The WiSSP Resource Library

FOR PROFESSIONALS

1.   After a Loss in Pregnancy - Help for Families Affected by a Miscarriage, a Stillbirth or the Loss of a Newborn, by Nancy Berezin; Simon & Schuster, 1982.

    Covers such topics as the response of the couple, the community and the caregiver; the mourning process; how to deal with the surviving children; becoming pregnant again; and some causes of pregnancy loss. Also included is a state-by-state listing of parent support groups. Numerous studies, facts and figures are presented.  The overriding purpose of the book seems to be to increase the professionals awareness of what a pregnancy loss means to a family.

2.    Surviving Pregnancy Loss, by Rochelle Friedman, M.D. and Bonnie Gradstein, M.P.H.; Little, Brown & Company, 1982.

    A factual and compassionate resource. Topics covered include the various types of pregnancy loss, (i.e., miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy and multiple losses) and incorporates a personal experience for each type. It also discusses the emotional impact of pregnancy loss, how it affects the father, other children, family and friends. It concludes with a discussion of various options for the future, including becoming pregnant again, remaining childless, and trying to adopt. An excellent source for both couples and professionals to provide understanding of the tremendous impact of a pregnancy loss.

3.   A Child Dies: A Portrait of Family Grief, by Joan Hagan Arnold and Penelope Bushman Gema; Aspen Publication, 1983.

    Provides a background of the meanings and manifestations of death and mourning, discusses ramifications of death at various stages of childhood and adolescence and describes the problems faced by bereaved parents. Provides the professional with methods to help families work through this crisis and a bibliography for parents and children. Excellent.

4.   Parent-Infant Bonding, by Marshall H. Klaus and John H. Kennell; C.V. Mosby Company, 1982.

    Discusses experiences of individual family members during pregnancy, labor and the birth process and care of siblings. Most appropriate for professional education.

5.    "Handbook on Neonatal Hospice", The Children's Hospital, Denver, CO.

    A manual developed by staff members of the Denver Children Hospital NICU for dealing with neonatal loss in the intensive care nursery. A humanizing approach to caring for families of critically ill newborns that includes offering a more comfortable physical environment for the infant and family. Also discussed are suggestions for staff training, involvement of family members, use of a "Family Room" and follow up services.

6.   How to Go On Living After the Death of a Baby, by Larry G. Peppers, M.D. and Ronald J. Knapp, Ph.D.; Peachtree Publishers, 1985.

    An excellent resource for both parents and professionals. Sensitively discusses the needs of parents following miscarriage, stillbirth and infant death. While it focuses primarily on the grieving mother, attention is also given to the father and to the couple. A chapter of practical suggestions to help facilitate grief is also included.

7.   ICEA Sharing; International Childbirth Educators Association.

    An issue of newsletter written by childbirth educators. It might be helpful for those professionals who deal with grief in childbirth classes and other prenatal education classes.

8.   The Ultimate Loss--Coping With the Death of a Child, by Joan Bordow; Beaufort Books, Inc., New York/Toronto, 1982.

    Offers case histories and commentaries on the various ways people cope with the death of a child. Professionals and religious teachers share their viewpoints and philosophies. The author, who experienced a stillbirth, tries to share how her life has moved forward through her daughter's death. Includes a chapter on support organizations.

9.   When Going to Pieces Holds You Together, by William A. Miller; Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, MN  1976.

    Miller defines grief not as an emotion but rather an experience that must be worked through. His philosophy is that while some may describe certain attitudes and behaviors 'as going to pieces', this process is in fact normal, natural and necessary.  While appropriate for someone who is actively grieving, will be most helpful for professionals and friends caring for survivors.  A general resource.

10.  Coping with Caring for Sick Newborns, Marshall, Kasman & Cape; W.B. Saunders & Co., 1982.

    Written for health professionals, who work closely with newborns requiring intensive care. Various support systems and general coping mechanisms are discussed. Also touched upon are some of the concrete issues involved in forming parents' support groups.

11.    Suggestions for Doctors and Nurses; Compassionate Friends

    Written for the medical professional who care for the grieving parents and siblings during and immediately following a child's death. Also available are "Suggestions for Teachers and School Counselors" and "Suggestions for Clergy".

12.  When a Baby Dies - A Handbook for Helping and Healing, by Rana Limbo & Sara Wheeler; Resolve Through Sharing Pub., LaCrosse, WI  1986.

     An excellent resource for professionals (physicians, nurses, clergy, funeral directors), family (grandparents, friends, surviving children) and parents who have suffered a pregnancy loss through miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death or ectopic pregnancy.  A very thorough book, it includes information on grief alone, within a relationship and a family, reactions to the different types of losses and practical suggestions for all persons to help themselves and others to move forward.

13.    Understanding Death of the Wished For Child, by Glen W. Davidson; OGR Service Corporation, 1979.

    An edited script of the film "Death of a Wished For Child". Within a theoretical framework it describes ways women, and the significant people around them, cope with the loss of their baby. It identifies occasions of vulnerability when the mother's abilities to cope seem most fragile. It attempts to clarify appropriate from inappropriate interventions. The film, restricted to use with the helping professionals or organizing groups of bereaved parents seeking to provide assistance to parents who have experienced the loss of a baby is available from OGR Service Corporation, P.O.Box 3586, Springfield, IL  62708.

14.  Caring for Surviving Children, The Compassionate Friends, Inc., 1982.

    A two page pamphlet that offers a parent general guidelines for caring for their other children following the loss of a sibling. Appropriate for doctor's office, and hospital distribution, etc.

15.  Silent Birth...if your baby dies, by Sharon Covington, 1986.

    This is a very well written and amazingly comprehensive booklet about dealing with perinatal death. A compact resource for informing parents, it's also a valuable resource for caregivers, family and friends--it tells what needs to be done and what to expect.  Especially appropriate for parents who learn ahead of time that their baby will be stillborn.  Covers topics of preparing for delivery, saying goodbye, returning home, feeling the loss and time to heal.  Resources. Copies available in quantity from the author.  (301)279-9030, Rockville, MD

16.  And They Say There Are No More Heroes..., 1987, Centering Corporation, Omaha, NE.

Wellsprings Caring, Sr. Patricia Sheeran, Centering Corporation, 1987.

     These two vignettes are written specifically for caregivers working with families facing a loss. The former is intended for those working in intensive care nursery situations and facing infant death, while the latter is a more general offering.

17.    Stillborn: The Invisible Death, by John DeFrain et al., Lexington Books, D.C. Heath & Co., 1986.

     For both parents and professionals, this book is a compilation of interviews and written testimony of over 300 mothers and fathers who have experienced a stillbirth. It describes, mostly in the parents' own words, their thoughts, feelings and actions from the moment they learned of the death through recovery.

18.  Special Beginnings, Centering Corporation.

     A booklet for parents of babies with a special life beginning--prematurity or illness--and needs to spend time in the intensive care nursery. Feelings during the hospital stay and when the baby comes home are addressed as well as issues about the marriage relationship, being a single parent, other children and extended family. Although this resource is brief it is fairly complete and quite sensitively written. Very appropriate for distribution by hospital staff.

19.  A Guide to Resources in Perinatal Bereavement, National Center for Education on Maternal & Child Health, 1987.

    This resource listing is intended primarily for families and the professionals who work with them following a miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death. Printed and audiovisual materials presented from medical, psychosocial, and spiritual perspectives are included, ranging from personal accounts of parents, to works of poetry, to institutional training materials. Ordering information is included for all resources, along with a description of content and target audience. A strength of this resource is the authors' inclusion of materials addressing issues surrounding future pregnancies following an earlier loss.

20.  A Beginning, by Nancy E. Malcolm and Bonnie L. Wooten; Women's College Hospital, 1984.

    This book, written by two nurses, attempts to help both parents and professionals understand and cope with the reactions to the death of a baby. Quotes throughout the book, from other parents who have experienced the loss of a child, give examples of what some parents have thought and felt about their decisions concerning seeing the baby, planning a funeral, and where to go for answers. Attempts to prepare parents for some emotions and problems they may experience during their grief.

21.    Infertility and Pregnancy Loss, by Constance Hoenk Shapiro; Jossey-Bass Publisher, San Francisco, 1988.

    Constance Hoenk Shapiro explores the varied and complex emotional issues surrounding infertility and pregnancy loss. Written for the helping professional; current factual information regarding common causes, recurrence risks, diagnostic procedures, and treatment are provided as a framework for a better understanding of the emotional and psychosocial effects of infertility and pregnancy loss on individuals, couples, children, extended family members, and friends. She uses her own experiences with individuals and couples to illustrate different aspects of situations they may face following a diagnosis of infertility or the loss of a pregnancy as well as the effects of long-term coping. Suggestions are given for facilitating communication, grieving, and coping. This is an excellent book for those nurses, therapists, genetic counselors, infertility counselors, and obstetric professionals who are beginning to work with individuals and couples experiencing infertility or pregnancy loss.

22.  Empty Arms-A Tribute to Jacob, by Jack M. Stack, M.D. and Kim M. Barnes.

    This videotape discusses the stillbirth experience from both the parents' and the physician's perspective. Topics covered include: the stillbirth (from diagnosis through delivery), the responses of both parent and medical caregiver, the mourning process and the issue of becoming pregnant again. Also discussed are methods for caregivers to effectively assist families and themselves during this difficult period.  This videotape is most appropriate for increasing professionals' awareness and understanding of the stillbirth experience.

23.    Mourning Unlived Lives: a Psychological Study of Childbearing Loss, by Judith Savage; Chiron Publications.

    This book describes the journey through grief, focusing on the psyche's natural self-healing capabilities. Savage's examination of the mourning process is most suitable for professionals. She provides an understanding of grief within a kind of universally cultural framework. The book is loosely organized; it's tone is somewhat detached and analytic; it is most likely not appropriate for individuals who have recently experienced loss.

24.  Journey Through Grief, by Elizabeth B Farnsworth;Susan Hunter Publishing.

    This is a touching and personal book which describes the birth and death of a baby with Down syndrome; it is a hopeful story which reminds those who have similarly suffered that they are not alone and that the journey of grieving truly does have a kind of resolution. For professionals, this book is an excellent resource for insight into despair, anger, alienation and even peace that are ultimately associated with the grieving process. Ms. Farnsworth offers the reality of grief through a parent's eyes.

25.    Bittersweet...hello goodbye. A resource in planning farewell rituals when a baby dies.  Edited by Sr Jane Marie Lamb OSF.; Prairie Lark Press,1988.

    This is a comprehensive resource written for clergy and other health care professionals who work with bereaved parents. It provides background information regarding rituals and grieving, and gives excellent examples of memorials and services, including letters and thoughts written by parents. This book also provides practical resources to use in developing activities and programs designed to remember babies, including scripture, prayer, songs, readings and memento suggestions.

26.    Presenting Unexpected Outcomes, by Sherokee Ilse; Pregnancy & Infant Loss Center of MN, 1989.

     This manuscript, intended for use by childbirth educators, emphasizes the need for educators to include and incorporate the discussion of unexpected outcomes in their childbirth classes. Other issues that are addressed include the needs of families who have suffered the loss of a "perfect" outcome and the discomfort instructors may experience in addressing "negative" pregnancy outcomes. A bibliography and a list of other available publications is included. Copies of Presenting Unexpected Outcomes can be ordered from Wintergreen Press, 4105 Oak Street, Long Lake, MN  55356.

27.  Health Provider's Manual For Helping After Perinatal Death, Published by H.A.N.D. of Santa Clara County, Los Gatos, CA, 1987.

     This short 15 page booklet describes the services offered through H.A.N.D., parents emotional reactions to miscarriage, stages of grief and reactions to a new pregnancy. It gives suggestions for health care professionals on how to help, including a sample checklist, as well as a section on taking care of yourself. A bibliography is included.

28.  A Most Important Picture, Johnson, J., Johnson, M., Cunningham, J.H., Weinfield, I.J., Center Corporation, Box 3367, Omaha, NE 68103, 1985.

    Following the death of a baby, personal photographs can be one of the most important lasting keepsakes a family is given. A Most Important Picture is an instructive manual that can help care providers obtain quality photos. It is not intended as a technical manual in camera operation but rather a manual to "illustrate various ways of taking pictures which will be supportive and affirming to the grieving family". A comment in the introduction emphasizes that this resource is not addressed to the general public but rather specifically for perinatal caregivers.

29.  What Can I Say-How to Help Someone Who is Grieving: A Guide, by Kelly Osmont MSW RCSW and Marilyn McFarlane; Nobility Press, Portland OR, 1988.

    An excellent resource for medical professionals, clergy or lay people (family, friends and neighbors) which offers practical suggestions on how to help and lend support to those who are grieving. The author ends with her own poem which touchingly sums up the pages of this booklet.

30.  I Know Just How You Feel...Avoiding the Cliches of Grief, by Erin Lynn; The Publisher's Mark, Incline Village, Nevada, 1986.

    Written by a mother after the death of her son, this excellent paperback book (115 pp) attempts to tackle the topic of what to say to a bereaved person. The book offers wonderful insights into the relationship between the consoler and those being consoled. It also offers helpful suggestions in how to approach and comfort the bereaved individual.

31.  The Grief Recovery Handbook: A Step-by-Step Program for Moving Beyond Loss, by John W. James and Frank Cherry; Harper and Row, New York, 1989.

    Written by two grief recovery educators and counselors, the authors shared many personal experiences in order to illustrate a process for recognizing and working through the grieving process. They address many of society's misconceptions about death and dying and give very practical advice about how these might be overcome. Included are many ideas for discussion, introspection, and activities.

32.  Resolve through Sharing: A Parent Support Group Guide by Rana K. Limbo, RN,MS and Sara Rich Wheeler, RN, MS; Lutheran Hospital - LaCrosse, 1989.

    This booklet is intended to be used as a guide for setting up a support group to help parents who have experienced the loss of a baby through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth or newborn death. It contains instructions on how to go about getting a group started and how to keep it healthy. Also included are several suggestions for discussion topics and ideas to facilitate group interactions.

33.  Men & Grief by Carol Staudacher; New Harbinger Publications, Inc., Oakland, CA, 1991.

    Focusing primarily on the theory behind grieving rather than practical suggestions or ideas, this book would be most appropriate for caregivers. Emphasis is placed on differences between the way men and women grieve. The book encompasses many different causes of grief, with very few references to stillbirth specifically.

34.  Empty Cradle, Broken Heart. Surviving the Death of Your Baby by Deborah L. Davis, PhD; Fulcrum Publishing, Golden, CO, 1991.

    A comprehensive book, encouraging grieving and offering suggestions for coping to parents who have lost a baby. Probably most helpful for grieving parents on a section-by-section basis (as needed) rather than cover-to-cover. A useful resource for health care workers.

35.  A Silent Sorrow: Pregnancy Loss, Guidance and Support for You and Your Family, by Ingrid Kohn, M.S.W. and Perry-Lynn Moffitt, Delta Publishing, New York, 1992.

    This comprehensive guide to pregnancy loss is meant for both parents who have experienced a loss and the professionals who help them. The purpose is to provide support and practical advice, with an emphasis on emotional healing and what can aid psychological recovery. Although the book appears quite lengthy (438 pp), it reads quickly. Four sections include grief, an examination of pregnancy loss, responses of others, and special circumstances. The examination of pregnancy loss is particularly helpful, and includes chapters on early loss, crisis pregnancies, stillborn/newborn death and prenatal diagnosis with a subsequent elective abortion. Each chapter discusses emotional issues, medical procedures, causes, treatment, and the aftermath. Appendices include a nice listing of support services, as well as a guide to rituals that may be performed. This book is a good source to help parents understand what emotional and medical support they need, and can also help professionals provide care.

36.    Pregnancy Loss: Medical Therapeutics and Practical Considerations by James Woods, Jr., MD and Jennifer L. Esposito.

    This books purpose is "to provide a straightforward, step-by-step approach for professionals in the medical community who encounter patients with a pregnancy loss". It is unique in professional (MD intended) literature because of the in-depth consideration of parental psychological reaction to stillbirth and the physician and nurse role in aiding the grief experience.

37.  The Helper's Journey by Dale G. Larson; Research Press; 1993.

    This book is written for volunteers, nurses, physicians social workers, clergy and counselors who work with terminally ill patients. This book is divided into three parts: Part One focuses on the personal experiences of these helpers; Part Two discusses communication skills; and Part Three explores interdisciplinary helping teams. Although the section on grieving may be relevant for some health professionals who are helping a family cope with a stillbirth, a shorter book dealing specifically with pregnancy loss may be more appropriate.

38.  Ethnic Variations in Dying, Death and Grief: Diversity in Universality by Donald P. Irish, et al; Taylor & Francis Publishers, 1993.

    This book describes the views of different ethnic and cultural groups regarding death and dying. It is directed especially to health care professionals, and its primary objective is to increase awareness of the beliefs and needs of minorities relating to death. The readers are encouraged to reflect upon their own personal attitudes as they read about cultural differences regarding the meaning of life and death, the nature of soul and personality, the role of belief in an afterlife, relationship to a deity, and related matters.

39.  How to Break Bad News:  A Guide for Health Care Professionals by Robert Buckman; Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, 1992. 

     This book is oriented towards the professionals who deliver the bad news rather than the parents receiving it.  The book has many helpful strategies, including a  six step protocol on how to give bad news, and contains many examples, almost all of which, however, deal with cancer rather than the news of a stillborn baby.  Despite the nature of the examples, the book should impart insight and confidence to professionals who are placed in the position of giving bad news.

40.  The Art of Condolence by L.M. Zunin and H.S. Zunin; Harper Collins, New York, NY, 1991.

     This book gives advice on how to comfort and assist people when a close friend or family member dies.  Grief, attachment, and loss processes are described in detail.  Practical advice is given on writing letters of condolence, the proper words to say and avoid, and actions which will assist the bereaved.  The chapter on professional issues for health care workers is especially relevant.

41.  A Child Dies:  A Portrait of Family Grief (Second Edition) by Joan Hagan Arnold and Penelope Buschman Gemma; The Charles Press, Publishers, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1994.

    This classic resource on parental bereavement is a wonderful book for the professional library.

     The book opens with a few chapters which outline the meaning of loss, the role of children within a family, and the process of grieving a child’s death.  The following chapters are then devoted to discussing the impact of the loss of a child at various stages in development.  The response of parents, siblings and other survivors is then reviewed in following chapters.  The final sections are spent aiding the professional in working with grieving families. 

     One strength of this book is its poignant use of art (illustrations, photographs, poetry, and various writings) to reflect the impact of a child’s loss on those who are grieving.  Accounts of the experiences of real families in grief also serve to enhance this book.  Particular attention is paid to stillbirth in the chapter on death before birth and during infancy. 

     This book is geared towards professionals working with grieving families; however, some families may benefit from this well-written bereavement resource. 

42.  A Caregiver’s Handbook to Perinatal Loss by Gary E. Vogel, MA, NCC; deRuyter Nelson Publications, Inc., St. Paul, Minnesota, 1996.

    A resource for professional caregivers, this book provides a concise explanation of the issues surrounding perinatal loss.  As both a clinical psychotherapist and a parent of a stillborn child, Gary E. Vogel describes the grieving process and the emotions parents commonly experience as they deal with different aspects of perinatal loss.  Topics covered include individual grieving styles, community reactions, ceremonies, support groups, and future pregnancies.  These issues and others are described in the context of individual caregivers with whom parents come into contact, such as physicians, nurses, genetic counselors, social workers, and funeral directors,  This text can be utilized as a reference for caregivers as to what the needs of couples might be so that they can provide for these needs effectively.  A bibliography and list of other resources is included.

43.  The Helper’s Journey:  Working with People Facing Grief, Loss, and Life-Threatening Illness by Dale G. Larson, Research Press, 1993.

    This resourceful 279-page book is designed to equip the helping professional with skills and working knowledge for therapeutic relationships in the face of real or threatened loss.  It offers background in death and dying issues and grief intervention, as well as ideas and techniques for supportive approaches.  An integral part of this book is the sharing by caregivers and helpers of their own self-doubts, fears, and frustrations, as well as their joys and rewards, working with families and individuals facing death and loss.  An admirable aim of the book is to encourage readers to focus on the application of the imparted material to the general broad task of creating a more caring society and world. 

44.  Giving Care, Taking Care:  Support for the Helpers by Sherokee Ilse, Wintergreen Press, 1996.

    This book is a practical resource for both professional and lay care-providers on death and dying, bereavement, and self-care, written by a woman who has personally experienced loss.  Throughout the book special emphasis is given to the importance of attention to self and the renewal of internal resources for both the griever and the helper.  Part I of the book, entitled “Giving Care”, outlines various caregiving styles and challenges helpers to draw on their own personal strengths as they develop and establish their effectiveness in the caring role.  Part II, “Taking Care”, discusses and emphasizes the importance of good physical, emotional, and spiritual health for caregivers, as well as the concept of “self-care”.  The book ends with extremely useful comprehensive lists of resources, books, and audiovisuals on such topics as coping, caring, personal growth, fitness and nutrition, humor, meditation, faith, illness and bereavement. 

45.  Parting is not Goodbye, by Kelly Osmont and Marilyn McFarlane; Nobility Press, Portland, OR, 1986.

    The touching account of the relationship between a single mother and her teenage son, who lost his struggle for life following an accident, this beautifully told story recounts the author’s emotions during her son’s hospitalization and following his death.  By sharing her experiences and how she has coped with her son’s death, the author shares hope with the bereaved.  Told from both a parental and a professional perspective (the author is a social worker and therapist), this story is particularly helpful in pointing out the support that friends, loved ones, and professionals can have in the normal grief process. 

46.    Parental Loss of a Child, by Therese A. Rando, ed.; Research Press Company, Champaign, IL, 1986.

    This comprehensive book was written to acquaint professionals in all disciplines with the experience of parental loss of a child.  Information about clinical interventions and therapeutic support for bereaved parents is presented in six different sections.  The first section is a general overview of bereavement issues that parents may experience when dealing with the loss of a child.  The second section addresses issues relating to specific types of child death (miscarriage, stillbirth, sudden infant death syndrome, etc.).  Socially unacknowledged parental bereavements (following induced abortion, adoption, etc.) are discussed in section three, and subjective experiences of death from individuals with different relationships to the deceased child (siblings, single parent, etc.) are presented in section four.  Chapters in section five are aimed at presenting specific advice to professionals about treating and interacting with bereaved parents.  Lastly, section six contains descriptions of various organizations which may aid bereaved parents.  Parental Loss of a Child is lengthy (555 pages), but the authors, who include bereaved parents, professionals themselves, and those who are both, have effectively balanced research and theoretical information with personal stories to present readable, insightful, and in some cases truly touching chapters.  An excellent resource for any professional. 

47.    Pastoral Care in Pregnancy Loss, by Thomas Moe, D.Min.; Haworth Pastoral Press, 1997.

     The author is an ordained Methodist minister who experienced the birth and death of a son in July, 1980, and received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Bethel Theological Seminary in 1993, following completion of a thesis "Ministry to Families Suffering From Loss Due to Miscarriage, Stillbirth or Neonatal Death."  Moe believes, and parents expect, that one's faith community is an appropriate place to seek support.  This book is an effort to provide churches and other faith communities with the necessary information to provide such a supportive ministry, and begins with accurate definitions of different kinds of losses and other fact-based pieces of information.  Other background information includes the attitudes of different religions towards the unborn, grief patterns in general and patterns specific to pregnancy loss, and the meaning of a child in a family.  The background information is presented from a theologic perspective, i.e. as grief relates to spiritual values and beliefs (there is a relative lack of specific medical background information, but this deficiency does not negate the very substantial contribution of this excellent resource).  Seven case studies, from Moe's doctoral work, are also presented.

48.    Pregnancy Attachment and the Need to Create Memories, RTS Bereavement Services, 1995.

    This is a nicely organized packet of materials to help educate health care providers about perinatal loss.  The program explains how attachment during pregnancy lays the foundation for parental bereavement following a loss, and why collecting memories of the baby can provide comfort and aid the healing process.  The packet includes all necessary instructional materials to provide a one hour inservice (either to stand alone or as part of a longer program).  Included in the presentation kit are 32 professional looking slides, participant handouts, group discussion questions, post test and evaluation.  The latter can facilitate applying for CEU's if desired.  

49.    Reaching Out, Bereavement Services/RTS.

     Reaching Out is a must-have resource manual for any hospital, clinic or health care facility that is developing a comprehensive bereavement program.  It is a complete and thorough guide for the entire development process.  The approach is step-by-step.  Practical suggestions include offering a sample job description for the bereavement leader, topics for bereavement training courses, and items that need to be considered when developing an institutional bereavement program.  Also discussed is managing your resource library, including obtaining a budget, printing or acquiring needed materials, and managing circulation of materials.  The manual is a short 101 pages, of which almost half is an annotated bibliography of a variety of resources, e.g. training conferences, newsletters, catalogs, support services, regional service agencies.  It is immensely readable, and while its focus is very broad (i.e. not specific to stillbirth or even pregnancy loss), this would be a useful guide for any bereavement organization.  Even if your program is established, it may provide guidance in solving problems you may be experiencing (see chapter on 'Maintaining and Growing Your Program').

50.  After Loss—Parenting in the Next Pregnancy, Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Allina Health System, 1998. 

     This book shares the story of a woman born less than two years after an older sibling had died, whose experiences led her to an awareness that she was born into a family in profound grief, that shaped many aspects of her life.  This guidebook works from that premise — that any baby born after a loss is born into a family in grief (loss is defined here as death prior to delivery and following delivery, the presence of severe physical or developmental disabilities). 

     Necessary background and theoretical frameworks are provided, as well as practical ideas for meeting with families at this time, to help professionals learn what they can do to help assure the mental health of the entire family.  Pregnancy is presented as the beginning of parenting, and the normal tasks of pregnancy are described along with factors that can interfere with accomplishing them. The authors then outline developmental tasks for a pregnancy after a loss, through which a family can accept and attach to the unborn baby.  A chapter on technology/antenatal testing is included; antenatal testing includes everything from prenatal testing (amniocentesis, ultrasound, MSAFP) to obstetrical monitoring (nonstress, biophysical profile, etc.).  After a loss many parents approach any antenatal testing with anxiety, fearful that results will show something is wrong again.  It is suggested that health care providers offer a perspective that the aim of testing is to validate that the baby is healthy, demonstrate the baby's competencies and help parents "know" their baby.