ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author explores the theme of some parents who lose a baby find it difficult to bond successfully with the next child and remain preoccupied with the dead child. She helps Ms Smith to think about holding the balance between her hope around the new baby and her despair over her dying child. The death of a child is devastating because it means the loss of so many hopes and dreams for the future. Seeing families soon after the birth of a child, we are familiar with the many hopes for the future the baby can hold at this point. S. Bourne and E. Lewis wrote about the effects of perinatal loss and the difficulties the next child may have. The Thomas family was referred by a clinical psychologist from an Adult Service; Mrs Thomas had been seen for post-natal depression, following the birth of her second child.
