Our Story — For Isabella, and for Every Family Who Walks This Path

Everything had been perfect. We were all prepared for the arrival of our beautiful baby girl, Isabella. Her Moses basket was ready, her little bouncer sat by the twinkling Christmas tree lights, and we were counting down the days until we could bring her home and watch Alfie step into his role as big brother.

But life took a turn we could never have prepared for.

On the 27th of November, the future we had been dreaming of was suddenly pulled from beneath us. I realised I hadn’t felt Isabella move for a few hours; her last little flutter around 3pm. We’d been busy tidying before collecting wee Alfie, and it wasn’t until we were back in the car that I realised there had been no reassuring kicks.

Back home, I tried everything: lying on my side, drinking cold water, eating something sweet; willing our precious girl to give even the smallest sign. When nothing happened, I phoned the Maternity Assessment Unit, and they asked us to come in.

Hearing the words, “I’m so sorry, there’s no heartbeat,” shattered our world. The first thing I said was, “What did I do wrong?” Even though deep down I know it wasn’t anything I did or didn’t do, your mind spirals, questioning every moment, every choice.

The team were incredible. They gently took us round to the bereavement suite and talked us through the next steps with compassion and patience. They offered us the option to stay that night, but we couldn’t bear the thought of being there, so we chose to go home until it was time to return.

The plan was to come back on the Sunday, but on Saturday afternoon my waters broke. I packed our bags, choosing old clothes I knew I could throw away afterwards if we needed to. I felt numb, thinking everything from that point forward would be clinical and cold—so far from the home birth we had planned.

I could not have been more wrong.

From the moment we stepped into the bereavement suite, the team were increasingly and we were surrounded by kindness, compassion, and dignity. The team knew I had planned a water birth and, because a pool was free, one of the midwives offered it to us so I could bring Isabella into the world exactly as I had hoped to. Our beautiful Isabella was born sleeping at 39 + 1 on 29th November 2025.

The girls became our guiding light in days we thought would be too dark to survive. They helped us create precious memories as a family. They even arranged a way for my dad—who was in hospital—to meet his granddaughter. These gestures, these moments, are memories we carry with us forever.

Our time in the bereavement suite is something we will hold close to our hearts for the rest of our lives. No amount of money could ever repay what the AMU Bereavement Team gave us. But we hope that, through this fundraiser, we can help future families create memories with their precious babies—memories that will last a lifetime.

We hope to use the funds raised to provide comfort items for the bereavement suite and memory-making resources for parents during their stay. We would also love to support the incredible Home Birth Team, who have continued to care for us with such warmth and dedication in the days up to and after Isabella’s birth.

We are doing this for Isabella, and for every family who will walk into the bereavement suite needing the same compassion, care, and love that we were given.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Stacey and Kyle (Isabella’s Mum and Dad) xxx

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, I will withdraw funds directly. It's the most efficient way to donate and saves time and costs.