FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Don't see an answer to your question below? Email us at
threelittlebirdsperinatal@gmail.com

WHY IS PERINATAL BEREAVEMENT TRAINING SO IMPORTANT?
One out of every four families will statistically lose a pregnancy/baby. Even if you know someone who has experienced miscarriage, stillbirth or infant loss, there is no way a family can prepare for the devastation of this experience when it happens to them. While it is experienced by millions of families throughout generations, society has still not found a way to support bereavement, especially the unique grief of perinatal loss. Having worked with many big-hearted perinatal providers through our Bedside Bereavement Program, we have learned even the most seasoned professionals struggle with navigating difficult conversations, what options are available or appropriate based on cultural/religious/personal diversity or how to encourage and facilitate bonding and memory making  and give the gift of infant remembrance portraiture.

Through our Perinatal Bereavement Training Program, we can help bridge the gaps experienced by both patients and providers walking the journey of perinatal loss. We do this through various training modules that focus on simplifying the experience through communication scripts, cultural diversity and humility and basic tips and tricks for capturing the love the family has for their baby through beautiful portraits.

Three Little Birds Co-Founder, Kristen Samuelson, developed the Bedside Bereavement & Training Program in response to her own experience. While her family members took a couple photos of their daughter, Jimmie, who was stillborn, no one thought to take a photo of them together. This is something that will forever haunt her. Therefore, in a way to be the change she wishes to see in the world and parent her daughter, it has become a personal passion to develop a community of peers and empathetic providers to support families in having the best possible experience on the worst day of their lives. While we realize this experience may not be preferred by everyone, they should have the right to consider it or decline if they wish. They also have the opportunity to change their mind as they navigate this grief and decide what is best for their baby. To date, more than 260 families have benefited from our program and stated their gratitude in having someone guide them through the process.

WHAT MAKES YOUR TRAINING DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHERS?
Our training program was developed by loss parents and advocates with personal and professional experience being the bridge for others during a difficult time. The latest version of our program is 100% virtual and instructs each chapter using reference information and studies from leading organizations and medical research groups on this very specific type of grief and the best practices for positive outcomes. Additionally, our training uses real life situations we have supported, discussing the challenges of each, pertinent considerations for each and ways we were able to simplify the process for both patient and provider. Our training is constantly being updated with new resources and information. 

Additionally, through our Provider Training offerings, we can assist you in the development of your own Bedside Bereavement Program at your hospital facility. For more information, email us for a Perinatal Bereavement Needs Assessment that can help your healthcare system identify areas where Three Little Birds can add value and provide consistency for your staff and families. We have already supported several hospitals and providers in identifying areas/resources needing updating and ways we can help save money, while providing high-quality bereavement support/comfort items and maintaining up-to-date resources!

WHAT DOES THE TRAINING INCLUDE?
For 2024, we are offering three six-week training sessions. Registered trainees will receive a weekly email with content videos, required reading and a link to a weekly test, due each week by Saturday. Trainees must pass the weekly test to receive the next week's content. You can read more about each chapter of our training under the Program tab, either for Providers or as an Advocate. The final week of training focuses on completing a sample bedside bereavement session, complete with a final photography assignment to receive certification. Certified trainees will receive a printed certification and our Basic Resources Package. This package includes printed materials to use to support grief bedside.

Providers that train through our group rate have the option to receive our Premium Resources Package. This unique support package will streamline the resources providers can offer to patients through printed pages with QR codes. The printed pages will have generic details to support the journey. Users can scan the QR code to go to our webpage where our resources are updated monthly. This will reduce the overall collection of outdated resources and also allow us to provide you with a page specific to your facility with details about local support options and considerations.

DO YOU OFFER DISCOUNTS FOR YOUR TRAINING PROGRAM?
Yes! Three Little Birds Co-Founders, Brent & Kristen Samuelson have launched the "A Girl Named Jimmie" Perinatal Bereavement Scholarship! Eligible trainees (provider and advocates) will receive a reduced tuition rate of $50. This tuition serves as a tax-deductible donation to support the mission of Three Little Birds and keep our services at no cost to families. At this time, our scholarship eligibility is limited to advocates and providers residing in New Jersey, Philadelphia or Southeastern Pennsylvania.

CAN YOU BULK PRICE THE TRAINING FOR MULTIPLE PROVIDERS?
Yes! Three Little Birds offers a group rate tuition for up to six providers to train under our Program. The tuition covers the cost of the training and the basic resource deliverables package. If you live in the Philadelphia and New Jersey region and would like to train more than six providers at a time, please email us for more information!

DO YOU OFFER CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS/UNITS (CEUs)?
Not at this time, but we hope to soon. The tuition rate for both providers and advocates has been priced accordingly and is also a tax-deductible donation to Three Little Birds Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support.

I AM A LOSS PARENT. WILL I BE TRIGGERED BY THE CONTENT?
Understandably, it is possible. There may be aspects of our training that may potentially be triggering for you based on your personal experience. However, please know, we take the upmost respect in being gentle with specific topics. This Program was developed by loss parents all walking very similar, yet different journeys. We have trained more than a dozen loss parents who are now finding healing in being an advocate who understands what someone else is going through. We encourage all trainees to take their time with the content. Please note, this training will feature example photos from sessions of babies who have passed away. All photos are used in this Program with written consent from the families for educational purposes only.

HOW WILL THIS TRAINING ADD VALUE TO MY RESUME?
Our training program's mantra is Education + Empathy = Empowerment. As providers and advocates, we know no matter how much we want to fix what is happening, we cannot. What we can do is use resources, knowledge, experience, validation and empathy to guide families starting at the moment of notification of loss, through the challenges of birth and the immediate post-partum period.,and gently encourage families to bond and make memories that respect each family's personal, cultural, spiritual and religious needs and considerations. Empowerment comes from holding space for them and supporting them with very simple tasks that feel extremely overwhelming, daunting and impossible in the fog of grief.

I DO NOT LIVE IN THE PHILADELPHIA/SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY REGION. CAN I STILL REGISTER FOR TRAINING?
Yes! We spent the lasts year revising our training to make it accessible virtually by providers locally and beyond. If you have a passion for supporting perinatal loss, we feel you will really appreciate our training program. Providers from outside the area who train with us will have an opportunity to consult with Three Little Birds in the development of your own Bedside Bereavement Program. The more Partnerships we can establish with hospitals serving bereavement the more we can reduce the overall cost of memory making and comfort items. Please email us for more information.

DO YOU OFFER THIRD PARTY PERINATAL BEREAVEMENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES?
Yes! We would love to partner with you to ensure consistency in patient care and provider support, manage resources and train your professionals with our successful program! Email us for more information.

ONCE I'M CERTIFIED, CAN I VOLUNTEER WITH THREE LITTLE BIRDS?
Yes! First, see if you are eligible through our "A Girl named Jimmie" Scholarship to receive a reduced tuition rate. In exchange for the reduced rate, we are asking scholarship winners to volunteer at their local hospitals to help establish consistent perinatal bereavement care through Three Little Bird's Bedside Bereavement Program.

ARE THERE OTHER WAYS TO VOLUNTEER WITH THREE LITTLE BIRDS?
Yes! For loss parents/advocates who train under this program, they have the opportunity to train to be a support group facilitator. This will allow Three Little Birds to expand our outside the box support methods throughout the State either through virtual or in-person groups or signature events.