All UAE hospitals should have bereavement teams on hand to comfort parents who have suffered miscarriages or stillbirths, and grief needs to be better understood, doctors have said.
All UAE hospitals should have bereavement teams on hand to comfort parents who have suffered miscarriages or stillbirths, and grief needs to be better understood, doctors have said.
All UAE hospitals should have bereavement teams on hand to comfort parents who have suffered miscarriages or stillbirths, and grief needs to be better understood, doctors have said.
All UAE hospitals should have bereavement teams on hand to comfort parents who have suffered miscarriages or stillbirths, and grief needs to be better understood, doctors have said.

Bereavement teams needed at all UAE hospitals to help parents with infant loss, support groups say


Ramola Talwar Badam
  • English
  • Arabic

All hospitals should have bereavement teams on hand to comfort parents who have suffered miscarriages or stillbirths, healthcare professionals and support groups have said.

“The process is not very well defined here and I would like to see it properly channelised where people like the doulas we are in touch with co-ordinate and help parents build memories and keepsakes to ease the pain, help with the funeral arrangements and the final goodbyes,” said Dr Elsa Fernandes, a consultant obstetrician gynaecologist.

“This should be a standard in any hospital like it is in the West for a bereavement team that supports parents and helps with grief counselling. I would like to see all hospitals doing this because it’s the worst kind of pain these parents can have. What we can do is empathise. The parents are not looking for sympathy but support through the birthing process and with the grieving that comes after the loss.”

Dr Fernandes works with non-profit support groups such as Small and Mighty Babies, Little Angels - Love Through Loss and with women who have trained as doulas to help mothers through pregnancy, birth and bereavement.

May 6 is particularly important for families who have lost infants as it is observed as International Bereaved Mother’s Day, one week before the traditional Mother’s Day.

It is a remembrance day for any parent who has lost a child, and in particular honours mothers who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth or any type of infant loss.

Small and Mighty Babies is working with two Dubai hospitals to provide memory boxes in which parents can store the first swaddle blanket, hand and foot prints and photographs of a child they have lost.

_______________

Read more:

Bereaved Mother's Day: 'The worst fear is that your baby will be forgotten

Bereaved Mother’s Day: Heartbreaking tales of loss and courage 

Micro-premature babies potentially face life-long problems, doctors say

_______________

“It is the least that we can do to help parents going through a bereavement whether it is early in a pregnancy and certainly when it is in the later stages. Not everybody is ready at that time to keep things away of their child either mentally or physically. This is a physical place they will cherish that holds important keepsakes,” Dr Fernandes said.

Lala White first began supporting families as a doula late last year and works with Small and Mighty Babies to improve care for parents.

“Every birth and every woman deserves to be completely cared for and nurtured never more so than through a still birth. Having been through the birth of a stillborn baby, you are all so aware of how precious this time is,” said Ms White, who is on call to obstetricians if she is needed to console parents.

Mothers also reach out to her to talk about the babies they have lost. In the UAE where expatriates live far away from family, this becomes a vital support network.

“She may want to talk about how the baby looked, the colour of the baby’s hair, how that day went. It is about surrounding a family with love, light and compassion in their darkest time, it’s about validating and honouring the baby,” said Ms White, who is compiling a database of doulas who can offer bereavement support.

Grief also needs to be better understood, said Farah Dahabi, a clinical social worker who heads the Raymee Grief Centre at Lighthouse Arabia, a community mental health and wellness clinic. The centre provides consultations for individuals and families.

“Not just hospitals and health care institutions but public, private organisations, schools need to think of how we support families experiencing loss.  People who are grieving are misunderstood. There is a misconception that grief is something you get over and that grief has a time limit. It does not. It stays with a person forever especially the death of a child.”

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Second ODI

England 322-7 (50 ovs)
India 236 (50 ovs)

England win by 86 runs

Next match: Tuesday, July 17, Headingley 

Meydan Racecourse racecard:

6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes Listed (PA) | Dh175,000 1,900m

7.05pm: Maiden for 2-year-old fillies (TB) Dh165,000 1,400m

7.40pm: The Dubai Creek Mile Listed (TB) Dh265,000 1,600m

8.15pm: Maiden for 2-year-old colts (TB) Dh165,000 1,600m

8.50pm: The Entisar Listed (TB) Dh265,000 2,000m

9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 1,200m

10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 1,600m.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO

Delhi Daredevils 174-4 (20 ovs)
Mumbai Indians 163 (19.3 ovs)

Delhi won the match by 11 runs

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETuhoon%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYear%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202021%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFares%20Ghandour%2C%20Dr%20Naif%20Almutawa%2C%20Aymane%20Sennoussi%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERiyadh%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Ehealth%20care%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESize%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E15%20employees%2C%20%24250%2C000%20in%20revenue%0D%3Cbr%3EI%3Cstrong%3Envestment%20stage%3A%20s%3C%2Fstrong%3Eeed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWamda%20Capital%2C%20Nuwa%20Capital%2C%20angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Day 2, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance

Moment of the day Dinesh Chandimal has inherited a challenging job, after being made Sri Lanka’s Test captain. He responded in perfect fashion, with an easy-natured century against Pakistan. He brought up three figures with a majestic cover drive, which he just stood and admired.

Stat of the day – 33 It took 33 balls for Dilruwan Perera to get off the mark. His time on zero was eventful enough. The Sri Lankan No 7 was given out LBW twice, but managed to have both decisions overturned on review. The TV replays showed both times that he had inside edged the ball onto his pad.

The verdict In the two previous times these two sides have met in Abu Dhabi, the Tests have been drawn. The docile nature of proceedings so far makes that the likely outcome again this time, but both sides will be harbouring thoughts that they can force their way into a winning position.

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

Bridgerton%20season%20three%20-%20part%20one
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nicola%20Coughlan%2C%20Luke%20Newton%2C%20Jonathan%20Bailey%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A