Grieving parents have shared heartbreaking pictures of themselves cradling their stillborn daughter after she died in the womb from a mystery condition.
Maria Grennan, 37, was almost a week over her due date with her first child when she noticed her baby was not moving.
Doctors told the mother-to-be and her paramedic husband Stuart, 36, that their baby, called Maggie, had died due to an unknown condition.
In a blog dedicated to their ‘little angel’, the couple have began fundraising for a soundproof maternity bereavement suite at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.
They claim their ‘toughest’ experience was made much more difficult because they could hear women giving birth to healthy babies in an adjourning room.
The devastated couple hope the money will allow them to turn their ‘tragedy into a positive’ by giving women a place to have their stillborn children in peace.
Maria Grennan, 37, and her husband Stuart, 36, have shared heartbreaking pictures of themselves cradling their stillborn daughter after she died in the womb
In a blog dedicated to their ‘little angel’, the couple have began fundraising for a soundproof maternity bereavement suite at Worcestershire Royal Hospital
Mrs Grennan, an ambulance control room operator, said: ‘It was just heartbreaking. It was just such a horrible shock as there is no way we could have prepared for it.
‘I could not feel any movement in Maggie, so we went to the hospital on Saturday December 3 where we found out.
Emptiness and pain
‘Words cannot describe the emptiness and pain and love we feel, but we are so proud of our little Maggie and we hope to turn our tragedy into something positive and give something back in her memory.
‘Our little angel Maggie was just perfect which makes it so much harder to understand why this happened.
‘We have never known love like it, we will never forget her.
‘We are so determined to make her short life a positive one and the only thing that is keeping us going is our determination towards Maggie’s Legacy.’
Since launching the appeal days after Maggie was stillborn, the couple have raised £3,759 towards their £10,000 target.
Doctors told the mother-to-be and her paramedic husband Stuart, 36, that their baby, called Maggie, had died due to an unknown condition
They claim their ‘toughest’ experience at the hospital was made much more difficult because they could hear women giving birth to healthy babies in an adjourning room
Maggie passed away on December 5.
‘The toughest time of our lives’
Mrs Grennan added: ‘During the toughest time of our lives we were put in the care of Worcestershire Maternity Bereavement Suite.
‘Here we had complete privacy and treated with the upmost respect and compassion by everyone who entered the room. We had a private garden and no limitations on visitors or time restrictions.
‘Here we were able to spend so many precious moments with our beautiful daughter, bathe her, dress her, sleep with her next to us and enable family and friends to meet her.
‘Without this suite we are certain we would not be as strong as we are now and sadly we are not alone, so much so that a second suite is needed.
Haunting experience
‘During labour we had to move to a delivery suite and had the trauma of listening to another baby being born next door, the most beautiful sound but equally haunting during our experience.
‘There is an opportunity to sound proof two delivery suites in the future and if we can prevent another couple hearing this during their own tragic time then we want to help.
‘The bereavement midwife officer and all the midwives have been an amazing support and are continuing to support us during this difficult time.’
The hospital has been approached for a comment.
To donate to the bereavement suite appeal, visit here.