A tiny handprint. A photograph. A precious moment spent holding a baby, or someone gently pointing out a little resemblance to mum or dad.
Sometimes, the smallest things become the memories a family treasures most.
And at Logan Hospital, three midwives are helping families hold onto those moments, even when they must say goodbye far too soon.
Bec Simmons, Kailean Kohlweg and Carrie Wilson spend their days supporting parents through pregnancy loss, stillbirth and the death of newborn babies.
It’s a role filled with heartbreak, but also extraordinary tenderness, built around making sure every baby is loved, remembered and recognised.
“We can’t take away their pain, but we can make sure they don’t have to experience that pain feeling alone or unsupported,” Kailean said.
Together, the three bereavement midwives have more than 40 years of experience caring for mothers, babies and families.
While midwifery is often associated with the joy of welcoming new life, Bec, Kailean and Carrie have dedicated themselves to supporting families when those hopes are shattered.
And sometimes, their most important work begins with the simplest gestures.
They help parents bathe and dress their babies, take photographs and create tiny handprints and footprints.
They talk to the babies as they care for them, noticing familiar features that might have come from mum or dad, or a resemblance to an older brother or sister.
Families are given time to hold their babies, share stories and, when they wish, spend precious moments together in the hospital garden.
There is no rush to create the perfect memory, and no expectation of how a parent should say goodbye.
Instead, the midwives gently follow each family’s wishes, helping them create moments that feel right for them.
For the three midwives, that means understanding that every family grieves differently, and that sometimes the greatest comfort comes not from finding the right words, but simply being there.
They also know that the love a parent has for their baby doesn’t disappear when they leave the hospital.
And neither does their support.
The team stays in touch with families for weeks or months afterwards, helping them navigate medical questions, paperwork, funeral arrangements and access to counselling.
They remember babies’ names, acknowledge important dates and offer a familiar person for parents to contact when questions arise.
That continuity is especially important for families who may otherwise find themselves repeatedly telling the story of their loss to unfamiliar faces.
The midwives want parents to know that their baby hasn’t been forgotten simply because they have returned home.
But caring for families through such profound grief can also take an emotional toll.
Kailean said the close-knit team regularly checked in with one another, sharing difficult experiences and recognising when someone needed extra support.
Bec said the three were comfortable being honest about their own struggles, too.
Their work was highlighted during October’s pregnancy and infant loss remembrance activities, which encourage communities to acknowledge little lives lost too soon.
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