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For Louis

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Kirsty McGurrell
Kirsty McGurrell, guest blogger
10.19, 10 June 2010

On 9 April 2009, I received the greatest news of my life, I was two weeks’ pregnant. Everyone I told was so excited for me, and friends followed my pregnancy on Facebook. I loved the whole pregnancy experience, from the first scan to my bump getting bigger – I even loved being kicked morning, noon and night.



On the 6 December, I turned 38 weeks and it was then that everything went tragically wrong. It was about 9.30pm when I felt a heavy drop in my womb, and the pains started. I – like everyone else – thought I was going into labour, so I had a hot bath and took some painkillers, as the midwife would have told me to do. By the morning, the pains had not subsided, so after numerous failed attempts to contact my midwives, I went to hospital. 



Sitting in the day unit on the maternity ward, the midwife put the heart monitor to my bump to listen to my baby’s heartbeat, but there was silence. So I was taken to a side room, where I had a scan to look for the heartbeat. The worst was then confirmed – my baby had died. Devastation hit, the waves of emotions that hit everyone close to me was unbelievable. We had spent months preparing for a healthy baby, instead on the 10th December, I gave birth to a beautiful sleeping angel, Louis Robert Joseph Knight.



December 22nd 2009 was the hardest day of our lives – we said our final goodbyes to baby Louis at his Tigger-themed funeral, where he was sent off in a bed covered with Winnie the Pooh images. 



4 Louis
As a focus for my grief, I have decided that I would like to help mothers of babies that are stillborn and raise funds to make the experience as painless as possible. We are hosting numerous events leading up to what would have been Louis’ 1st birthday on the 10 December, trying to raise as much money as possible so we can buy basic items to put into hospitals, such as digital cameras, Moses baskets and stands. I also have a number of people who are knitting a range of hats, booties, mittens and jackets for premature babies may they be sleeping or not. Primarily we are providing handmade keepsake boxes, which contain items such as a clay impression kit for hand and feet imprints, two teddy bears (one for baby and one for mum), and an angel, which signifies a ‘born sleeping’ baby. Unfortunately the mum will not be taking baby home, so we are making sure that the memory boxes are in place, so parents have something tangible to take away from hospital.



From January 2009, to date we have managed to raise nearly £6000 and we are currently supplying Sunderland Royal Hospital, The Queen Elizabeth and Durham University Hospital and are in talks with four more hospitals. On Wednesday, we delivered nine memory boxes (four pink, four blue, and one gold) to the University Hospital of North Tees and next Wednesday, we are delivering 12 boxes to the James Cook University Hospital.

For further information on 4Louis, please visit our website or find us on Facebook by searching ‘4Louis’.


COMMENTS

1. At 21.25 on 11 June 2010, Tracy Townsend wrote:

As a midwife and a mum who lost a baby I would like to thank you for what you are doing. Losing a baby is the most unimaginable painful thing that can happen to a family and your memory boxes will help people in weeks, months and years. I hope the fact that something good is coming out of Louis' death provides you with some comfort and I know that he is sleeping peacefully now alongside my daughter.

2. At 12.10 on 12 June 2010, Toni wrote:

I would just like to say that Kirsty has now been put forward for the Pride of Britain award, so please if you feel what she is doing deserves some recognition please nominate her.

3. At 20.18 on 13 June 2010, anon wrote:

What an amazingly inspirational woman. Could the second teddy be specified for mummy AND daddy though? Dads need something too.

4. At 00.15 on 15 June 2010, Michelle Salem wrote:

This is such a special thing to do. Well done, you have a real special idea to make the memory boxes.

I hope your idea is continued on for many years to come.

5. At 23.45 on 16 June 2010, Kirsty wrote:

Thank you for all your kind comments, I would just like to add that if you would like us to supply your hospital please let me know as we have a large network of mums who can set up to fundraise to supply your hospital with our keepsake boxes.

6. At 18.08 on 22 June 2010, Kelly wrote:

This story made me cry… This is the most amazing story!

Your are an amazing women for what you are doing and I cannot wait to be a midwife when I’m older to help mothers deliver babies :) x

7. At 23.17 on 22 August 2010, Sharon Ford wrote:

My little girl was silently born on 27 Jul, I was 23 weeks we named her Abby, her daddy was on the way back from Afghan and had been away all of my pregnancy it is a very hard time for us and the comfort box that James Cook gave me has helped so much, especially as we didn’t get a birth certificate for Abby – something that hurts after going through labour. It feels as if they are trying to say she didn't happen, but she was a perfect little baby girl! I would like to help with fundraising and also do some knitting, I know having Abby dressed in her little cardi and things was a comfort too, especially to the few moments when I had her in my arms, sleep tight my little girl xxx


sharoncford@hotmail.com


8. At 05.37 on 25 February 2011, Katie wrote:

Such a beautiful inspiration coming from such a tragic story. Your story has made me cry so much. What you are doing is wonderful thing. Well done! xxx

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