When Compassionate Professionals Don't Know What to Say

When Compassionate Professionals Don't Know What to Say

Most professionals who support a family through pregnancy or infant loss care deeply. The problem is that many were never actually taught what to say when there is no heartbeat, a miscarriage happens, or a baby dies. When compassionate professionals do not know what to say, fear and discomfort can lead to silence, clichés, overexplaining, or words a grieving family remembers forever. This article offers a different way forward: practical, trauma informed communication that helps nurses, doulas, birth workers, and perinatal professionals stay present when families need them most.

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Not a story I share often.. Jennifer's Story
Vallen Webb Vallen Webb

Not a story I share often.. Jennifer's Story

After years of infertility, I finally got pregnant, with triplets. But at 10 weeks, I lost one of them. I carried life and loss at the same time. This story is for every parent who has grieved a baby while still holding onto hope. You’re not alone, and your baby mattered.

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What Support Is Available for Families Affected by Stillbirth?

What Support Is Available for Families Affected by Stillbirth?

After stillbirth, families are often left navigating grief, postpartum recovery, and life after loss without enough support. This guide walks you through the emotional, physical, and practical resources available so you don’t have to do this alone.

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Funeral Homes, Burial, and Cremation After Stillbirth: What Parents Need to Know

Funeral Homes, Burial, and Cremation After Stillbirth: What Parents Need to Know

Planning a funeral, burial, or cremation after stillbirth is one of the most overwhelming and heartbreaking experiences a parent can face. In the middle of grief, shock, and physical postpartum recovery, families are often asked to make deeply personal decisions they were never prepared for. This guide gently walks you through your options, from funeral homes and memorial services to burial, cremation, and taking your baby home, so you can make informed, supported choices that honor your baby in a way that feels right for you.

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What to Say in a Card When Someone Loses a Baby

What to Say in a Card When Someone Loses a Baby

Writing a sympathy card after someone loses a baby can feel incredibly difficult.

You might stare at the blank page wondering how any words could possibly be enough.

Many people avoid sending a card because they are afraid of saying the wrong thing.

But for grieving parents, silence can feel even heavier.

A card does not need to be perfect.

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How Do I Support My Patient Who Just Lost a Baby
Vallen Webb Vallen Webb

How Do I Support My Patient Who Just Lost a Baby

When a patient loses a baby through miscarriage or stillbirth perinatal professionals are often left asking the same question How do I support them without causing harm This evidence based guide offers practical compassionate answers for doulas nurses midwives therapists and providers.

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What to Say to Someone After Pregnancy or Infant Loss
baby loss, Stillbirth Vallen Webb baby loss, Stillbirth Vallen Webb

What to Say to Someone After Pregnancy or Infant Loss

Grief does not follow a schedule. It does not move in neat stages, and it does not end because enough time has passed. After pregnancy or infant loss, grief lives in the body, the heart, and the identity of a parent. Research shows there is no evidence-based timeline for grief—and that pressure to “move on” can actually increase suffering. In this piece, we explore what grief really looks like, why it isn’t linear, and how healing happens not through forgetting, but through integration, support, and compassion.

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You Are Worth All of It: Grief, Boundaries & Reclaiming Yourself After Loss

You Are Worth All of It: Grief, Boundaries & Reclaiming Yourself After Loss

In this episode of the Pregnancy Loss and Motherhood podcast, Melissa Crook shares her journey of healing and self-discovery after experiencing a miscarriage and navigating the complexities of motherhood. She emphasizes the importance of prioritizing self-care, understanding grief, and breaking free from codependency. Melissa provides practical steps for women to embrace their emotions, set boundaries, and recognize self-abandonment in their daily lives. Through her framework, she encourages women to acknowledge their worth and make choices that align with their true selves.

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Rituals for the Worn-Out Caregiver: Nurturing Yourself with Intentional Self-Care

Rituals for the Worn-Out Caregiver: Nurturing Yourself with Intentional Self-Care

As caregivers, birthworkers, and mothers, we pour so much into others that we often forget to pour back into ourselves. In this post, I share my favorite self-care rituals and tools—from warm baths to ice rollers and red light masks—and how building intentional rituals around these small practices can become a source of healing, calm, and reconnection. Rooted in evidence-based research and lived experience, this is your reminder that self-care isn’t selfish—it’s survival.

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What Is a Bereavement Doula? And Why Every Loss Family Deserves One

What Is a Bereavement Doula? And Why Every Loss Family Deserves One

Most people don’t learn about bereavement doulas until they’re already in the depths of grief. In this post, I’m breaking down what a bereavement doula is, what they really do, and why they’re a lifeline for families experiencing miscarriage, stillbirth, and other forms of perinatal loss. Whether you're grieving or called to support others, this is the heartwork that changes lives. Let’s shift the way we support families through pregnancy and infant loss — with presence, compassion, and truth.

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