2017 - the year our family should have been completed. Sadly, our precious baby girl Heidi Ann was born sleeping on Thursday 5th January weighing a tiny 11oz. Perfect in every way. Ten tiny fingers. Ten tiny toes. But sleeping.

We knew that Heidi was to be born sleeping as we had to make the heartbreaking decision, a decision no parents should ever have to make, to deliver her early due to my waters breaking at 18 weeks plus 4 days. Had the pregnancy continued, I could have died and the consultants had told us that the chances of our baby surviving were less than 5% with her suffering due to low amniotic fluid. There wasn't a decision to be made.

Our angel hung on inside until 21 weeks plus 1 day when I delivered on the Sherwood Birthing Unit. What could have been a life scarring delivery was made to be a calm, dignified and beautiful event for us as parents. We spent the night with Heidi in Room 12 (a room designed especially for births like ours when the baby will be born sleeping). She slept in a moses basket and we cuddled her as many times as we wanted. This experience was made all the more special and that little bit easier by the absolutely wonderful doctors and midwifes who cared for all three of us. . .we could not have asked for better!

Another support to us has been from SANDS a charity who support parents similar to us who have lost their babies. I remember the first phone call I made to them on Wednesday 21st 2016, the first time I told a stranger that our baby would be born sleeping. The realisation that our situation is one which so many others find themselves in. SANDS are the people we know we can turn to who know exactly what we are going through.

Nothing can change what we are going through as a family and the loss of Heidi Ann but we want a lasting memory to be created because of her. That's where you can help us. No matter how big or small.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,

Steve, Maxine and Amelia x