Bereavement Support

The Birthing Center at GRMC is here to provide care and comfort during one of life’s most challenging moments. We offer a range of resources and services to support you and your family through your grief.

Patient Morgan Webel explains the tremendous support and care she received from staff at The Birthing Center at GRMC, especially in light of the loss of her newborn son due to unforeseen circumstances. For Morgan and her husband, The Birthing Center will forever be the site of care for their growing family.

Our goal is to provide holistic support, addressing your emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being as you honor your loss and begin the healing process. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team for more information or to connect with these resources at 830.401.7530.

Our professional counselors at the Teddy Buerger Center are available to provide compassionate guidance and emotional support tailored to your individual needs. They can help you navigate the complex feelings of loss and find healthy ways to cope.

To contact the Teddy Buerger Center, please call 830.401.1367.

For those seeking spiritual guidance, our pastoral care team is available to offer comfort and support, regardless of your faith or beliefs. They can help you find strength and solace during this difficult time.

The Hospital Chapel is available 24-hours a day for prayer and reflection. A Chaplain is available Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 4:00pm. After hours, at night, and on weekends, a Chaplain is available on-call.

The Chaplain on-call may be reached by calling the operator at 830.379.2411.

The loss of a baby is an incredibly difficult experience, and it's important to know that support is available. Local and regional resources can provide the guidance, comfort, and community needed during this time of grief. These resources are dedicated to walking with you through your journey, offering a compassionate space to heal and remember your baby. You don’t have to face this alone—help is here.

Any Baby Can
Any Baby Can offers support and services for families with children facing serious health issues, disabilities, or other challenges. This organization provides resources in areas such as healthcare, family support, and education, aiming to empower families to improve their child's well-being and quality of life.

Austin Area Doula
Austin Area Doula offers support for families experiencing pregnancy or infant loss. A trained bereavement doula provides professional doula services specializing in grief and loss, offering emotional, physical, and informational support during difficult times.

Austin Share Pregnancy After Loss
Austin Share Chapter Facebook page is dedicated to providing support for families grieving the loss of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death. It offers information on support groups, events, and resources for coping with pregnancy and infant loss.

Sarah’s Heart Support Group (San Antonio)
Sarah's Heart is dedicated to supporting families affected by stillbirth and pregnancy loss. This program provides resources, educational materials, and emotional support to help families navigate grief and healing. Sarah's Heart also advocates for stillbirth awareness and offers opportunities for remembrance and honoring lost babies.

Here are additional bereavement resources and support groups designed to provide comfort and guidance during difficult times of loss. These resources offer a supportive community and valuable services to help individuals and families navigate their grief journey.

Share Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support
The National Share website supports families grieving the loss of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death. It offers resources, support groups, memorial events, and education to provide comfort and raise awareness about pregnancy and infant loss.

Chasing the Rainbows
Chasing the Rainbows supports families facing pregnancy or infant loss by offering resources, stories, and guidance to foster hope and healing.

International Stillbirth Alliance
The International Stillbirth Alliance provides resources, research, advocacy, and support to promote awareness, prevention, and compassionate care for families experiencing stillbirth.

March of Dimes
March of Dimes offers resources and support for families coping with miscarriage, infant loss, and grief, providing guidance, education, and comfort during difficult times.

StillBirthday
Stillbirthday supports families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss by providing resources, guidance, and emotional support. This organization offers information for every stage of pregnancy, loss, and healing.

Remembering Our Babies
Remembering Our Babies promotes Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day (October 15^th), offering Facebook support groups, resources, and memorial items.

MISS Foundation
The MISS Foundation provides information packets, counseling, mentors, support groups, online forums, articles, research, and resources for families grieving the loss of a child and participates in community awareness and advocacy.

Bereaved Parents of the USA
The Bereaved Parents USA website provides support to parents who have lost a child, offering resources, grief counseling, and opportunities for connection through support groups, events, and local chapters.

Still Standing Magazine
Still Standing Magazine is an online publication offering support and resources for those grieving pregnancy and infant loss. It features personal stories, articles, and expert advice to help families navigate their grief and find healing.

Unspoken Grief
Unspoken Grief is a website dedicated to supporting individuals coping with the loss of a child. It provides resources, articles, and personal stories to help families navigate their grief journey.

Perinatal Hospice and Palliative Care
The Perinatal Hospice website offers support and resources for families facing the loss of a baby during pregnancy or shortly after birth. It provides information about perinatal hospice care, which focuses on providing compassionate support for families during the final stages of pregnancy and the brief time with their baby.

Be Not Afraid
Be Not Afraid is a website offering support to parents and families facing a poor prenatal diagnosis or the loss of a baby. It provides resources, guidance, and encouragement for making informed decisions and navigating the grief journey.

We understand the importance of honoring and remembering loved ones during difficult times. We are committed to supporting families through meaningful memorial and remembrance options, designed to provide comfort and a lasting tribute to those you hold dear.

Our Cuddle Cot allows families experiencing a loss to keep their baby at the bedside for the entirety of their stay in The Birthing Center. This specialized cooling system provides parents with the precious gift of time—allowing them to bond, create memories, and say goodbye in a private, supportive environment. We are honored to offer this resource as part of our commitment to compassionate, family-centered care.

Memory boxes are a heartfelt way to preserve cherished memories. These keepsakes may include items such as a handprint, footprint, or a lock of hair, as well as other personalized mementos to honor your baby. Families will receive a memory box from our birthing center team, who are available to provide support and guidance during this process. In addition, we offer the opportunity for families to create lasting memories with a professional photographer who can come in and take studio-quality photos of your family. These photos provide a beautiful and meaningful way to remember and celebrate your baby, ensuring that precious moments are captured with care and tenderness.

We provide Bereaved Mother’s Day service, held annually to recognize and honor mothers who have experienced the loss of a child. During this service, we release butterflies to symbolize hope, renewal, and the continuing bond between a mother and her child, providing a gentle reminder of the love that endures. These gatherings offer an opportunity for healing, reflection, and connection with others who share a similar journey of grief. For more information about upcoming memorial services and events, please contact our pastoral care team at 830.379.2411.

We understand that the loss of a baby is an incredibly painful experience, and we strive to offer meaningful ways for families to honor and remember their precious little ones. One option available to families is our Columbarium in the Central Courtyard.

This peaceful and serene space offers a comforting area for reflection and remembrance where families can choose to keep their baby's cremated ashes. Surrounded by the gentle and beautiful ambience of the garden, it provides an environment for families to feel close to their child and a lasting memorial that honors the life of their child, capturing the love that will always remain.

Our dedicated team is here to provide guidance, answer your questions, and support you in making decisions that reflect your family’s needs and wishes. Below is information to help navigate aspects of infant loss.

The Birthing Center at GRMC takes great care to handle your loved one’s remains with the utmost respect and sensitivity. We understand the importance of honoring your baby and will work closely with you to ensure that all arrangements are carried out according to your wishes. Our team will explain the available options, answer any questions, and guide you through each step of the process with compassion.

Families may need to address certain legal aspects following an infant loss. These may include:

• Birth and Death Certificates: Our staff will assist you in obtaining the necessary documentation, including certificates of birth and death.
• Local Regulations: We can provide information on state or local laws regarding infant loss, such as burial, cremation, or other arrangements, and help you navigate these processes.