I stayed awake all night with my baby girl, bathed and kissed her – now I’m planning her funeral, says Lauren Goodger
LAUREN Goodger was able to make precious memories with her baby daughter Lorena who sadly died just minutes after being born.
The former Towie star said she bathed and dressed her daughter and sang to her in the hours following her passing.
Lauren, 35, was supported by Petals – a regional baby loss charity who are partnered with The Queen’s Hospital in Romford where she delivered Lorena.
Speaking to The Sun, Lauren, who is also mum to Larose, one, praised the actions of the hospital and Petals following Lorena’s birth on July 8 and said it meant the world to her to have that special time with her baby daughter.
Lauren said: “The hospital and Petals were amazing. Lorena stayed with me the whole time.
“I bathed her and put her in a white baby grow which belonged to Larose. It was beautiful.
“I held her and kissed her. I sang to her and we played songs. She just looked like she was asleep.”
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In hospital Lauren was also supported by her family and friends, and the family of her partner Charles Drury.
She said: “In the evening all of my family and Charlie’s family came to meet her.
“It was a very emotional evening, just tears and crying and crying.
“I stayed awake all night with her and the charity came the next day. They had her feet and hand prints done and then did casts.
“I have some locks of her hair and they gave us a candle for her.
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“A photographer was organised too and they took some beautiful pictures. My friends put two into a locket which I wear around my neck.”
Charlie’s family went to Lauren’s home and cleared away the birthing pool, which had been set up ready for her labour, along with all of the things Lauren had bought for Lorena.
Lauren is now planning Lorena’s funeral and said in the future she hoped to dedicate her time to working with baby loss charities to help other parents who have experienced the loss of a child.
She added: “I never thought I would be at this stage in my life where I am planning a funeral for my daughter.
“I still don’t know what I want but I know it will be completely private, just family.
“Each day I take it as it comes. Without Larose I would not be here. She is getting me through every day.
Without Larose I would not be here. She is getting me through every day
Lauren Goodger
“I’ve been inundated with messages from people. There have been people in the public eye who have messaged me privately, people I know who wouldn’t have said hello to me if I saw them.
“Women are in touch telling me their stories. Which is why I wanted to share mine. Their messages have helped me so much. I just hope my story helps other parents going through this know that they are not alone.”
A spokesperson for Queen’s Hospital said: “We would like to express our sincere condolences to Lauren and her family on the tragic loss of baby Lorena.
“Lauren was brought to our hospital in an ambulance after her midwife was unable to detect a heartbeat during a home birth, and despite the best efforts of our staff, sadly we were unable to resuscitate Lorena.”
For more information and support about baby loss, visit www.tommys.org.
How to get help
A spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said:
The loss of a baby is devastating and our deepest condolences go out to Lauren and her family.
Tragically, around 100 of the 700,000 babies born in the UK each year die because something happens during labour and birth that is not anticipated or well managed.
The RCOG is committed to reducing this number with initiatives such as the Avoiding Brain Injuries in Childbirth (ABC) project.
Following the death of their baby, it is vital that all women and their families receive compassionate, high-quality and respectful care, and there is support available from charities such as Sands and Tommy’s.