Home   Stamford   News   Article

Subscribe Now

Baby Loss Awareness Week encourages families to share their stories and break the silence around infant death




Bereaved parents have shared their heartbreaking stories of baby loss in a bid to help other grieving families.

Emma Fordham will be among those attending a service at Peterborough Cathedral next week to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week.

Twenty-six years have passed since her son Jacob was stillborn and she is only just coming to terms with her loss.

Debbie Cope, Nicole Woodcock and Emma Fordham from The Comfort Mummy Foundation (19056207)
Debbie Cope, Nicole Woodcock and Emma Fordham from The Comfort Mummy Foundation (19056207)

She set up The Comfort Mummy Foundation to honour her son's memory and help other families in need by providing care packages at Peterborough City Hospital.

Emma, 46, said: “There was nothing like this when I had Jacob but I know I would have benefited from someone reaching out to me.

“When you lose a child you don’t think you are going to get through it but parents have said the packs help them realise they're not alone.”

The Comfort Mummy Foundation
The Comfort Mummy Foundation

Emma, of Bourne, was 24 weeks pregnant when her son had died. The umbilical cord had wrapped around his neck.

She said: “Your whole world falls apart.

"I could hear other babies on the ward, the pram was on order, I’d bought baby clothes and was planning to leave the Navy and move back to Peterborough.”

Leigh Taylor and Shelley Cash from Casto (19017662)
Leigh Taylor and Shelley Cash from Casto (19017662)

Jacob was buried in Glinton and Emma returned to work six weeks later.

She said: "To spare other people’s feelings, I didn’t talk about it. I suppressed my grief for a long time.”

She is now encouraging others to speak out about baby loss to break down the taboo.

Her charity work is supported by husband Matt, 41, and her other children Daniella, 25, William, 22, and Frankie, 14.

The fundraising will be boosted by a charity gig next week. The Houndogs will perform at Bourne Corn Exchange on Friday, October 18. For details call 07878 394496.

A Castor couple have also turned to fundraising to ease their grief.

Shelley Cash and Leigh Taylor lost their daughter Fern last month. She was stillborn at 23 weeks after being diagnosed with Edward's Syndrome, a condition which affects development.

The couple only found out Shelley was pregnant at 20 weeks.

The 39-year-old said: “We were so shocked and sad. It was such a rollercoaster."

They received a care package from the charity 4Louis with a basket for Fern and a memory box with teddy bears, clay hand and footprints and a candle.

Shelley, who runs a marketing agency, said: “It was traumatic to leave the hospital without a baby but it made a difference to leave with something and it meant a lot.”

The couple plan to do the Mongol Rally next year to raise money for the charity.

They are keen to attract sponsorship via the Facebook page Bewilderness Adventures.

Shelley said: “Baby loss is so common but people don’t talk about it.

"Some days you feel okay and others you just want to hide away.

“Just being there for someone is so important. People don’t always know what to say, but that’s okay. There is no right or wrong.”

Details of support groups are available on the Baby Loss Awareness Week website.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More