Support available for baby loss families in Teesside this New Year
Some parents say it can be a struggle
Last updated 1st May 2025
Families affected by baby loss across Teesside are being urged to seek support this New Year.
Still Parents Teesside, a charity that offers help and advice, say they are there for anyone who wants someone to speak to.
Jessica Stephens from Middlesbrough has gone through two baby losses and she says the New Year's a struggle: "First year after I'd lost my first son, it was awful. It was in 2020 and I felt like I was leaving my son behind in 2020 and going in 2021 without him and it just felt wrong. And every year after that, it just reminds you that that's how many years you've been without them and how much time has passed.
"I think everybody sort of like reflects back on what you've achieved that year and you see a lot of happy posts as well. Online people share their sort of highlight reel of the year and again, it hits you and you think 'well they look really happy in that' and you're thinking about the grief that you've had.
"It's tough. And I think even after you've had a rainbow baby like that I've had, it still hits hard. It still does, because you've got that person, or in my case, two people missing out of our lives and we're just thinking about what would our highlight reel be if they were here.
"I do always try and bring them in our memory making in the way that we can. It's hard but it's a way of me keeping their memory alive. My eldest talks about my two angel babies all the time and thinks of them in a positive way."