Mum opens up on grief of child loss and her campaign to help others

A mum who had to deliver her stillborn baby on a labour ward feels 'defeated' after her campaign for dedicated baby loss wards had limited success.

- LILY SHANAGHER

Louise Caldwell, 42, has campaigned for all hospitals in Scotland to have a separate ward to allow women to deliver stillborn babies after she lost a baby in October 2019.

She was due to go for a scan while 12 weeks pregnant when she was given the news at hospital that the baby did not have a heartbeat, and she had to deliver her child on the labour ward - while other women gave birth around her.

The mum's campaign has seen two baby loss wards open - but no more since.

It was an emotional return for Louise in 2023 as she finally cut the ribbon to open the new unit at University Hospital Wishaw's maternity unit. She campaigned for its introduction and it now provides a space for those who have experienced a miscarriage to ensure they do not have to experience the loss of a baby within the main labour wards.

Louise, who works in her husband Craig's business, and is mum to Cody, 17, Aaron, 14, and Noah, eight, started a petition following her experience which has racked up more than 30,000 signatures.

The East Kilbride woman said: “When I came out of the little corridor, there was a woman sitting with her big, massive bump and her hand on the bump, and her little kid playing with the toys waiting to go in.”

She says she can't remember the day well but remembered being “absolutely terrified”. She felt like her lost baby was a “dirty little secret” she had to keep from new parents and people going into labour.

She was given a baby box which contained a candle, a key ring and seeds as well as leaflets for support. But she didn’t want the box and felt like it was the wrong time to receive it - walking out through the corridor, she hid it under her cardigan from the other mums.

She wants more mindfulness and sensitivity for mums who have lost their babies, as well as communication from midwives.