As Baby Loss Awareness Week comes to an end, I want to take a moment to acknowledge all those who have experienced the loss of a baby, at whatever stage of pregnancy or following birth.

Baby loss is a deeply personal experience, and there is no single way to grieve. Every loss carries its own story, its own hopes and dreams, and its own heartbreak. For some, the grief may be visible to those around them; for others, it may be carried quietly, often alongside the expectations of everyday life continuing as normal.

Grief does not follow a straight line. There may be days when the loss feels close and overwhelming, and others when life feels a little lighter. There may be moments of hope, happiness or laughter, followed by sadness that arrives unexpectedly. None of these feelings diminish the love, the loss or the significance of the baby.

Over time, some people find comfort in the idea of growing around grief. Rather than the grief disappearing, life gradually begins to grow around it. The loss remains part of their story, and the baby is not forgotten. Yet, alongside the sadness, there may eventually be room for other feelings, new experiences and moments of joy. Finding happiness again does not mean letting go of the baby or moving on from the loss. It means that, in time, grief and joy may find a way to exist alongside one another.

Everyone will find their own way through this experience, in their own time. Support may come from loved ones, family, friends, peer support, personal rituals, faith, creative expression or simply having the space to be with whatever feelings arise. For some, talking to someone outside of their immediate circumstances, including through counselling, may also offer a space to explore feelings that can sometimes be difficult to share elsewhere. There is no one right way, and no expectation that one person's journey should look like another's.

As we mark the end of Baby Loss Awareness Week, I hope we can continue to make space for these losses beyond this week, recognising that grief does not follow a calendar. For those who carry this experience, whether their loss was recent or many years ago, their feelings and their baby remain worthy of acknowledgement.

There is no timeline for grief, no right way to feel, and no need to be anywhere other than where you are.