For the one in four mothers who will suffer the loss of a pregnancy or baby, support is crucial - especially as an expat. Here are some of the resources available to grieving parents in the UAE...
This wonderful group of UAE-based mums actively supports families who have either experienced neonatal or infant loss, or who have premature babies. They run regular meet-up groups and coffee mornings, and organise activities to mark World Prematurity Day. If you are expecting a premature birth or have a high-risk pregnancy and need support from those with first-hand experience, get in touch.
This lovely team of doulas offers voluntary support for those who have lost a baby, whether through pregnancy, birth or infancy. Their grief-trained doulas will guide you in creating a Love Through Loss Memory Box and will be there to ensure you are nurtured in your postnatal recovery and supported in accessing professional grief support going forward.
Community mental health and wellness centre The LightHouse Arabia offers a free-of-charge Grief Support meeting once a month for parents grieving the death of a child, held by qualified psychotherapists. Based on the premise that we all have the innate ability to heal ourselves, this pro bono programme has been set up to give everyone in the UAE the opportunity to grieve in a supportive and understanding environment. Times and dates vary, check the community events calendar for details.
With a dedicated maternal mental health unit, Thrive Wellbeing Centre is able to provide individual therapy, couples therapy and support groups to facilitate healing for those who have experienced miscarriage or infant loss.
This Facebook group set up by a UAE-based mother who lost her twins at 26 weeks of pregnancy is intended to help people going through the grief process that comes with losing a child. It offers support through meetings and one-on-one sessions, and aims to educate hospital staff and midwives on how to treat parents when this tragedy happens.
This well known UAE-based photography studio offers free-of-charge remembrance photography for parents suffering the loss of a baby before, during or shortly after birth. Providing grieving parents with lasting memories of their angel children, this service is grounded on research by the UK's NHS, which shows that building memories can help with grief, and sharing that grief can help people to cope.
