Published: Thursday, 4th March, 2010 7:00am

Bereaved mums establish stillbirth support group

TWO mothers who lost their babies have set up a Haddington-based group to support parents who have suffered similar tragedies.

Ros Lowrie of East Linton and Carolyn Wyllie of Haddington are starting an East Lothian branch of the Edinburgh-based SANDS (Stillbirth and Neo-natal Deaths Society), to provide support, understanding and help to bereaved parents who have experienced the death of a baby through stillbirth or soon after birth.

Mother-of-three Ros, whose daughter Eve was stillborn on Christmas Eve, 2007, and mother of two Carolyn, who lost a daughter 10 years ago, are starting the group because of the distances involved in travelling to Edinburgh for SANDS Lothians meetings and to provide more localised support.

The group will hold meetings in the Bridge Centre, Poldrate, Haddington on the last Tuesday of every month, starting on March 30 at 7.30pm. The meetings are open to any parents who have experienced the death of a child through stillbirth, neonatal death, cot death or miscarriage.

Ros told the Courier: "At the moment, there's only a support group in Edinburgh which is away up in Colinton, so we thought somewhere local would be good. There's an awful lot of people that are affected but it's not something that people talk about.

"My baby died two years ago and the group's something that I didn't think I needed, I thought I'd just soldier on. But it's a really good thing if you can speak to people.

"The group will give you somebody to talk to that understands and you are allowed to sit and bubble and cry if you want. This will be quite a safe environment for people."

The group is receiving support, not only from SANDS Lothians, but from the parent council at East Linton Primary School, which is hosting a fundraising ladies' night on March 12 at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from the village's post office, and half the funds raised will be donated to the group.

Anyone wishing to join SANDS can attend the meeting, or for further information, telephone: 0131 6226263, or e-mail: ros@tayforth.com