Specialist midwives are set to mark Rainbow Baby Day at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital to remember families who have lost their babies.

Charity Kicks Count is organising the first Rainbow Baby Day on Friday, June 7, to support families who have lost a baby following a miscarriage, stillbirth or death shortly after birth who go on to have another child.

Throughout the country, people will be encouraged to hold bake sales with brightly coloured treats , wear colourful clothes or have fancy dress walks to support Rainbow Baby Day.

Sarah Green, Bereavement Midwife at Hull University Teaching Hospitals Trust, said a rainbow banner will be placed in the foyer of the hospital to raise awareness.

She said: “Women who have lost a baby before are understandably anxious when they find out they are pregnant again and come back to us.

“To help them, we give them a special wooden rainbow plaque funded by Sands which can be attached to the outside of their door to show staff their new baby is not their first.

“While some women are happy to talk about the baby they have lost, others find it difficult and this stops them having to explain over and over again that this isn’t their first baby.

“It also alerts our staff, from support staff to midwives,  that the woman may be feeling more anxious because of what happened to her before.”

As well as funding the plaques used in hospital, Sands, a charity helping families after they experience stillbirth or the death of their baby shortly after birth, also provide a supply for the hospital so a woman can take one home with her as well.

The trust also gives women a voucher from Kicks Count so they can obtain a free rainbow bundle worth £30.