How To Talk About Pregnancy Loss With Care a deep discussion with Sam Payne from Pink Elephants

We sit down with Sam Payne, co-founder and CEO of Pink Elephants, to talk about miscarriage, early pregnancy loss, and why no one should be left to navigate grief alone. We share practical language, workplace rights, and the small acts of care that help people feel seen when the worst happens.• Sam’s story of recurrent pregnancy loss and why she built Pink Elephants• Why miscarriage stays silenced and how missing data hides the true scale• What needs to change across government, community, and workplaces• How to support someone after pregnancy loss using validation, empathy, and connection• Why “at least it was early” and quick fixes can deepen harm• How to handle baby news, baby showers, due dates, and giving an opt-out• Leave for Loss in Australia and what compassionate workplaces can add• Permission to grieve and letting go of self-blame after miscarriage or IVF loss“At least it happened early.” “At least you can get pregnant.” Most people mean well, but those words can land like a punch when you’re grieving a miscarriage or early pregnancy loss. We’re joined by Sam Payne, co-founder and CEO of Pink Elephants, to name what so many families are carrying in silence and to offer a better way forward: validation, empathy, and connection.We talk through Sam’s lived experience of recurrent pregnancy loss, the moment she realized there was nowhere to turn for support, and how that gap became a national movement. Together we unpack why miscarriage is still treated as a private issue, how missing data keeps the real numbers hidden, and what needs to change at multiple levels, from government policy reform to everyday community language. We also speak directly to partners’ grief, because pregnancy loss is not only a women’s health issue.The conversation gets practical. We share what to say (and what not to say) after a loss, how to show up in ways that actually reduce the burden, and why grief doesn’t end after the first few days. We also cover workplace support, including Australia’s Leave for Loss provisions, and what compassionate leave policies, trained peer supporters, and well-equipped leaders can do to reduce stress, anxiety, and longer-term mental health impacts.If you’ve experienced miscarriage, supported someone through it, or lead a team where this will inevitably touch a colleague, this is a toolkit you can return to. Subscribe and share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find real support when it matters most.How ot contact Pink Elephants;http://www.pinkelephants.org.auInstagram - @pinkelephantssupport @sampaynepinkelephantsLinkedIn -  @samanthapayne