Never be afraid to talk about baby loss, says bereaved dad

Amy and Wayne Campbell lost two babies in the space of a year

A bereaved father says he hopes sharing his experience of losing children will encourage grieving dads to open up.

"As a man it's almost programmed into us that we have to be the strong masculine figure that isn't affected by anything," said lorry driver Wayne Campbell, 40.

"By bottling things up, you need to believe me, it will do more harm than good."

Mr Campbell has shared his story as part of a support charity's work.

The pregnancy and baby loss organisation Tommy's has launched a special website to offer extra help to dads and partners, directing them to information and real-life accounts.

The dads and partners hub is tailored to the challenges experienced at every stage of pregnancy, the charity says.

In the resource, Mr Campbell and his wife Amy Campbell, 34, explain their experience of losing two babies in the space of a year.

The couple, from Rugby, Warwickshire, lost their son Grayson in a late miscarriage and Mr Campbell documented the couple's final moments with daughter Piper in 2020, describing the process involved to induce miscarriage after a scan showed she no longer had a heartbeat.

Videos he posted online have been viewed by thousands of people.

Advising other fathers not to disguise feelings or be afraid to cry, he said: "Never be afraid to talk about baby or infant loss [because] you will always be amazed with the amount of men that are suffering in silence, not knowing how to approach anyone."

The couple have spoken of their loss in a bid to help other families

The couple have since gone on to have a healthy baby boy under the care of the Tommy's National Centre for Miscarriage Research clinic, in Coventry.

However, Mrs Campbell said she had recently lost another baby.

"It's such a taboo topic, nobody ever seems to talk about it, but so many people have gone through it," she explained.

She added she hoped to help "even just one person, so they know they're not alone in the way they're feeling".

Mr Campbell said: "If you don't communicate with your partner it may look like you're not affected and this may cause a rift between you.

"Just remember you're not alone."