My husband and I welcomed our baby boy Aidan to the world on 4 September 2022. He was born very premature at 27 + 4 weeks but was incredibly strong and determined to do everything by himself. After 13 days of getting stronger and only needing the help of some high flow oxygen, he sadly passed away due to E.coli Sepsis. He was just too small to fight off such a nasty infection.

Sands was my lifeline in the immediate months after Aidan's death. I desperately needed to feel as though I wasn't the only mother going through this horrendous heartache, so I joined the online forum and started talking about what had happened and connecting with other bereaved parents. Before joining the forum, I wasn't sure it would help me to read about other babies who had died, however, I found a kind of comfort in knowing I wasn't going through this alone. I had no friends or family members who had experienced a neonatal loss, and as much as they tried to comfort me, I felt so isolated in my grief. 

I really am thankful to Sands for being there in what has been the most painful time in my life.

Baby loss is such a taboo subject outside of baby loss groups. It's not so much that people don't want to talk about it, it's that they have no idea what to say or how to act around someone who has experienced something so painful. We all grieve differently but from talking with so many other bereaved mums and dads, all we want is to acknowledge our babies and talk about them with love. We are still parents after all. I still and always will love Aidan as much as if he were here. I want people to ask his name when I say I lost my baby, not to mumble that they know someone who once had a miscarriage and then change the subject. I am hoping that by hosting a Sands Ribbon Display, I can get a few more people talking about baby loss and how they might support someone going through it in the future.  

One of our local shop owners, Nicola from The Little Brown Fairy Cake in Westgate-on-Sea in Kent, has kindly offered to host the display in her shop window. She is also making blue and pink cupcakes during Baby Loss Awareness Week with some of the proceeds being donated to Sands.