How volunteer groups support families after baby loss in Australia
The worst thing that could happen happened to Maddison and Luke Waldron in July last year. Their son Teddy was stillborn, and his twin brother Kai struggled to survive in intensive care.
Maddison describes this as the darkest period of their lives, during which they faced “unimaginable suffering”.
“Teddy continued to grow into the third trimester, where his heart stopped naturally and he was born asleep, while his brother Kai was admitted to the NICU with his own complications,” she said.
“While one of our children was struggling to survive, we were faced with the pain of losing the other.”
The grieving family received an unexpected gift from strangers.
A volunteer group called Treasured Babies, based in Mooroolbark in Melbourne’s east, provided handmade clothes, booties, a beanie and a soft rug that the Waldrons used to dress Teddy for the cremation.
The clothes came in an angel box made and painted by Croydon Men’s Shed, another voluntary group. The Waldrons placed photos, letters and a teddy bear hugged by his brother Kai in the box.
Maddison and Luke, whose son Kai is now “thriving” at seven months old, will never forget the loving care of the volunteers.
“It meant everything,” Maddison said. “In the midst of unimaginable pain, knowing strangers took the time to lovingly do something for our baby made us feel seen and supported. It provided comfort during the darkest days of our lives.
“This helped us honor him with dignity and love when we felt completely broken.”
The Waldrons’ story is just one of thousands of what a spokesperson for Red Nose Australia, who helped coordinate the programme, described as an outstanding service from two groups of volunteers coming together to help bereaved families across Australia.
Until now, their efforts had gone largely unnoticed.
Last year, 2,600 Precious Baby packages of tiny clothes, rugs, small hearts or teddy bears were delivered to families, and 755 of them included wooden angel boxes.
Some families use the boxes for burial and dress their babies in donated clothes.
Other parents choose to keep the boxes and donated items as treasured keepsake boxes.
These products are sent free of charge following referrals from families, hospitals and funeral homes to parents whose babies have died from causes such as miscarriage, newborn death and stillbirth.
Red Nose Australia’s brochures listing support services are included.
Red Nose Australia bereavement services manager Rachel Ficinus says the care and dedication taken by Treasured Babies and Croydon Men’s Shed volunteers to “create something special and tangible for bereaved families” is extraordinary.
“When a baby dies or is born still, families often have little warning,” Ficinus said.
“Providing appropriately sized clothing, both as a keepsake and for the burial of their young children, helps alleviate some of the burden families faced in those early days.
“These boxes are loved and cherished by many families.”
At Treasured Babies in The Terrace shopping center in Mooroolbark, volunteers hand-stitch, crochet and knit clothes, cover linings and blankets, and paint flowers on angel boxes.
“There was nothing like this around when I lost my baby. We were told to go home and forget about it,” said Anita Hartley, who makes little hearts and crocheted blankets, matinee jackets, hats and booties for Precious Babies.
“It’s a nice feeling to be giving something you never had to someone else. This was never acknowledged, our pregnancies.”
Liz Martin, who has been volunteering on and off for more than 20 years, makes tiny sleeping bags and liners for boxes from donated wedding dresses. She also knits small clothes.
Martin, who has suffered four miscarriages, says the items are an acknowledgment to the parents of their loss. “It’s a little souvenir that tells you that your baby exists,” he said. “And it was important.”
Since 2014 Croydon Men’s Shed volunteers have made more than 4,000 angel boxes measuring 33cm tall and 20cm wide at their base on Swinburne University’s Croydon campus.
Men’s Shed volunteer Geoff Coutts hopes the service will help families who are “really struggling” because it shows they “know people care about them”.
Fellow volunteer Ian Rayson says the two programs can save recipients the cost and worry of having to find clothes and funerals for their babies.
Volunteer Ron Harper said: “What can we give them? Not much, but we can probably give them some comfort in their time of need.”
Red Nose Australia Say Their Names DayThe memorial service to commemorate the names of the missing babies and children is on 25 March, a day when public commemorations are held across Australia.
Call Red Nose 24/7 Grief and Loss Support Line 1300 308 307 or visit rednose.org.au/support
