Pregnancy and infant loss memorial unveiled at Wodonga cemetery during awareness month

Located in the children's section at Wodonga Cemetery, the stone memorial unveiled on Thursday will be adorned by plaques commemorating lost pregnancies and infant lives.

Chiltern parents Nell and Andy McLean, whose daughter passed away at nine-and-a-half months old, were invited to represent the members of their group, Border Baby and Pregnancy Loss Support.

"It is just a beautiful idea to have that there, so people have somewhere to go to think about their child. Somewhere that is private, and somewhere that is safe," Ms McLean said.

"I can see it being popular once it is known. They have done such a good job," Mr McLean said.

According to Red Nose Australia, a national charity that support families after the death of a baby or child, every year around 110,000 Australians have a miscarriage, 2200 have a stillbirth, 600 lose their baby in the first 28 days after birth and many more face grief over termination for medical reasons.

Wodonga Cemetery Trust vice-president Doug Gavin said the trust decided a space was needed for those with less visible losses, and for whom finding community support or understanding can be a struggle.

"A couple of years back, the trust realised there was nowhere in the cemetery where people can go to remember family members who have no resting place," Mr Gavin said.

"The people who we found we thought deserved our first thoughts were those infant, stillborn and neonatal deaths."

The memorial was unveiled on Thursday by a representative from Albury Wodonga Connecting Communities, which funded the project through its grants program, and Wodonga mayor Kev Poulton.

"It is a little overwhelming to come and see," Cr Poulton said.

"When I saw this invite it made me stop and reflect on my wife and my personal journey. We have been fortunate enough to have five very healthy, wonderful kids. We did lose one along the journey."

Wodonga Cemetery Trust and the Albury Wodonga Connecting Communities had been working on this memorial for close to a year, and were not aware that the unveiling coincided with Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month when they invited representatives from local community groups.

Mr Gavin incorporated an acknowledgment of the significance of the date into his speech. He thanked Border Baby and Pregnancy Loss Support for making the time to attend, particularly amid organisation of a memorial walk at Wodonga's Sumsion Gardens on Sunday October 30.

The McLeans hope the memorial will provide comfort to those affected by a sudden or unexpected death during pregnancy, birth, infancy or childhood.

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"People don't know until it happens to them," Mr McLean said.

"Particularly the death of a child, it is a taboo subject. People don't want to talk about it."

"Not talking about it hurts more," Ms McLean said.

If this story has impacted you, you can contact Red Nose Grief and Loss Support Line on 1300 308 307, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or contact the Border Baby and Pregnancy Loss Support group on Facebook.

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