When I lost Patrick  I had no idea what to do, how to feel, where to go, who to talk to. I felt more alone than I’ve ever felt. I have since learned that one in four women has experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, infant or child loss… That fact means that there are hundreds of thousands of parents across the world who are hurting in similar ways, and must also need a place to turn for comfort, guidance and validation. 

Here. Turn here. You are not alone.

The following an alphabetical list of resources that I have personally found helpful, or others have found helpful and recommended. It will be updated and maintained as often as possible. If you wish to add any other groups or resources, please send information to: theprogressiveparent@gmail.com. For immediate help, consider locating a Bereavement Doula near you, or consider calling one of the hotlines below for immediate, person-to-person assistance. I’ve been there. Sometimes I’m still there. This too, shall pass.

• 24 Hour Crisis Line: 800.273.TALK  (8255)
• Contact Grief Crisis Line: 972.233.2233
• COPE Line Grief Support: 516.364.COPE (2673)
• First Candle:  800.221.7437
• National Hopeline Network: 800.442.HOPE (4673)

• SIDS Hotlines:  800.232.SIDS (7437), 

  800.477.SIDS (7437) and 800.221.SIDS (7437)

Choosing love,
Julie
For a look into my own grief process and poetry, click through the links. ❤

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Carly Marie ~ Project Heal

Healing. Colour. Light. Magic.

“Project Heal is my place of healing. It is my place to come and write about my lightwork, my life, what is inspiring me, what I am working on, what my children are teaching me, what this life is teaching me. I write often at my facebook page, it is filled with my photographs and stories of strange and mysterious happenings.” Carly Marie, Founder, Project Heal

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The Compassionate Friends

Providing family grief support after the death of a child

“The Compassionate Friends is about transforming the pain of grief into the elixir of hope. It takes people out of the isolation society imposes on the bereaved and lets them express their grief naturally. With the shedding of tears, healing comes. And the newly bereaved get to see people who have survived and are learning to live and love again.” Simon Stephens, founder of The Compassionate Friends

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The COPE Foundation

A grief and healing organization dedicated to helping parents and families living with the loss of a child.

“Dedicated to the spirits of our children who have passed, COPE helps us to Connect Our Paths Eternally, sustaining and building upon the bonds of love and energy that connect us with our children.”

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Faces of Loss

Putting a face on miscarriage, stillbirth and infant loss.

“There are hundreds of women bravely and openly sharing their stories of miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant loss on personal blogs, all over the world, and others who are looking for a way to share their stories with others. Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope is a place for us to come together and share our stories and our faces with others who may be looking for reassurance that they are not alone.” Kristin

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First Candle 

Helping babies survive and thrive

“First Candle is a leading national nonprofit organization dedicated to safe pregnancies and the survival of babies through the first years of life. Current priorities are to eliminate Stillbirth, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths (SUID) with programs of research, education and advocacy. We also provide compassionate grief support to all those affected by the death of a baby through a dedicated crisis hotline at 800.221.7437.”

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Grief Beyond Belief

Faith-free support for non-religious people grieving the death of a loved one.

“Grief Beyond Belief is an online support network for people grieving the death of a child, parent, partner, or other loved one — without belief in a higher power or any form of afterlife. Atheists, agnostics, humanists, skeptics, freethinkers and others without religious or spiritual beliefs are invited to participate.”

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Grieve Out Loud

Helping families find their way back to life after loss

“Grieve Out Loud was started in January 2010 by a group of parents who understand the pain of losing a baby and are passionate about helping others in their own grieving process. Our stories are different, yet they are the same in that our children have been separated from us through the cruelty of death.”

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The MISS Foundation

A community of compassion and hope for grieving families

Since 1996, the MISS Foundation C.A.R.E.S. (Counseling, Advocacy, Research, Education and Support) for families experiencing the death of a baby or child at any age and from any cause.  The MISS Foundation provides a sanctuary allowing healthy and necessary grieving in the face of tragedy which Western culture no longer fosters or supports. 

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Still Birth Day

A pregnancy loss is still a birth day

“I created stillbirthday, but the vision for it is not only deeply personal, intimate and closely special, the vision for stillbirthday is to spread our paradigm globally of truly understanding the importance and sacredness of the places where birth and bereavement meet.” Heidi Faith,  Founder of Still Birth Day

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 Still Standing Magazine

Surviving Child Loss and Infertility

“An online magazine with contributors from around the world to inspire healing after the loss of a child, and those facing infertility.”

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The SUDC Program

An answer when there’s no explaination

“The Sudden Unexplained Death In Childhood Program (SUDC) was created in September 2001 within the CJ Foundation for SIDS. It is tasked with providing a centralized resource for information, support and advocacy. It serves families and professionals affected by the tragedy of SUDC, and promotes awareness of SUDC in communities.”

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