Few things are more devastating than a stillbirth.
Making it harder again is the fact that hospitals only give you a brief time to say goodbye to your little one.
But this mum from Queensland, Australia has come up with a wonderful way to help these parents.
Selena Wool and her husband Nathan have lost three babies to stillbirth in recent years. Well aware of the pain it causes, the couple yesterday donated a 'cuddle cot' to Gold Coast Health's Maternal Foetal Medicine service.
At $5,500, the cot is not cheap, but it is pretty special - it preserves deceased babies through a low temperature-controlled mattress.
The Brisbane couple said they drew on their harrowing experiences to help families in the same situation.
"Before these machines, you only had about half an hour with your baby," Selena told Kidspot.
"This is the time when you can build memories and it's also your only chance to parent your child."
Selena set about raising the funds for one after using a cuddle cot when their third child died at 23 weeks in utero.
The couple lost twins when Selena was in her second trimester.
"We really understand the value a cuddle cot can bring to a recently bereaved family," said Selena, who now has a 14-month-old daughter.
Gold Coast Health perinatal-loss coordinator and clinical midwife Jo Everingham said the equipment allowed families extra time to grieve.
“The cuddle cot is a practical way to help families experiencing these tragic events,” she said. “We work with them by giving them coping mechanisms to manage the emotional aspect of their grief.”
The couple started their fundraising project, Little Lionhearts, two years ago, and so far they've bought three cuddle cots.
They hope to continue raising funds so they can help more families affected by this particularly heart-wrenching loss.
We think Selena and Nathan are truly inspiring. Not only did they push through their grief, they're now helping others with theirs.Truly wonderful people.
You can donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/vt46nxng.
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