknowledge significant dates. Their guidance is to listen, remember the baby and offer support without expecting a particular response from the bereaved parent.
Key Questions
When is Baby Loss Awareness Week?
It runs from Oct. 9 to 15. The source report does not specify the year.
How can I support someone who has lost a baby?
The organisations say to acknowledge the loss and the baby, let the parent know you are thinking of them, and continue checking in after the first messages have passed. You do not need to find perfect words.
Who can request a free Teddy’s Wish care package?
Teddy’s Wish says free packages are for eligible recently bereaved parents living in the UK after a stillbirth or termination for medical reasons from 24 weeks’ gestation, a neonatal death or SIDS. Contact the charity for current eligibility and request information.
What is the Wave of Light?
It is the closing event of Baby Loss Awareness Week. At 7 p.m. on Oct. 15, people around the world light candles in memory of babies who have died.
Source: rss
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