Sara Balmforth, a midwife since 2003, is bringing her experience in labour ward coordination and bereavement care to establishing a compassionate new initiative that’s touching lives in profound ways. Sara joined Forget me not Hospice to dedicate her time to pregnant parents. Sara has introduced a unique service that uses heartbeat recordings to create personalised music for families facing pregnancy loss or complex antenatal journeys.
The idea began after Sara spoke to families who needed emotional support during difficult pregnancies. Inspired, Sara collaborated with music therapist Alice Nicholls to integrate heartbeat recordings into therapeutic music chosen by the family. These recordings, captured using Sonicaid® Fetal Dopplers, are not used for clinical diagnosis but for bonding and memory-making.
One recent case involved a mother who tragically lost her baby shortly after birth. Thanks to Sara’s foresight, the baby’s heartbeat had been recorded days earlier, which meant the sound could later be embedded into a teddy bear for the baby’s sibling, and into a piece of music played at the funeral—offering the family a lasting, meaningful connection.
“This isn’t just about memory-making after loss,” Sara explains. “It’s about recognising that memories begin in pregnancy. Families cherish these moments, especially when scans become medicalised and emotionally difficult.”
Sara works alongside Maria Williamson, Derian’s house’s midwife. Maria recently connected with the first of Derian House’s parents to record their unborn baby’s heartbeat and preserve it within special teddy bears. The family had recently been told that their baby faced an uncertain future.
“As a midwife, I think the pregnancy journey should feel special for all parents, no matter the situation,” said Maria.
“We want them have opportunities to spend time with their baby in whatever ways we can help them do that. One way we can do that – and one I think is incredibly important – is through memory making. Whether it be writing a diary during pregnancy, or recording a baby’s heartbeat – this is something families can keep forever.”
Maria’s career spanned more than 38 years at Burnley Hospital, where she first qualified as a nurse and as a Midwife.
“The teddy bears are so special – they can be shared with mum, dad, siblings, and other family members. We want them to have the connection early on, to give them more time. Having the Sonicaid is such an incredible blessing. Parents have the gift of not only memory making, but being able to hear their baby at every opportunity.”
Sara, Maria, the Derian House and Forget Me Not Teams are now expanding services to include breast milk donation and wider referral access. With midwives now embedded in hospices across the country, a growing network is forming—bringing compassionate, personalised care to families when they need it most.
Derian House Children’s Hospice support families by providing respite and end-of-life care to more than 400 babies, children and young people across the North-West of the UK. Beyond perinatal care, the Derian Team look after children and young people up until their 26th birthday offering palliative care, respite stays, day care, holidays and end of life support.
If you want to know more about the extraordinary care the charity continuously brings to children and families, visit their website Derian House Childrens Hospice – Caring for babies, children and young people.
Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice is a nurse and therapy led service which provides care for babies, children and young people up to 21 years of age who have life-shortening and life-threatening conditions, their families and families whose child has died, across West Yorkshire. Find out more at Forget Me Not Childrens Hospice | West Yorkshire