Perinatal and Neonatal Bereavement

Never Forgotten Program

The Perinatal and Neonatal Bereavement Program at Erlanger provides compassionate support and guidance for bereaving parents and family members following the neonatal death or stillbirth of their baby. 

Moments to Share - Perinatal Grief and Loss Support Group

No one can take away the deep pain of your loss, but we can help facilitate emotional and spiritual support. To meet this need for strength, growth, and progressive healing, we offer the Moments to Share Support Group. This support group is for parents who have experienced a pregnancy or neonatal loss, and we welcome loved ones to join as well. 

Whether your loss was recent or in years past, we are here for you. We bring a greater understanding of perinatal grief and how it affects lives and relationships. These meetings allow families to come together to discover ways of coping and help find courage and hope for the future.

Moments to Share meetings are held at the Ronald McDonald House (located at 200 Central Avenue). There is no cost to attend this group, but registration is strongly encouraged to ensure we provide proper space for families.

Meeting Dates

• March 20, 2024 | 6 - 7 PM - Reserve a spot
• April 17, 2024 | 6 - 7 PM - Reserve a spot

Annual Remembrance Ceremony

The Never Forgotten Program at Erlanger holds an annual remembrance service the first week in December to memorialize those infants who have passed away. The families and staff read the names of each baby to honor their life and the family left behind. For more information, please call our Bereavement Coordinator at 423-778-5149.

Spiritual Care

The chaplains with the Erlanger’s spiritual care team are here to help everyone at the hospital –  patients, visitors, staff – find hope in difficult situations.  As part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team, their day-to-day focus is on helping patients during their journey. The team also attends to Erlanger staff, patients, and families during times of stress or trauma.

Never Forgotten Room

Our nurses use donated items and resources in the Never Forgotten Room to help families create what becomes some of their only memories of their babies. For those interested in donating to this program, please see the list of our needs and wishes for this space below. Please contact our Bereavement Coordinator at 423-778-5149 for more information.

Wish List:

• Infant blankets (all sizes up to 34-36in)
• Infant hats (all sizes)
• Infant headbands
• Journals and diaries
• Blank notebooks
• Ballpoint pens
• Scrapbook stickers (alphabet stickers, flowers, animals, etc.)
• Memory boxes (common measurements: 11.2 x 4.5 x 7.8 in)
• Baby handprint and footprint clay kits
• Travel tissue packs
• Books on loss and coping for children:
  • The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
  • When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death by Laurie Krasny Brown 
  • We were going to have a baby, but we had an angel instead by Pat Schwiebert
• Books on loss and coping for parents:
  • Loved Baby: 31 Devotions Helping You Grieve and Cherish Your Child after Pregnancy Loss- A Devotional Book on How to Cope, Mourn and Heal after Losing a Baby by Sarah Philpott
  • Grieving the Child I Never Knew: A Devotional for Comfort in the Loss of Your Unborn or Newly Born Child by Kathe Wunnenberg