Every year, more than 3,600 babies are stillborn in the UK, yet it’s a topic not many feel comfortable talking about.
One couple shared their experience of stillbirth with The Huffington Post UK in an attempt to break the silence surrounding baby loss.
Heidi Eldridge was almost 37 weeks pregnant when the midwife told her that her baby would be stillborn.
“I screamed, ‘No! This can’t be happening’”, she told HuffPost UK.
Her husband, Steve Eldridge, said it’s “a moment you never really forget.”
The NHS defines a stillbirth as a baby born dead after 24 completed weeks of pregnancy.
Everyday, 11 babies are stillborn in the UK, which makes it 15 times more common than cot deaths, the NHS states.
In an attempt to increase awareness and empower mothers with the right information about the health of their babies, Heidi set up MAMA Academy.
The organisation states that it is “committed to raising awareness of what can be done to help save babies’ lives.”
Watch the video above to find out more about Heidi and Steve’s experience.
This summer The Huffington Post UK is spearheading an initiative helping families thrive, with a focus on parent wellbeing, the challenges facing stay-at-home and working parents, friendships and navigating the landscape of modern parenting beyond the 2.4. To kickstart the campaign, Jamie Oliver will be guest editor on 15 July 2016, bringing a focus on feeding healthy families.
We’ll be sharing stories and blogs with the hashtag #ThrivingFamilies and we’d like you to do the same. If you’d like to use our blogging platform to share your story, email ukblogteam@huffingtonpost.com to get involved. Jamie’s new cookbook Super Food Family Classics, published by Penguin, is on sale at £26.