Stillbirth Support Groups: Where to Find Help After Losing Your Baby

Why a Support Group Helps When Nothing Else Does

Friends and family want to help after a stillbirth or infant death, but most do not know what to say. They default to platitudes — "at least you can try again," "they're in a better place" — that leave you feeling more alone, not less. A support group puts you in a room (or a chat thread) with people who already understand.

Perinatal loss support groups are not group therapy in the clinical sense. Most are peer-led, with a trained facilitator who keeps the conversation safe but does not direct it. You share if you want to. You listen if you do not. The value is simple: other parents who have survived the exact same experience sitting across from you, weeks or months further along, proof that surviving this is possible.

National Organizations That Run Groups

United States:

• The MISS Foundation runs both online and in-person support groups across the US. Their KINDNESS Project offers free peer support with trained volunteer companions.
• Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support provides a national directory of local support groups searchable by state.
• First Candle focuses specifically on SIDS and SUID families, offering a 24/7 bereavement helpline and connections to local support.

United Kingdom:

• Sands (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity) operates the largest network of local support groups, with regular meetings in most regions. Their helpline is open weekdays and evenings.
• The Lullaby Trust provides specialized support for families affected by sudden infant death, including a befriender service that pairs you with another bereaved parent.
• Child Bereavement UK offers support to families and professionals, with both one-to-one and group sessions.

Canada:

• Pregnancy and Infant Loss Network (PAIL) maintains a province-by-province directory of support groups and counseling services.

Australia:

• Sands Australia runs local support groups and a national helpline. Each state chapter holds regular meetings.
• Red Nose (formerly SIDS and Kids) provides bereavement support specifically for sudden and unexpected infant deaths.

Online Groups When In-Person Is Too Much

Leaving the house for a support group meeting can feel impossible in the early weeks. Online options let you connect from wherever you are, whenever you are ready:

• Sands Online Community offers a moderated forum where bereaved parents can post anonymously and read others' experiences.
• Still Standing Magazine runs a private Facebook community with thousands of members and daily moderation.
• The Compassionate Friends has an active online forum and virtual chapter meetings for any parent who has lost a child at any age.

A word about general social media groups: unmoderated Facebook groups and Reddit threads can be valuable, but they can also expose you to triggering content or unsolicited advice. Look for groups with active moderators and clear posting guidelines.

When You Need More Than a Support Group

Support groups are not a substitute for professional therapy if you are experiencing symptoms of complicated grief, PTSD, or severe depression. Signs that you may benefit from individual therapy include:

• Intrusive, repeated mental replays of the birth or death that you cannot stop
• Inability to function in daily tasks weeks after the loss
• Persistent feelings of guilt or self-blame that do not respond to reassurance
• Thoughts of self-harm

Ask your GP or OB for a referral to a therapist who specializes in perinatal loss. In England, you can self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression; ask your GP about bereavement-specific support. In the US, Psychology Today's therapist directory lets you filter by "grief" and "perinatal" specialties. The MISS Foundation also maintains a referral list of perinatal bereavement therapists.

How to Choose the Right Group

Not every group will feel right. Some are faith-based; others are secular. Some focus on stillbirth specifically; others welcome all types of infant and pregnancy loss. A few things to consider:

• Specificity matters. A group for stillbirth parents may feel different from one that includes early miscarriage. Neither is wrong, but the experiences are different enough that you may connect more in a group that matches yours.
• Format matters. Some people need to talk; others need to listen first. Drop-in groups have lower pressure than structured programs.
• Timing matters. Many parents are not ready for a group until weeks or months after the loss. There is no deadline.

If you are looking for a structured plan to get through the first days and weeks — the practical steps alongside the emotional support — the When Your Baby Dies Response Toolkit covers hospital decisions, legal deadlines, physical recovery, and where to find help, all in one place.