Mon Health System Honors Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
Posted Date: 10/30/2024
Vandalia Health’s Mon Health honors October’s Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month by highlighting special programs and support offered to grieving families.
Tens of thousands of families across the United States are devastated each year by the loss of their baby. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan declared October as a month to recognize the unique grief of bereaved parents in an effort to demonstrate support to the many families who have suffered such a tragic loss.
Mon Health extends its support to mothers and families who have experienced loss. Mon Health’s Progressing through Postpartum (P3) Program screens mothers throughout pregnancy and post-delivery for any indication of anxiety, depression, or mood disorder.
Regardless of how a pregnancy concludes, the hormone changes related to delivery are the same. The P3 Program is proactive and offers services before symptoms become severe. This allows for early detection and management of symptoms, giving the P3 team an opportunity to connect with mothers early on and provide continuous support throughout their pregnancy and postpartum journey. In addition, the P3 team holds a Pregnancy and Infant Loss support group every Thursday at 5:30PM via Zoom for mothers and families who have experienced loss. The group is open to anyone who has experienced a loss of a pregnancy, stillborn, or infant.
The Mon Health Family Birth Center provides handmade Angel Gowns donated by the Mon Health Medical Center Auxiliary for families who have suffered infant loss. Oftentimes with the passing of an infant, there is nothing to clothe them in besides a simple blanket or shirt, adding to the overwhelming heartbreak for parents. These handmade gowns are provided as a gift to the grieving family to acknowledge their loss in a personal way.
In addition, Mon Health Medical Center is a Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep partner. Through this partnership, the Mon Health Medical Center Family Birth Center works with volunteer photographers of the nonprofit organization to provide complimentary remembrance portraits for families of stillborn babies.
“At Mon Health, we provide compassionate care and support services to our patients and families experiencing loss,” said Jennifer Bender, Perinatal Nurse Navigator for the P3 Program. “Though these programs made possible by the generosity of donors through the Mon Health Medical Center Foundation, the Mon Health Medical Center Auxiliary, and the community, we are able to provide families with additional support and comfort during times of grief and loss.”
To learn more about the care provided at Mon Health, visit MonHealth.com. To donate to support programs caring for grieving families, visit MonHealth.com/Foundation.
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