Today the Princess Royal University Hospital has unveiled a bereavement centre for mums who have lost their baby through miscarriage or stillbirth. Reporter HELOISE WOOD learns why it is so important by speaking to a News Shopper colleague.

“AFTER it happened, I felt like I was nothing.” Samantha Farrow is blunt about the loss of her daughter at almost 25 weeks.

Last November, the media consultant, who has worked at News Shopper for two years, experienced pains and was rushed to the Princess Royal University Hospital, Farnborough, by a colleague.

The resulting tragedy means she knows better than anyone why the hospital’s new bereavement centre is so important.

The custom-made suite is for mothers who have just lost their babies and will be launched on Friday by Dr Miriam Stoppard.

It is hoped through specialist staff training, the pain of patients and their families can be eased as they recover from losing their child.

Miss Farrow, of Broomwood Road, St Mary Cray, fights back tears and says: “I will never get over losing my daughter.

“I realised something was wrong at work and my friend drove me to hospital.

“They gave me a steroid injection to help develop the baby’s lungs but there was nothing which could be done.”

She is passionate about the new suite and says: “It is so important because it will enable you to get away from the maternity department.

“Otherwise you have to hear cries from new babies and you keep thinking ‘that should be mine’.

“When you’re wheeled past the new mothers you want to be happy for them, but you just can’t.

“You shouldn’t feel anger from someone’s joy but you keep thinking, ‘why not me? What did I do wrong?’

“Afterwards, I felt like I was nothing.

“I was so numb, I couldn’t do anything.”

The 28-year-old is full of praise for the hospital staff.

She said: “What has helped me is the people; the doctors and nurses and my family who were there that night.

“The staff dealt with it in a way which showed they cared.

Hospital staff recently gave Miss Farrow the thrilling news she is pregnant again.

More information

SPEAKING about the new unit, bereavement midwife Lisa Moss said: “It is situated in the delivery suite of the hospital and is a custom-built room with an en suite bathroom.

“The room is designed to have a home-from-home feel with a double bed, a TV, a fridge, a microwave and a leather sofa.

“The parents will be able to have their baby with them at any time and for as long as they wish.
“They will go to a delivery room and then go to this room for private time.”

She added: “People say until it happens to you, you don’t know how difficult it is and how common it is.

“It’s vital these women have the right support.

“As a team we’re desperate to have the centre not just for the mums, but for us to know we can offer this to them.

“It’s going to be a beautiful room.”

The room is supported by Sands (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death) charity.

The midwives are fundraising for the up-keep of the room and for extras such as a camera, a printer, and materials for taking hand and footprints.

Fundraising events include Sara White and Robyn Dalby doing a sponsored bungee jump The O2 Arena in Greenwich on May 26.

For more information and to make a donation, visit the website justgiving.com/Sandsroompruh