The grief after losing an infant can be incredibly difficult and overwhelming to cope with, but the staff at Piedmont Henry Hospital is there for parents every step of the way.

   Piedmont Henry offers Rachel’s Gift, a non profit program that provides support and guidance services to help families who have suffered the loss of an infant. Started in 2008, the program partners with hospitals to assist families through the initial phase of infant loss by giving hospital staff additional training from licensed professional counselors as well as families who have experienced infant loss, so they are able to better assist families in the grief process.

   “Rachel’s Gift is a very special program for families who experience the terrible loss of a child,” said Kena Morton, manager of labor & delivery at Piedmont Henry. “Through the program, we’re  able to not only provide a healthy environment for families to begin the grieving process but also offer them access to a 24-hour hotline for additional support and assistance after they leave our care.”

   In addition, Rachel’s Gift gives families a keepsake of their child, as well as a package with clay mold kit for hand and foot impressions of their child, hand or foot ink prints, a special album, a book to guide them in grieving, and information on free counseling and other support services in their local community.   For more information about maternity services at Piedmont Henry, visit piedmont.org.