#FORJESSE DEAN

Laura from @charliewearsclothing, her family and some of her amazing reps are raising money to donate to the Rose Room at Watford Hospital, in memory of Jesse Dean Hughes, born sleeping on 19/10/19. Our aim was originally to raise enough money by his first birthday to donate a Cuddle Cot. We amazingly achieved this within 48 hours by running a raffle via Instagram, so we are now just trying to raise as much as we can!

We will be donating a Cuddle Cot (f or those who don’t know, Cuddle Cots are an invaluable resource to bereaved parents and their families as they allow them to spend precious time with their baby.), an iPhone dock for families to play music, blankets, emergency toiletry kits, books for siblings relevant to siblings in the stars and anything else the Rose Room needs. We will also be putting some money towards hand and feet casts for a number of families, so they have another special memory of their child.

Please keep reading for Laura's story. Thank you x

On Thursday 17th October I woke up in my 2 year olds bed wondering why I hadn‘t been woken in the night by my 32 week unborn baby wriggling all over the place. I immediately rang triage at Watford General Hospital who told me to come in and get checked. I left Steve at home with Charlie and made the journey in rush hour traffic. The entire journey I held one hand on my stomach, just praying I’d feel something.

30 minutes later I was finally lying on a bed with a nurse trying to find his heartbeat. I was deafened but the sound of my heartbeat pumping away. Just my heartbeat. After more nurses being called and them rushing me down the corridor in a wheelchair, they put me on the bed to be scanned. ’I’m so sorry’, the sonographer softly said just moments later. The worst had happened. Something I hadn’t even imagined. And I had to call my husband and my mum, who was coming to watch Charlie for us, and tell them our baby no longer had a heartbeat. I’ll never be able to explain that pain, and I’d do anything for no one else to ever have to feel it again.

Steve made his way to the hospital with my mum whilst Charlie was looked after by my mother in law. I was wheeled up to the 3rd floor to a large room, with a sofa, armchairs, hospital bed and its own bathroom. I waited on my own for half an hour. We now know that room, the Rose Room, is specifically for parents in my situation. A bereavement suite. Unfortunately it’s used far too often. We were told the chances of finding out what had happened were incredibly low, and were sent home after starting the procedure to induce me.

Jesse Dean Hughes was born 2 days later, at 7:05am on 19th October, breech, after a short labour and weighing 4lb 7oz. I didn‘t see him until 1pm. The amazing midwives helped me deliver the most beautiful boy and looked after him for us until we were ready to meet him.

The Rose Room had a smaller room attached to it, with a cuddle cot to preserve the baby. Our lovely midwife dressed Jesse and spoke to him like she would any other baby. They have some clothing for tiny babies as ours were far too big. Footprints and hand prints are taken for you and placed in a memory box, along with one of two teddy bears (the other identical one is left with the baby).

We were given as much time as we liked with Jesse and we are so grateful to every single midwife that took care of us during our stay. We absolutely cannot thank them enough.

Thank you