What is the appropriate approach to support bonding when a baby is stillborn?

• A. Send the mother home without discussion
• B. Encourage early skin-to-skin contact with the living twin
• C. Provide empathetic support and allow discussion when ready
• D. Recommend immediate discharge

Answer: (C)

Bonding after a loss is supported best by giving parents empathetic support and letting them set the pace for discussion and decisions about their baby. When the care team opens a compassionate, nonjudgmental space, parents can express their feelings, ask questions, and decide what they want to do—whether that’s viewing, holding, naming, creating memories, or simply talking about their baby. This patient-centered approach affirms their grief, validates their loss, and helps them form a bond with the baby in a way that feels right for them, while also offering privacy and cultural or religious support as needed.

Choosing to send the mother home without discussion withdraws essential emotional support at a vulnerable time and can hinder the bonding process. Immediate discharge eliminates the opportunity to process the loss and connect with the baby in a meaningful way. While care for the living twin is important, focusing on bonding with the stillborn baby requires an approach that centers empathy and readiness to talk, rather than rushing or avoiding the conversation.