Thank you to all the courageous parents reaching out to Priya’s mum on social media and different platforms, with heartfelt and heart-breaking stories of their baby loss. Many women are saying “this happened to me too”. Some have had the same or worse treatment as Priya’s mum, with their workplaces also cancelling their maternity leave. Many of these stories can be read as comments on the petition.
We never thought the petition would take off to this level. Baby loss is often a taboo subject, parents are devastated at the time, and often not in a position to do anything about appalling workplace treatment. It is a time they need compassion and respect.
We are very touched by the stories of the babies that their parents share with us. Priya's mum says it brings her to tears and she especially loves their sweet comments saying that Priya must be friends with them or playing with them above. ❤️
One mum wrote “There are no words to describe the feeling of being told you’re not a mum, you had a deceased baby and given 2 days of bereavement leave. Something needs to change. We need to be supported after what has been the most traumatic experience. I hope my little boy Sidney and Priya are together dancing in the sky”.
Priya’s Mum is very grateful to receive so many messages, sometimes she may not be able to respond to all, but definitely reads each and every one of the messages.
If you do have a similar story to ours, please if you are up to it, share those stories as a comment on Baby Priya’s Petition. As one day we plan to print those comments and take to the people making decisions about the workplace laws.
Special shout out to the union ASU for your help, and sharing in your social media. A big shout out to Bears Of Hope, a not for profit organisation that is very close to Priya’s Mum’s heart and baby Priya too. They do wonderful work with bereaved parents. Bears of Hope thank you for sharing our story in your social media.
Priya’s Mum wrote a heartfelt email to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations recently, asking what changes are intended, and what would be an expected timeline. We got a brief response from the Minister’s staff conveying his deepest sympathies, and saying that he is carefully considering the matters we have raised and will be in touch shortly. In that email Priya’s mum wrote:
“The cancellation of my maternity leave left me feeling like as if my baby did not matter, because my company dismissed her and her life and did not even give me leave for the 6 weeks she was alive. I was already going for counselling after Priya died, but the cancellation of my maternity leave broke me further."
"To worry that you have to go back to work, when you are grieving a baby, and to worry about your finances at the most painful period in your life because of not having maternity leave, is something that needs to be changed and has to be changed urgently. Losing a baby is the worst thing a parent can go through and we should be treated with respect, care and dignity."
"No more women should have to be subjected to a further blow after baby loss of the cancellation of their maternity leave as it is breaking these women as well, as they have told me so.”
Thank you to all the parents who have contributed in one way or another with Baby Priya’s Petition 🤍💗
Please keep spreading the awareness and sign and share.
Thanking you so much
Priya’s Mum & Priya’s Dad