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Red Nose

When a baby or child dies

Some losses are almost impossible to put into words.

The death of a baby or child turns the world upside down, whether it happened during pregnancy, shortly after birth or later in childhood. You might feel devastated, angry, numb, lost, exhausted, or all of those at different times. You might want to talk about your child constantly, or not be ready to talk at all. There isn’t a right way to feel.

Red Nose Australia provides specialist grief and loss support for anyone affected by the death of a baby or child.

Who can Red Nose support?

Red Nose supports bereaved parents, families and friends, and anyone else whose life has been changed by the loss. That includes siblings, grandparents, relatives, friends and colleagues. You don’t have to be the parent to reach out.

Their resources also recognise that grief is shaped by culture, community and circumstances, with support for First Nations, refugee and migrant communities, rural and remote families, and young parents.

Someone to talk to

Red Nose has a 24/7 Grief and Loss Support Line on 1300 308 307. You can call any time, day or night, and interpreters are available.

If you’re not sure what support you need, that’s okay. They’ll listen, talk things through with you and help connect you with support that suits your circumstances.

Counselling and other support

Red Nose offers specialist bereavement support, online or face to face, including:

Support groups offer something that can be hard to find anywhere else: the company of people who know what it’s like to lose a baby or child. You don’t have to explain everything to someone who’s already been there.

Online support

If picking up the phone feels like too much, Red Nose also has Live Chat with a peer supporter who can listen, offer support and help you find other services. You can stay anonymous if you’d like. Live Chat runs during set hours, while the Support Line is there around the clock.

You can ask for help for someone else

Sometimes the person grieving isn’t you. You might be a friend, family member, colleague or professional trying to support someone whose baby or child has died, and it’s hard to know what to say or do.

Red Nose has resources specifically for people supporting bereaved families, and you can contact them yourself for guidance. Your own grief matters too.

You don’t have to be ready

There’s no timetable for grief. You don’t have to feel ready to talk, know what you need, or have worked out how you’ll cope with the rest of your life. Sometimes the next step is simply finding someone who’ll listen.

A place to start

If this is your experience, we’re so sorry.

There isn’t much anyone can say that makes the death of a baby or child okay, but you don’t have to carry all of it without support. You can call Red Nose on 1300 308 307, any time of day or night, or visit their website to see what support is available.

Take it one step at a time.

This page is provided by Rest as a starting point, not as a substitute for professional or crisis support. Services and operating hours can change, so check Red Nose’s current information before relying on a particular service.