Some parents choose to go back to the same maternity unit while others do not want to re-live the memories of their baby’s death in the same place. If you do not have the choice to go to another hospital, and find the prospect of attending the same hospital too distressing, you can ask to be under the care of a different consultant and a different team of midwives from the ones you had previously. It is natural to want to be extra cautious and to feel very anxious. If there is anything about your pregnancy that is worrying you, it is essential to tell a member of your healthcare team. In addition to the usual antenatal clinics, some maternity units run special clinics or drop-in sessions for bereaved parents who are expecting another baby, where they understand the anxiety and pain of a new pregnancy and can provide extra reassurance and check-ups.
If you are the birth mother, you might feel especially anxious throughout and this can be particularly hard when you reach the point in your pregnancy when your previous baby died. You can ask for extra checks to help reassure you. Your notes should be marked with a special sticker or alert to indicate that you have had a baby who died. Sands provides special stickers or alerts to health professionals to use. This helps them be more aware that you might need extra care. If you go to antenatal classes, tell the person facilitating the class that your previous baby died. They can then be sensitive to your needs and understand why you might have additional concerns to some of the other parents who attend the class.