Baby loss charity delivers 'cooling cot' to hospital to give bereaved parents more time to grieve

  • ITV News Meridian's Megan Samrai spoke with Jo and David Ward, founders of baby loss charity Abigail's Footsteps

The parents of a stillborn baby girl are trying to offer comfort to families going through something similar.

Jo and David Ward delivered a special refrigerated bereavement cot to Medway Maritime Hospital - the same place where the couple gave birth to their daughter Abigail, who was stillborn at 41 weeks.

The 'Abi Cooling Cot' allows a grieving family to spend more time with their child because it can keep them at a lower temperature.

The couple, who founded baby loss charity Abigail's Footsteps, named the cot after their daughter and called them her "lasting legacy."

David Ward said: "When we lost Abigail, we had two or three hours to spend with her then we had to say goodbye, which was really difficult. And now, mum and dad can have two, three, four days if they wish. The team at the hospital work with them very closely to allow them to have that time."

Jo Ward added: "It gives the families an opportunity to create lasting memories. When we lost Abigail, we didn't have that. We had her for a very short time.

"Our memories were quite horrific. We didn't have the luxury of this Abi place.

"The families now have the opportunity to bring grandparents, siblings, so that baby becomes part of the family."

Former Bucks Fizz singer and TV presenter Cheryl Baker is a Vice President for charity Abigail's Footsteps. Credit: ITV Meridian

Around 1 in every 250 births in England are a stillbirth, according to the NHS.

Supporting the charity is former Bucks Fizz singer and TV presenter Cheryl Baker, who is also a Vice President of Abigail's Footsteps.

Joining the couple at the hospital to hand over the cot, she shared that she once almost lost her own baby.

She said: "To give birth to a baby that you've been carrying for nine months and for it not to be breathing, I can't explain - I could never explain - how much it hurts.

"The doctors and nurses, they saved her. I was one of the lucky ones

"If parents sadly have a stillborn baby and they want to raise money to buy an Abi cot, there's a plaque that's put on the front that says "in memory of", and there's a little heart that you can take away and so they can have that as a memory."

If parents have a stillborn baby want to raise money to buy a cot, parents can take away a heart from the cot's plaque to keep. Credit: ITV Meridian

The cooling cot has been delivered to a bereavement suite at Medway Maritime Hospital, called 'Abigail's Place'. It's designed to be a place of safety and solace for parents.

Bereavement Support Midwife, Dannii Burnett, said the reaction to the suite is "always beautiful."

"It comprises of a kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathroom.

"It's soundproofed. It's away from the clinical area and hearing lots of noises of women giving birth and babies crying.

"People are always blown away by how peaceful it is, how little it feels like a hospital."

Abigail’s Footsteps has delivered nearly 300 cots across the country over the years, hoping to offer some comfort in a parent’s darkest hour.

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