There is no greater loss than the loss of a child. When faced with such a tragedy, pain takes over, and many couples need a special helping hand to take those first steps of their grief journey. There are choices and opportunities there in this time that can have long-term impacts on their healing. The Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas are these lights in the darkness who come into their sacred space to help them navigate the experience. As a delivery nurse, I can speak for all perinatal healthcare staff that having this kind of extra support for our patients is beyond valuable. And, to tell these grieving parents that a Bereavement Doula is at no cost to them is so important. Everyone deserves the best care, and these special doulas help with planning, birth, and the precious time after to make the most out of every second with their precious baby. The time goes by so quickly and this doula is instrumental in their whole experience. In the future, mom and dad will know they made the most out of that time, they collected memetos to treasure, and they were supported fully in their tragedy. The support groups and events they host take their care beyond the hospital beside and allow them to meet other families who understand their journey. That support extends life-long, because we all know that grief, itself, is life-long.
Where do I begin? Pittsburgh bereavement doulas is absolutely amazing. I met my doula Heather on March 19th 2021. I was scared, angry and hurt, not physically hurt but mentally hurt. My mind my racing faster than I could put into words. I was experiencing a stillbirth. I would have never imagined something like this would happen to my family, we were honestly devastated. The morning of my delivery Heather walked into my room and changed my life. She sat with me, talked with me , Heather showed me love and compassion, it was if God sent her to me. Hours and hours went by and it was time to deliver my baby boy. Heather held my hand , wiped my sweat and tears away and kept telling me over and over again, we got this, I got you bev. Her hands were so soft and gentle and filled with kindness, to me a stranger, whom she never meet. Pittsburgh bereavement doulas has been monumental not only in my life but in many kids parents lives. Supporting us all in our time of need, a time when we are questioning the world, why me, why my baby? I was gifted beautiful photos of my sweet baby boy, taken by heather. She hand made a bracelet for my baby boy as well. Pittsburgh bereavement doulas helped arrange the funeral services for us, as well as organizing hit meal drop offs to my home, as I have other children and a partner. Before I was discharged a few nurses came into my room and said, you too have a great relationship, bet y'all been friends forever. We both looked at each and bust out laughing. I can say Heather and Pittsburgh bereavement doulas has become a part of my family. The support they provide is like none other. On February 18th of 2022 Heather joined me in the operating room as we welcomed our daughter. I regret the circumstances in which led to my love for Pittsburgh bereavement doulas, but in my eyes I know that was my baby boy's gift to me, such a blessing to have the continued support of Pittsburgh bereavement doulas.
The Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas helped me change my nightmare into something I could manage, heal and even grow from. On my darkest day, being offered their support and services was exactly what I needed and I didn't even know it. I had never heard of such a thing at the time, and had never anticipated I would need to.
It changed my life to have them when I did.
I had gotten my son, Ashton’s, life threatening diagnosis and after choosing to go to Magees, they suggested a bereavement doula. I had never heard of one, but figured I’ll take all the support and help I can get. I had made the best decision. My son was born at 2am, and my souls, Miriam, was there probably by 4am. She was by our side all day as much as she could be. She talked with me, laughed with me, held my son, held him for me while I got food and was overall such a compassionate person. After leaving the hospital she continued to text me and ask for updates and sent me resources and support groups, and everything. She follows up with me on his due date and on his 1 month birthday. I 100% am glad I had a bereavement doula, and my prayers go out to everyone who needs one.
In our deepest moments of grief, Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas was there. Before we even knew how to handle the situation ourselves, Sydney was there, gently guiding us but not in a way that felt uncomfortable, just letting us know how we could feel, what we could do, how we could handle the moment. It may sound cliche, but she was and continues to be a source of light in the darkness of our loss. She took photos of our daughter(s) together (we lost one twin) and has since continued to check in on us even months after. Truly, I don't know where we would be without this organization.
My husband and I got pregnant with our first child in Feb. of 2022 and found out at our 20 week ultrasound that our sweet Natalie was diagnosed with anencephaly .. a life limiting diagnosis. We left it up to God to decide when a Natalie would be called back home. We carried to term and Natalie passed during the pushing phase of delivery. Before all of this .. I had never heard of a Bereavement doula so when I reached out to Heather of PBD I was not only at a loss of who to turn to but in general I had a lot to learn. Heather was an absolute God send in our journey not only for my husband and I but especially for Natalie . Heather gave us insight into all of the ways we could advocate for our baby girl . She gave us materials on how we could celebrate her and most importantly she gave us hope that this journey did not have to be one filled with grief, but one that could be filled with joy .
Heather was there with us throughout the rest of our pregnancy and she was one of our greatest coaches and support persons on the day of Natalie’s birth. She and one of her photographers Sara who happened to be training to become a Bereavement doula at the time are the reason for the precious photos video, and cherished memories that we are able to look back on today and the only memories that we will ever have of the day we spent with our beautiful Natalie Joy .
Heather has and always will hold a special place in our hearts and we couldn’t be more blessed and thankful for her and the Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas for helping us get through one of the absolute most devastating time our lives.
My daughter found out at 19 weeks that her baby’s heart was no longer beating. It was devastating. We were heartbroken. There were so many decisions to be made. Learning about the Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas from our nurse at the hospital was an invaluable resource. That is how we met Sara. She was the light we needed at this time of great sorrow and darkness. Sara met us at the hospital at midnight and stayed with us the entire time. She made all the difficult calls to make the necessary arrangements on behalf of my daughter and son-in-law. Christopher Aaron was placed in a beautiful crocheted cradle with a tiny bear and a bracelet that matched the one given to his mom. We were able to spend time holding, singing, and reading to our precious beautiful baby boy. We will treasure all the keepsakes and photos from Sara. Thank you to Heather the Executive Director of the PBD. Without her we would not have Sara in our lives. Sara is amazing and compassionate. We are forever grateful for her love and support.
PBD helped me through a stillbirth and multiple pregnancy losses. Their care and expertise and training is truly unique. Not only do they help grieving families but they help train staff to handle the intricacies and unique wishes of parents that deserve the deepest level of care and compassion necessary.
When woman and families are faced with the heartbreaking moment of losing a son/daughter, the air gets sucked out of the room, and you are left in a fog of sadness and confusion. Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas offers support, services, and information to comfort families as they lean into their grief and make decisions they never imagine as part of their path. During a time when you can feel so alone and isolated, the Pgh Bereavement Doulas connects you with groups and memories to celebrate your child. In particularly, Sara was present every step of the way (and there after). I am grateful that the Pittsburgh area has this organization. The club no one wants to be a member. Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas is there for you. Always. Thank you for being there.
When I lost my pregnancy my world was turned upside down. I felt alone and had no idea there were resources available for me. Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas reached out to me and helped me understand what help was available while also respecting that everyone’s journey is unique.
I walked into my sonogram to find out our baby’s gender and left with heartbreaking news that my baby had trisomy 13 and she would not make it. They provided options and gave me a pamphlet for Pittsburgh bereavement Doulas. I just looked at it not believing this was my reality. Calling was the best decision. With no family close by , we found comfort knowing there was going to be someone there to help myself and my husband go through loosing our daughter. Candelaria came in and she felt like family. Took pictures, created momentos and made sure my last moments with Holly where perfect. . She took care of everything, even cremating my little angel. She checked up on me after and still does to this day 2 years later. Thank you !
We were given a life limiting (lethal) diagnosis early on in our pregnancy. The last 4 months of carrying full term - PBD (Pittsburgh Bearevment Doulas) was invaluable as a resource and support leading up to delivery day, the day of delivery and after. The photos that were captured by PBD mean so much to me on our delivery day, all while keeping me up to date second by second, minute by minute, during the entire uncertainty of our baby during the c-section. Although our baby currently is a survivor, I can’t imagine not having PBD in our corner, how that day and the weeks following went. I felt prepared for the worst (and we were because of PBD) but we prayed for a miracle.
The compassion and experience from PBD truly made a difference in our journey.
I cannot begin to express how much this organization means to me! I'd give 10000 stars if it were possible!
While pregnant with our first child, Elieana, my fiancé and I were given the news at just 16 weeks gestation that I had very little to no amniotic fluid around our baby, which was crucial to her bladder and lung development. We also learned that where her kidneys should have been forming, there were multiple cysts instead.. We were devastated. But even more so when we were given our 2 options; termination or carry full term and take a chance. We chose to carry full term, hoping and praying for a miracle everyday before every future scan before her arrival.
With this being our first pregnancy, we were lost.. Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas stepped in and were along our side every step of the way, along with the amazing nurses/teams at Magee Women's Hospital.
I started having some pain at 33 weeks and 4 days and decided we better head to the hospital. We arrived and I was 10 cm dilated, so we were rushed to L&D, where our beautiful girl had made her arrival not even an hour later! We had been informed early on that she wouldn't be with us for very long, but we had an amazing hour and 28 minutes with her.. We didn't expect more than 20-30 minutes after all of the information we'd been given over the last few months before delivering, so we were thankful and so very grateful for the time we did have with her.
Doulas Sara J. and Krista V. came to be with us pretty directly, took pictures and provided tons of keepsakes for us. We still keep in touch, which means the world to my fiancé and I.
The love and support behind this entire organization is beyond amazing. Given the circumstances of our pregnancy and the outcome, I truly couldn't have asked for a better support system than PBD.
The Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas were invaluable during the stillbirth of my daughter, Carolina Belle. My wife and I were given the unimaginable news at just over 6 months pregnant that Carolina’s heartbeat had stopped, and now my wife would need to be induced that day. She was admitted and the whole process took over a day. Doulas Sarah and Miriam provided unbelievable support and compassion through the whole experience. It was nice to have unbiased support at the hospital from non-family members whose advice was not influenced by emotion. Also, Sarah took many beautiful, candid photos of us with the baby and family, and was able to capture the moments of joy amongst all the pain and sorrow. We are forever grateful to Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas for being there to guide us through the worst experience of our life. They helped us make precious memories with our baby while that was the last thing we were thinking about in the midst of all the chaos. They maintained a perfect balance of supportive presence while giving us as much space as we needed when we needed it. Thank you to Sarah, Miriam, and Heather Bradley for coordinating everything!
We will always love you, our beautiful Carolina.
At 20 weeks, we found out that our baby girl had severe complications and at 23 weeks we terminated for medical reasons. I think I was in denial, and wanted to move on and pretend this never happened. My husband, on the other hand, wanted momentous and keepsakes. I agreed to getting them and working with the bereavement doulas and boy am I glad that I did. I would have been devastated right now if I would’ve declined. Heather, not only was so supportive and helpful through the process, but the keepsakes and pictures she provided us with brought me a peace and connection with my daughter that I had no idea I even needed. It changed my entire perspective and has been a vital part of my healing. I am now proud to talk about and to have known my daughter. I look at the pictures, blankets, moldings, etc every single day and they mean the world to me. The work that these doulas do is the closest to angel work I can imagine. This experience opened my eyes so much to the massive amount of parents struggling with loss and the support/resources that are so necessary. I could not be more thankful for this group and all of the support I’ve received before, during and now after. I now can cherish, love and remember my girl forever, in ways I could have never imagined.
November 8, 2022 turned out the worst day of my life. My wife was six months pregnant with our Trinity. That afternoon my wife had a prenatal massage. She called me after the appointment and said she would be home in 15 minutes. An hour and a half later, the hospital called me and said she was in a bad wreck. My heart just dropped. I feared, I would've lost my wife and baby. The surgeons came to me and gave me the bad news. My wife had a broken pelvis and ribs and our angel was killed from the impact of the wreck.
Sarah Chavis was our Doulas and she experienced a pregnancy loss in different circumstances. She showed up in the hospital room and she treated us so well and got to see our angel. She conducted a Catholic Baptism with Trinity's grandmother and Godparents present with us. The hospital provided a baptismal dress for her too. We were given a teddy bear that we dressed with Trinity's dress she wore for her baptism. Sarah has been here for my wife and myself from that day on. Thank you for your support through my wife's recovery.
On September 7, 2021 six little words “I’m sorry Sarah, there’s no heartbeat,” changed my life forever. I was expecting to give birth to my Lylah on September 10, 2021…but instead my dreams of her life, who she would have been, and watching my seven year old become a big sister- that she so desperately wanted vanish with those six words. At that moment a part of me died with Lylah and I never fully regained who I was prior to her death.
I was taken to the same room on the delivery floor of the hospital- that I was in the night before. Just fourteen hours prior I was told my Lylah was healthy and we would be welcoming into the world in just four days. When I think about the time period of my life- it’s like thinking of a dream, you don’t remember the full dream, but you get certain triggers that make you remember moments.
Once my mom had arrived- is when the ball started rolling and as many families that have been in this position- you don’t know what to do, what decision to make, what your options are etc. I vaguely remembering saying “I don’t know,” and at this point is when I was offered doulas services through the Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas. At the time I knew what a birthing doula was however I did not know that bereavement doulas existed. To this day, I am absolutely grateful that an organization like this exists.
I remember when I first met my doula; she introduced herself as Lily. The ironic part was Lylahs original name was going to be Lily James (not after Ron Weasleys mom), and it was at that moment I knew Lily was meant to be apart of this journey with us.
Lily’s has such a calming presence about herself. At the time, I did not fully understand that lifelong impression she was going make. She shed light on such dark moment in our lives. Lily presented us with options and listened to our wishes, concerns, and ideas. I knew I wanted to have Lylah baptized even prior to her death- so I knew that was definitely a top priority of mine. Lily took photos, comforted us, listened to us and was such a security blanket for both my mom and myself. She is truly an angel herself; and I am eternally grateful.
My last day with Lylah is the time I truly reflect on. That last day I held her in my arms, kissed her cheeks, touched her toes, cried and sang “you are my sunshine.” That day Lily baptized my Lylah- she said the most beautiful prayer that Lily wrote herself, dressed her in the most beautiful baptism gown, and blessed my baby girl. We all were never more closer to God than we were at those moments. We all got to meet and hold one of Gods angels.
Lily’s presence during the most sensitive and darkest periods of my life not only was comforting but absolutely informative, light hearted and very healing. After Lylahs baptism- I held her one last time, sang You are My Sunshine one last time, kissed her cheeks, touched her toes and whispered I love you one last time. The nurses took her out of my arms and Lylah left the room. I wanted Lylah to leave the room before I left the hospital…I wanted her to leave me …not me leave her in the room.
It has now been a little over a year since Lylah died- I can’t say that my heart has healed completely- I can’t say that I don’t get mad that she died - and I can’t say that I don’t have days when I cry or hold her blanket she was wrapped in.
What I can tell you is that I am so lucky that I was given those 9 months with Lylah and that she chose me to be her mom. I am so happy that there are resources like the Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas exist- and we have access to women like my Lily that gave me beautiful memories to look back on and smile. Lily gave me the ability that even during my darkest hours I am able to look back on those twenty-four hours and Lylahs little face put a smile on my face and makes me say “my baby is beautiful.” As gut wrenching those 24 hours were, I now have the ability to see positivity, light, and love that help me get through saddest of days.
No parent should ever lose a child, it’s not the natural way of life- but life can be so unfair. The Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas and Lily save me from never experiencing welcoming my Lylah into this world, create beautiful memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life and gave me the strength to say goodbye to Lylah.
Lylah rests now with God, her Uncle Adrian, and her Pappy.
One year ago six little words changed my life forever and accepting the help from the Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas changed my entire experience in the most positive way.
Lily you are an angel- truly I am so happy that you helped my mom and I navigate through this journey. Now, you can say that you got to meet one of your guardian angels and you got to meet Mia’s guardian angel for life. And when she asks you what her name is, what she looks like and have you ever met her…you can say yes and her name is Lylah Willow.
My Lylah will always be watching over your daughter and protect her always.
Thank You Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas! You are changing lives.
Pittsburgh Bereavment doulas provides a much needed service to families experiencing loss in all area hospitals. As a nurse it is so wonderful to have a skilled person at the bedside to assist with emotional support and offering beautiful memory items for the family. Families even are able to cherish the time they have with their baby. Thank you for all you do!
I am a case manager working with refugee and immigrant mothers. This group helped tremendously with a new neighbor, a refugee mother suffering a loss. On a very late notice, very late night and very early morning work was done by Heather and Jenni in order to assure this mom would be supported and able to do everything she wanted post-partum in accordance to her physical, emotional and spiritual needs. They learned quickly from us about mom's background and needs and were able to adjust and offer services accordingly. They provided us with a beautiful, peaceful burial at a natural burial site, a zero cost to the family- something that felt like a miracle at the time. They removed potential obstacles that could lead to suffering and instead facilitated this birth and transition with great respect to the mother, the baby, and the rest of the family. The photos they took were of professional quality, exceeding all expectation.
I had my stillborn daughter on August 1, 2022. We opted in to have Vanessa come in from Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas Inc and she sat with us and just talked. She told us about her journey and listened to ours. She stayed the night and when I gave birth, she was my brain. She made sure I knew everything that was going on and she also brushed my hair. About a week later, we receive the most beautiful box from them. It contained so many amazing things that brought instant tears to my eyes. They made an impact that my husband and I will never be able to forget. We always talk about how thankful we were to have this nonprofit holding our hands during this emotional time.
We first learned about the Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas after we got the heartbreaking news that our precious baby boy had passed away at 25 weeks. During that appointment, our provider asked if we would like a bereavement doula to meet us at the hospital and I immediately said yes. Within a few hours, our Doula, Sarah Chavis, called me to explain the services that she could offer to us. Even though we were about to face the hardest days of our lives, I felt a sense of relief that we would have the emotional support of a doula. During that first conversation on the phone, Sarah explained that she completely understood how I was feeling because she too experienced a still birth. Not that I wish this pain on anyone else, but I was immediately comforted in knowing that I wasn't alone and that I could talk to someone who truly understood my pain.
When Sarah showed up at the hospital the next day, it felt like an old friend entered the room. Not only were we able to discuss what to expect over the next few hours/days and some of the decisions we would need to make, but also how we were feeling and how we would process those emotions. Sarah also made sure that our wishes for the delivery and the moments after were heard and offered to help facilitate some of the moving pieces, which helped put my mind at ease. While we waited to have our son, Sarah also helped make arrangements with the funeral home; she made phone calls on our behalf and communicated with the social worker so that we had one less thing to worry about during such a difficult time.
After the birth of our baby, Sarah was back by our side. She took the most beautiful pictures of our son (which I didn't understand in the moment how much I would cherish) and she graciously facilitated our son's baptism right in our hospital room. She brought a sense of peace during such a hard time and I will never forget the love and compassion that she showed us during such a hard time. It has been 3 weeks since our son was born and Sarah continues to check in via text. She recommended a few things that have been helpful to her during her grieving process and she validates my emotions. We have had countless people reach out during this time, but there is something special about talking to someone who has been in your shoes and truly understands. I am beyond grateful for the comfort that has been offered to us during this time by Sarah and the Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas.
Heather Bradley is one of the most dedicated and caring people I know. Meet her and you be impressed with her knowledge, concern, and commitment to assisting parents.
One example of Heather’s caring heart Is when she believed these babies should be clothed in angelic outfits, she solicited friends and family to knit and sew handmade items (i.e. blankets, outfits, gowns) for these angels. She recently reached out looking for wedding gown donations to provide her seamstress volunteers with wonderful silk and satin fabrics.
Our community is extremely fortunate to have this service available to assist parents at a very difficult time in their lives.
I originally spoke with Heather when I had my 2nd miscarriage in 2019. She sent a beautiful care package for me to remember that baby.
She was even more a part of our life when we had an infant loss in May of 2020. She came to the hospital and took pictures, casted his hand, clipped a piece of his hair, along with other things and also was just present. She helped us figure out what would happen next and checked one us often. Even over a year later she lit a candle for him at her yearly fundraiser because we couldn’t attend.
I’m not sure where we would have been during the hardest times in our lives without her and her services. She was a blessing to us and is to do many more.
We were referred to Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas by the NICU social worker after the death of our daughter. They have provided my family with ongoing support and connection to be able to process our grief and talk openly about our daughter and her life. They are one of the few infant loss resources we have found that are willing to come to us and are inclusive of our whole family. I would recommend them to anyone experiencing this kind of loss without hesitation.
Our son Evan was diagnosed prenatally with the life limiting diagnosis of Trisomy 13. We had no doubts about carrying to term. We sought help from the organization Be Not Afraid, who called Heather in to help support me. Before I met Heather, I had no clue what a doula even was or what they did. But we were so grateful to have her by our side during a birth where we truly did not know how long we would have with him.
Looking back, I don't know how I would've gotten through Evan's birth without Heather cheering me on and making sure I was comfortable. She took so many photos to document everything for our memory box.
Baby Evan was born alive. He lived for one week. Heather visited us, made us meals and did our laundry. After Evan passed away, she came out and stood up for us when the hospital wanted to take him to the morgue. We got to spend some extra time with him and made hand and footprint casts, got many more photos and memories we will cherish forever. We live about an hour from Pittsburgh, she came up for his funeral. I feel she really cares about the people she helps. We aren't just another number without a face to her. I am glad I met Heather and to have worked with Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas.
This photo is a tattoo I had done of a photo Heather took at Evan's birth.
If I didn’t have my Doula, I would have absolutely been lost and struggled through this difficult time. I am so thankful for my Doula Heather, still til this day we keep in contact and I truly made a connection with her like no other. She has went above and beyond for me and my family, words can not express the love and thankfulness I have truly.
I don't know that there is enough words or room to explain how touched we were by the staff of Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas Inc. It was a cold Jaunary Sunday morning when my wife and I's life was completely turned upside down. What was supposed to be a sunday trip to Sams Club became an ambulance ride and ER visit when my wife woke up bleeding uncontrollably. It turns out we were 6 month pregnant (Unknown to us) we were always told we couldnt have children and had lost the baby. While sitting in the ICU waiting for delivery of our son my wife was asked if she wanted a doula. Not knowing what it was and with me out of the room she said yes and thank god she did because i dont know how we would of gotten through all the following hours. In the middle of a snow storm a wonderful woman Laura came out to help a couple she had never met through some of the most difficult decisions we have ever had to make. She stayed with us all the way to the wee hours of the next morning after delivery even though she had to work at her job the next morning. These are truly amazing people doing amazing things. Thankyou to everyone at Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas INC you will always be apart of our family and I will tell anyone or do anything in my power to help this organization
I found out on st Patrick's day that our Ezra-James had passed while in the womb. I've never experienced anything like this before, yeah I've had multiple miscarriages but nothing can ever prepare an expectant mother and father and siblings for the heart ache , the pain, hate, anger and questions after hearing, I'm so sorry but I wasn't able to find a heartbeat. When I was first offered a doula my mind said, for what, my precious baby boy is gone, what on earth can a freaking doula do for me. My heart was saying, yes I need someone who understands what just happened to me, I need answers, I need someone to comfort me and not judge me. As soon as Heather, my doula walked in the room I felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off my heart. Her voice was angelic, her words gave me hope, her eyes were kind, gentle and ever so welcoming, as if we had been life long friends. I found peace, an ally in all the madness. Heather was with me as I fumbled over my words while trying to ask the nurses and doctors questions and Heather reassured me that my voice is the only voice that mattered. We sat and talked, laughed and bonded like I would never expect. Just knowing that I wasn't going to travel down this road alone gave my heart and mind a peace that needed no spoken words. When the time came for me to push my Ezra-James, Heather was right there by my side, encouraging me and holding my hand, as if she was experiencing every single emotion that was flowing through me. Heather was my rock that beautiful day, the sadness went away once I held Ezra-James, the anger, the resentment, all doubts and questions went away, as if in that moment everything was as it was meant to be. Heather then helped me bathe and dress Ezra-James and she took the most beautiful pictures of my baby boy. I ended up staying in the hospital for quite a while and she set up a meal service order for my family which proved to be such a blessing. Pittsburgh bereavement doulas has been nothing but a God sent. Once I was released the funeral arrangements had to be made, once again Heather was there, helping me contact everyone. The day of the service Heather made it to the balloon release and repass. Even in the middle of a national pandemic they are out here taking care of mothers who feel so lost and alone. Even to this day Heather is still in my life. A friendship was created even under these sad circumstances.
I was 37 weeks pregnant. 9 days from my csection. I hadnt felt her move all day which was weird. I tried everything. Finally decided to go to the hospital just to check. Totally believing everything was fine. Thats when they said the 3 words that changed our life forever... i was so distraught. Not a clue what to do, how to get through, what was allowed and not allowed. The hospital suggested letting a bereavement doula be involved and i was on the fence. I didn't even know what that was. I reluctantly agreed. Heather absolutely changed our experience into as postive as it could be. She handled so much for us. She even went above and beyond and had her daughter hand deliver my angels pictures to me so we would have them in time for the funeral. I will reccomend this agency to anyone for the rest of my life. She still checks in on me and my family. Such an amazing person!!!
As a labor and delivery nurse taking care of many patients and families experiencing the loss of a pregnancy or newborn I cannot say enough good things about Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas. When Heather or one of the other doulas walks into the room there is an instant sense of calm and comfort for patients and families as well as the nursing staff. Their depth of experience and compassion provides just what these families need to make it through what is often the most difficult thing they have had to endure. Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas help families to make sense of their feelings and find meaningful ways to memorialize a life gone too soon.
My family and I are so very thankful for Pittsburgh Bereavement! My sister delivered her 8 month old son last year. Pittsburgh Bereavement was and still is such an great support to my sister and brother in-law. There were thing's that they needed to address that they weren't able to, like there emotions, preparing the baby, making funeral arrangements and lot's of other support! I don't know how we all would have handled everything if they didn't have the support from Heather. I'm so thankful for this organization! I hope they can get the funding needed so that this would be available to all of the families experiencing this. Thank you!
Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas are a team of wonderful support persons who offer emotional support and guidance through the grieving process. They make unimaginably difficult situations a little easier to navigate and process.
I met Heather Bradley on one of the most horrific days of my life. My daughter Kayla had gone to the hospital for a standard NST and found that her baby girl had died at 35 weeks. We were both devastated, once we arrived on the 2nd floor in Labor and Delivery, Heather was there and she immediately introduced herself and explained a little bit about her role and her organization. We listened but we were still somewhat in a fog. As time went on we were able to get settled in the room and start the process of inducing labor. As we waited, Heather began to chat with us she also made us feel at ease and helped us get through one of the most difficult and life altering situations we have ever experienced. Heather never left our side I thought that she would go home but she stayed in the hospital from the time we arrived until after our baby girl Nova Rose Parker-Owens came into this world. She assisted us in bathing, weighing and dressing little Nova. Heather was also instrumental in helping and advising us on how to plan and prepare for a service. I have never in all my life had to bury a child and burying my granddaughter was the most heart-breaking thing I've ever had to do. Heather was also wonderful in getting me all the information and connecting me with all people that I needed to be in contact with to make the process a little more seamless. She alsoassisted us in getting dry ice because we chose to bring Nova home until the day of the service. On the day of the service had there was also there at the funeral and attended the service with us. I cannot say enough about her professionalism her compassion her patience her understanding and her over all love for what she does. Nova will truly be missed and we will think of her every day but when we do we'll also think of Heather Bradley and the Pittsburgh Bereavement Foundation for all they have done for us. We will be eternally grateful.
This organization is fantastic to work with! Heather deserves a shout-out for always being attentive and caring to the families she serves. She works with bereaved families and allows them to be as hands-on or hands-off as they wish to be in the funeral process. Her communication style is clear and concise, and she will never leave you guessing. She handles every detail as if she was caring for someone in her own family!
My Daughter in law delivered my beautiful Grandson on October 3, 3020 his name is Baby Raymond and he was born Still. Never in my 56 years of life had I experienced anything like this, I had so many emotions going on at the same time the biggest one was fear. Ou Bereavement Doula Heather gave us a different perspective on how we were going to finally get a chance to meet him and unfortunately knowing the outcome, that lightened my fears. I feel that she was that gift from God that we all needed. This has been the greatest heartbreak I ever experienced and knowing that Heather is just a phone call away helps to ease some of my pain. From the pictures that she took I got my grandson’s feet tattooed on my arm, I look at them daily.
Thank you Heather for your Service to my family. You will always be apart of our story.
Heather and our team go above and beyond to capture photos and support families. Bereavement doulas are such a great addition to our Pittsburgh birth community.
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We went through the loss of our son in 2019 before we learned of this amazing group nonprofit whatever you like to call it I have referred to them as angels of Mercy sent from above we recently lost our daughter September 14th of 2020 and before I met the people that do the amazing work that they do in this group I had no idea there was that kind of love compassion and support for another human being going through that kind of grief if it wasn't for the individuals I would have had absolutely no support the only people who have even contacted me to see how things were going since the passing of my daughter has been people I have met through this group the world needs more things like this and more mothers need this kind of compassion
Experts who have the knowledge and resources needed to support families in their darkest hour. Dedicated to their work, and the families they serve. Highly recommend to anyone experiencing the unthinkable loss of a little one.
When our baby, Lucy Rose, died in utero at 35wks, the nurse who was prepping me for Csection said she knew a bereavement doula who could come in and spend time with us afterwards. I had never even heard of a bereavement doula, but I’d said I wanted to bathe and dress the baby, and she told me Heather did all kinds of neat and special things like that, and she would give her a call. After the birth, Heather Bradley came to our room and she just brought so much comfort and love with her! :). Her smile, warmth, compassionate care and humor just changed everything. Doula means “woman’s friend”, and she was my strong friend and advocate who stayed by my side that day, probably the hardest day of my whole life, and not only that she has continued to be a friend and close advocate for our family ever since. As to the things she did, she took gorgeous pictures of Lucy that I will cherish forever, helped us bathe Lucy’s body and dress her, made the sweetest little name bracelet, helped us pick out a hat and blanket, gave us a remembrance box full of precious memory items I would come to cherish later (at the time it was all a blur and I hardly realized it all, but Heather knew what she was doing). She gave us books and a teddy bear for our boys and befriended them....she came into a heartbreaking time and made it full of sweet memories and laughter and joy and shared fun and rejoicing. Hard to believe it could be that way at the death of a baby but that is how it happened. She was like a long lost friend who showed up at just the right moment and has been there for me and my family ever since, throughout the grief process. Heather stayed with me for the rest of the day, until late in the evening, and we talked and talked and she helped me begin to walk this path and showed me the way to go. I knew in my heart what i wanted for Lucy, but would not have been able to do any of those things without Heather’s help, especially since I was recovering from a Csection, and she went far above and beyond anything I could ever have thought of. Not only did she do all the memory making things with us and Lucy, she also set up a Meal Train to get my friends and church community connected with us so we could get the help we needed. She guided us in funeral preparation (when we were ready for that), and connected us with the help and organizations to pay for and arrange Lucy’s funeral (and later her gravestone). She worked with the hospital and funeral homes to help us make arrangements to take Lucy’s body home with us and to the funeral home ourselves, which we never would have even thought of. We had never heard that this was a legal option, but once we decided that was how we wanted to honor our baby and care for her, Heather was willing to move mountains for us to make it happen. Heather also attended the funeral Mass at our church, and was one of only two people outside my immediate family to attend the viewing (besides the funeral director and our priest). She has even brought us food herself, and visited, and has continued to help and send comfort and healing our way anytime she sees an opportunity to do so. She is the founder of this organization, Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas, and she truly has a heart to help and care for families like mine who have experienced this awful heartbreak. More than that she has become my friend and helper on this journey in this new place of loss, which doesn’t seem so hard now I know I have friends like her and don’t have to walk the path alone. The organization she founded (she trained all the doulas personally) is truly worthy and I believe they are doing families in Pittsburgh a great service. They deserve all the help and support they can get, because they are truly doing something worthwhile that helps people and goes above and beyond to meet people in their worst hour of need and grief.
Heather is a committed and passionate doula providing support and a very needed service for the grieving families in Pittsburgh. She is open and a willing team player, seeking to do what’s best for the family and collaborating with the other healthcare team.
Heather and Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas provide such an important service to our community. As a nurse, I am so thankful to have this support for our families at the hospital who are experiencing a loss. Though I try to sit with them and support them as much as I can, I have another laboring person to care for as well. The people at the hospital who have been supported by Pittsburgh Bereavement Doulas receive such a high level of attention and care that is vital at this time in their lives.
Heather and her team are angels on earth. They help individuals and families through the toughest trials of their lives with grace and ease. Their support goes well beyond a five star rating.
The most kind, compassionate and caring group of women ever. They shared the pain of losing our baby - unspeakable sadness for us. We really don’t know what we would have done without them. Just angels sent to help us.
Pittsburgh bereavement dollars is a wonderful organization. The event I attended with them was absolutely beautiful and touching.
This group steps in where the hospital stops providing care, and supports families in their most difficult times. I wish more people knew about their services! They are so accommodating to families in all sorts of difficult situations, without any biases.
The bereavement doulas are a great resource and assistance in moments of great despair and grief. I lost my son before I knew about them and I so wish I had their guidance on what to do and what to expect from going home with no baby.