resources
Information and Support for Pregnancy Loss, Infant Loss, & Infertility in Ottawa & Gatineau
Upon experiencing pregnancy or infant loss and infertility, volunteers of Aaron's Butterfly Run came to the unfortunate realization that there is often very little resources or information provided to those experiencing this type of loss. Aaron's Butterfly Run started gathering the information and resources it came across, and started sharing it with those who needed it.
If you're experiencing a loss, or know someone who is, first of all, we're very sorry for your loss!
To help you through this time, below you will find a list of some of the information and support services for infertility, perinatal loss and infant loss in the Ottawa and Gatineau area, listed in alphabetical order.
How to search through this list?
If you're experiencing a loss, or know someone who is, first of all, we're very sorry for your loss!
To help you through this time, below you will find a list of some of the information and support services for infertility, perinatal loss and infant loss in the Ottawa and Gatineau area, listed in alphabetical order.
How to search through this list?
- All services are listed in alphabetical order
- Each service has a category under the service name, to better help you understand if this is something you are interested in
- Please click the title of the service or logo/image for a link to the website
- Social media links and other contact information can be found on the right hand column, under the business logo
- A 2-pager summary document (printable & shareable) is available here.
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Support Group (In Person)
Bereaved Families of Ottawa offers a recurring, year-round, perinatal loss support group on the first Tuesday of every month from 7:00-9:00 PM. No registration is required. Bereaved Families of Ottawa also offer many pieces of literature on grief and bereavement. For those who are able to contribute, they request a $10 donation/person or $20 donation/family; however, all are welcome regardless of the ability to pay.
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613-567-4278
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Care Package
Butterfly Boxes:
The Butterfly Boxes aim to:
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Course (Online)
“From Loss to Love” is an online course for grieving parents to make meaning after pregnancy or infant death. Before the course begins, Jennifer will do a private phone birth story healing session. The course is designed to facilitate integration and healing after pregnancy or infant loss with the intention of inspiring personal growth and community connection. You will explore the significance of this loss through mindfulness practice, breath awareness, creative writing, a personal project and birth story healing. This course is for anyone who has experienced any kind of pregnancy or infant loss and are motivated to make space to honour the life that was created and your lived experience of the loss. The course is $200 CAD.
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613-864-8696
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Psychology, Counselling (In Person)
Dr. Patricia Gervaize is a clinical psychologist specializing in reproductive health issues. Dr. Gervaize is currently in private practice and consultant to the Ottawa Fertility Centre since 2006. Dr. Gervaize’s practice is focused on the emotional aspects of infertility and reproductive loss. She provides counselling to individuals and couples dealing with reproductive difficulties, treatment-related decision making, and offers strategies for coping with treatment and body-mind approaches as an adjunct to medical care.
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613-686-3378 ext. 315
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Support Group (In Person and Online)
Empty Arms Open Heart is for families who have experienced and are healing from loss related to pregnancy or infancy. This includes loss related to abortion, miscarriage, stillbirth, infertility, infant death and disability. Also includes pregnancy after loss. This peer-to-peer group meets the second Thursday of each month at the Ottawa Integrated Health Centre, a naturopathic clinic, at 1129 Carling (at Holland), from 7:15 PM onwards. There is also a private Facebook group.
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Decision Aid, Coaching (In Person)
First Place Options is a non-profit charitable agency offering decision aid coaching to anyone facing an unplanned pregnancy.
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613-228-7475
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Fitness
Fertility Yoga is a tool that can assist in healing throughout your fertility journey. Learn techniques to release stress and unwanted tension within your mind and spirit as you prepare your whole self for your journey. This calming atmosphere can assist in creating a positive self image and positive thinking that will assist in reducing stress and increasing intimacy with your partner. Learn yoga postures that will increase blood flow to your reproductive organs. Enjoy the community feel within this class that will surround you with others experiencing a similar journey to share in the experience together.
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Book, blog
Kelly Farley wrote the book "Grieving Dads: to the Brink and Back" which is a collection of candid stories from grieving dads that were interviewed over a two-year period. The book offers insight from fellow members of, in the haunting words of one dad, “this terrible, terrible club,” which consists of men who have experienced the death of a child. This book is a collection of survival stories by men who have survived the worst possible loss and lived to tell the tale. The core message of Grieving Dads is “you’re not alone.” It is a message that desperately needs to be delivered to grieving dads who often grieve in silence due to society’s expectations.
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630-561-5989
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Christian resource box
Hope Boxes are for individuals and families who have lost a baby through any type of infant loss. Hope boxes contain Christian resources on pregnancy loss, tea, lotion, lip balm, a handwritten note, brochures and a bracelet, along with other items. If you’d like to give a box in honour of someone please specify on your donation of $50 per box. All donations go through Cornerstone Wesleyan Church, designated Hope Boxes, and are tax deductible.
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Support group (online)
Online Facebook support group for local women and men suffering with infertility.
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Support group (in-person)
The Center for Family Intervention Studies and Research (CÉRIF) offers a free French support group meeting for parents who have experienced a perinatal bereavement and their family and friends. They also offer a pregnancy after loss group if there are enough participants. The meetings are held at the Université du Québec en Outaouais (Pavillon Alexandre Taché, 283 Taché Blvd). Registration is required.
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819-595-3900 ext. 2350
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Support services
Miriam Centre is a bilingual, non-profit, charitable organization that has grown from a desire shared by a group of concerned people from within the community to reach out to anyone facing a difficult pregnancy.
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613-830-8623
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Support Group (In-Person)
MotherWit Doula Care Ottawa hosts a group on the 3rd Friday evening (7:30-9:00 PM) every month, to remember and honour pregnancies or infants that were lost, and support those going through the journey. MotherWit Doula Care Ottawa also hosts a peer-to-peer support group for women suffering from prenatal or postpartum anxiety/depression ever Thursday from 9:30-11:30 AM.
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613-518-1060
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Photography
NILMDTS provides remembrance photography to parents suffering the loss of a baby with a free gift of professional portraiture.
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Ottawa Doulas
Services
There are a few local doulas who have trained specifically in supporting families through loss.
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(613) 600-8098
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Information
Parents Orphelins, the Québec Association of parents grieving from pregnancy and infant loss, aims to help other parents through this difficult ordeal by breaking the isolation, by documenting, by informing and by educating the population of Québec on the subject of pregnancy and infant grief. The Association encourages mutual assistance among bereaved parents in Québec, health care professionals and supporters to the cause.
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Information
PAIL at Sunnybrook Hospital is committed to making a positive difference for those affected by pregnancy and infant loss. PAIL provides a variety of support services tailored to meet the specific needs of bereaved parents and families across Ontario. PAIL is Canada's leading educators in promoting sensitive care and management to families following a loss. PAIL at Sunnybrook has groups all across Ontario. Please contact PAIL for information regarding support groups and additional information in your area. Also, feel free to request to join the online Facebook group.
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888-303-7245
(This is a 24/7 toll-free support number) |
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Variety of services for perinatal loss at 20+ weeks gestation, various support groups (perinatal loss, bereaved grandparents, bereaved siblings, etc.)
Roger Neilson House offers a variety of services for those experiencing loss of pregnancy or infant loss including, but not limited to: grief support including, but not limited to, a perinatal loss group (20+ weeks gestation), legacy building activities, and perinatal hospice (families who have received the heartbreaking news that their baby may not survive very long after birth may choose to continue their pregnancy and celebrate their baby’s short life). They also offer bereaved grandparent and sibling support groups. Covered by OHIP.
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613-523-6300 ext 600
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Information, stories, shared experiences
In the face of loss and infertility, Still Standing Mag's mission is to show the world that we are still standing. Holding fast to resilience and hope. Their mission is to help you embrace life for everything that it is after experiencing the loss of a child or infertility. The focus of this magazine can be broken down into three parts:
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Care Package
Mama’s Heart is a special care package created to help soothe the hearts of women who experience miscarriage and later pregnancy loss. A portion of proceeds from this sale of this package support the Pregnancy and Infant Loss (PAIL) network. The care package costs $35 plus shipping.
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Blog, Support Services
The Love & Loss Project is a comfort and inspiration station for people who have lost a baby, pregnancy or child. Services are offered by April Boyd, a Social Work Therapist from Belleville. The Love & Loss Project offers a Baby Loss Survival Guide, in addition to a variety of other services and information.
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Care Package
TTC Crate understands that trying to conceive (TTC) can be an emotional struggle, so their our goal to make it a little less stressful for those TTC. Whether you're struggling with infertility, or just starting out, their hope is to bring a little extra sunshine to your journey! TTC Crate is a company that is owned, and operated by women who have dealt with, or are currently dealing with, the struggles of infertility. It is very important to us to offer support, and hope throughout the TTC Community. TTC Crate launched in April 2015, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
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Videos
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An Ottawa-based family's experience with Perinatal Hospice. This film will explore Rachel and Rob Samulack's journey with Perinatal Hospice at Roger Neilson House and the 100 precious minutes they spent with their son Aaron Samulack.
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Created by the University of Quebec in Gatineau. Five fathers share their experience of their child's death and the tools that have helped them to live through this storm. These stories can inspire bereaved families, professionals' practices toward men, as well as the development of policies and services for them.
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Some think an in-vitro fertilization (IVF) contest sounds crazy, but countless Americans desperate to start a family believe this social media experiment is their only hope. Oscar-nominated director Amanda Micheli’s provocative documentary follows several aspiring parents who desperately want to have a baby but are struggling with infertility, miscarriage, and the high cost of treatments. They place themselves in the hands of a Las Vegas doctor and his annual contest, which offers a prize of a free round of IVF - with no guarantee of success. Contestants post their video entries on YouTube, counting on the votes of strangers to make their dreams of parenthood come true.
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We try to keep these resources as up-to-date as possible; however, if there are resources you are aware of that are not included in this list, please let us know.
