KEEPING PRECIOUS MOMENTS CLOSE – HEARTBEAT BEARS CREATE MOMENTS OF CONNECTION AND COMFORT

At this time of year we are used to seeing hearts and teddy bears everywhere we look, but away from Valentine’s Day they are providing an important source of comfort, love and connection on the ward.  

At Tiny Lives, we fund Heartbeat Bears for families who experience the devastating loss of a baby on the neonatal unit. It is a sad and tragic reality that not all babies make it home and in 2025 alone, Tiny Lives funded over 30 Heartbeat Bears to support bereaved families during these difficult times.

These bears are far more than just soft toys, each one contains a recording of their baby’s heartbeat, captured during their time on the unit, becoming something parents and siblings can keep forever. For families navigating life after loss, a Heartbeat Bear becomes a tangible link to their baby. It offers something to hug and it gives siblings a way to feel close to their brother or sister. Our Heartbeat Bears provide a physical reminder that their baby’s life, however short, was real, loved and will always matter.

This Valentine’s Day, as we celebrate love in all its forms, we also honour the enduring love parents have for the babies they have lost. By funding Heartbeat Bears, Tiny Lives helps ensure that even in heartbreak, families have a heart they can hold onto forever. 

If you would like to speak to the team about funding projects like Heartbeat Bears please contact 0191 230 2112 or email info@tinylives.org.uk.