Giving families a quiet space for them to say goodbye to their newborns is what the new birthing and bereavement suite at Genesis is for.
It’s a space where families can spend as long as they need to make memories with their child.
It’s something no family plans for, but doctors say is important to have available. One in five pregnancies end in loss.
“So many people retrospectively regret not holding their baby or not taking a picture of their baby, they don’t have anything of their child,” said Dr. Lyndsey Day, Genesis OB/GYN. “So we want to make sure that they leave here with hand prints and foot prints and pictures and things that their baby touched and things that they will be reminded of their child because it’s the only thing that they get.”
The room is filled with blankets and other comfort items.
To get the birthing and bereavement suite, Genesis partnered with No Foot Too Small, an organization that offers support to families that have lost a child.
The organization is working to get more birthing and bereavement suites across Iowa and the country.
Jess Buntemeyer, who volunteers at Genesis, lost her first son Brayden in 2011. She knows how important this space can be for families.
For information about donating to the project, go to www.genesishealth.com/give or text Brayden to 41444.
