The Grieving Father

When a baby dies, a father is often told to be strong, to carry the family, to move on. This book says otherwise. It walks you through the days and weeks after stillbirth, miscarriage, or neonatal death—from hearing the news, to registering the death, to facing colleagues who don't know what to say. You will learn how to grieve without performing strength, how to support your partner on her terms, and how to honour a child whose life was short but real. You will find language for answering intrusive questions, help for telling other children, and guidance for the fear that surrounds a subsequent pregnancy. Crucially, this book treats your grief as legitimate, not secondary, and gives you practical steps for staying physically and mentally afloat while you care for everyone else. Every chapter is grounded in mainstream bereavement care and respects the autonomy and bodily authority of the birthing partner. This is not a book about coping neatly. It is a companion for the long, uneven road. Part of The New Father Library.

About the author

Constance Glenbrook Ferndale writes for The New Father Library.