How miscarriage and grief affects men with Sam Payne, CEO of Pink Elephants

In this mini-episode, Sam Payne — the CEO and co-founder of the Pink Elephants Support Network — answers listener questions about early pregnancy loss — what men (and couples) need to understand about miscarriage, supporting their partner and themselves.

Episode highlights

• Pink Elephants exists because early pregnancy loss is deeply isolating, and lack of support in the first trimester can compound grief and lead to poor mental health outcomes
• Miscarriage grief is often minimised by society, which leaves both women and men feeling silenced, flawed and unsure whether they are “allowed” to seek support
• Partners grieve too, and it’s important they’re given space for their own loss rather than being expected to only act as the supporter
• Grief after pregnancy loss is unpredictable and non-linear, so open communication, mutual validation and accessing support early are key to coping together

Appearing in this episode

Sam Payne

Sam co-founded The Pink Elephants Support Network in 2016, a not-for-profit that provides resources, information and networks to support people affected by early pregnancy loss. She brought this concept to life after discovering she could not find the support she needed following the heartache of multiple miscarriages.