In brief: A Jersey mother has funded a specialist privacy pram for the island’s Maternity Unit, in honour of her stillborn daughter Aoife Rose, so that bereaved parents can take their babies outside the unit to create memories. The gift, supplied by charity 4louis, coincides with Baby Loss Awareness Week. Health and Care Jersey supported around 170 families affected by baby loss in 2025.
A gift born of grief
Lauren, an Islander whose daughter Aoife Rose was stillborn, has chosen to turn one of the most painful experiences a parent can face into something that may bring comfort to others. She has personally funded a specialist privacy pram for Jersey’s Maternity Unit, supplied by the charity 4louis, so that bereaved families have the option of taking their babies outside the unit during those final, precious hours together.
Speaking to Bailiwick Express, Lauren recalled the particular difficulty of leaving the room after Aoife’s birth, even for the most ordinary of reasons. “Leaving the room for simple tasks, such as a walk for fresh air or to get a coffee, felt incredibly hard,” she said. “But knowing families can choose to use the pram if they want to for these precious memories is something I would have loved to have had, and so is something I feel passionately about. It’s giving parents the choice and memories to cherish in those incredibly hard moments.”
Lauren also paid tribute to the support she and her husband received following Aoife’s birth, naming Jersey Maternity, charity Philip’s Footprints and HCJ counsellor Karina Ward. “They provided me and my husband with the most unbelievable support,” she said, “and I will forever be thankful to them all. So if providing the pram for Jersey Maternity can help families in the future going through a heartbreaking loss, then that’s the least I can do in honour of our daughter, Aoife Rose.”
Baby Loss Awareness Week and the scale of need
The donation comes as Health and Care Jersey marks Baby Loss Awareness Week, which runs from 9 to 15 October. The scale of the need is not insignificant: in 2025, the Health Department supported around 170 families affected by baby loss, a figure that encompasses early pregnancy loss, ectopic and molar pregnancies, terminations and stillbirth.
Bereaved parents at the Maternity Unit receive specialist care tailored to their wishes and religious beliefs, and can spend time with their baby in the unit’s Family Room, which is currently being renovated following feedback from families. After leaving hospital, families are offered ongoing support including care from a named community midwife and access to counselling. Further support is available through Jersey Talking Therapies, Jersey Hospice Care and Philip’s Footprints.
Midwife Colette McGirl spoke to the breadth of the impact. “We know that baby loss affects the whole family and that grief does not end when someone leaves hospital,” she said. “Our teams are committed to providing compassionate care and ongoing support to families at every stage of their journey.” She added: “To anyone grieving the loss of a baby, we want you to know that we remember your baby, and we recognise you as a parent.”
A wave of light
As part of the awareness week, the General Hospital’s Parade entrance will be illuminated, and at 7pm on Thursday 15 October, the Maternity Unit windows overlooking the Parade will be lit in pink and blue as part of a global wave of light, a quiet but powerful gesture of solidarity with families who have experienced loss.
Source: Bailiwick Express
