Lactation after loss: Choices for bereaved families

After seeing how difficult it was for one of the mums on the neonatal unit to be able to donate expressed breast milk to the unit following the death of her infant, the team at Countess of Chester Hospital identified a need for healthcare professionals (HCP) to have access to information and education regarding the lactation choices available to mothers going through this difficult time. The launch of this iniative was featured in Infant in March 2022.¹ With improved knowledge, the staff are in a better position to enable parents to feel supported and confident in making educated choices regarding lactation management. An exploration into current research suggests that this remains an unmet need in the UK.

Kayleigh Bowers
Milk Bank Coordinator

Kate Buckley
Milk Bank Coordinator

Parisa Rahmani-Torkaman
Midwife and Milk Bank Coordinator Milk Bank at Chester

Dr Nick Embleton
Neonatal Consultant

Atherton L., Bowers K., Buckley K., Rahmani-Torkaman P., Embleton N. Lactation after loss: Choices for bereaved families. Infant 2025; 21(3): 76-77.