Death of Gordon Brown's daughter just announced

[Rhiannon]

Jennifer Jane died in her parents arms at 5.20pm. How terrible for them all. R.

[Eulalia]

How very sad. What gets me is the picture of Gordon Brown in the newspapers looking so happy after her birth. Makes me realise how lucky so many of us really are.

[emsiewill]

How terrible. It really brings home the fact that everyone, no matter what they do, is human, and terrible things can happen to anyone.

[Pupuce]

I was also very sad to hear this news.... it must be very hard for them and as they are in the public eye, their every move will be reported... hope they get some privacy to mourn.

[jodee]

I did shed a tear when I saw it on the news. How awful - I agree with Pupuce in hoping the media gives them some privacy to grieve.

[Marina]

Eulalia, you're right, we are lucky. Can't stop thinking about that poor couple today.

[ChanelNo5]

It's absolutely heartbreaking. To go from exhilaration to utter despair in just 10 short days is unimaginable. I hope that they will eventually beable to draw some comfort from knowing that their little girl died peacefully in the arms of those who adored her.

[Enid]

I gave my daughter an extra big hug this morning and feel very sad for the Brown family. I had been watching the news obsessively hoping against hope that she would recover. I think anyone that saw how chuffed Gordon Brown looked after Jennifer's birth can't help but feel very upset indeed.

[TigerMoth1]

Yes I was so sad to hear the news of Jennifer. I read that there was an 80% chance of things being OK when Jennifer was delivered. I find it all to easy to forget there's also 20% chance of failure. I hope her parents can grieve in private.

My thoughts were also with the the poor boy and his father who were drowned because their rescuers could not locate them in the sea mist. What an awful, awful thing to happen. Upset me so much.

[Joe1]

I also feel very lucky today and very sad for the parents.

[Janus]

I too gave my daughter an extra big hug last night before I put her down. I cannot even begin to imagine how devastated the Brown's feel as I can remember how special the first few days are. I hope they take comfort from the joy Jennifer Jane brought them for those days.

[Lizzer]

Tigermoth - the incident with the drowning happened less than a mile away from us up here. My friend and I were walking along the coast road when the emergency vehicles were flying past and it turns out the boy was a pupil in the school where my friend teaches. Its absolutely hideous to think of this happening to a local family in such horrible circumstances. Anything like this and the death of Jennifer always knocks you sideways for a while I guess...

[TigerMoth1]

Lizzer, oh that's so awful. Sorry for your friend.

I cannot imagine what the family must be going through, and the two relatives who were nearly lost trying to find them. Their memories of the mobile phone conversations must be so painful.

[Rosy]

Just like Emsiewill, I hoped irrationally that their celebrity would protect them from the terrible things that happen to other people. I delivered my daughter at the same hospital exactly six weeks ago and it made me so upset to imagine how they left the hospital, leaving their baby behind. As I looked at my daughter in her highchair shouting "cheese, please", I hoped that the Browns are able to have another child and know the joy a child can bring.

[janh]

"Grief is the price we pay for love. We did not lose our children. They died, taking with them our hopes and dreams for the future, but never, taking away their love. Though death comes, love will never go away. Hold it tight through the storm of grief and bring it with you into today. Love never goes away."

(From a Compassionate Friends site.)

[Mima]

I was discharged on Friday from Simpsons when the Browns arrived by ambulance with their baby daughter in an incubator. I feel so awful taking home a healthy baby when they were being rushed into neo-natal. The wee thing did look very tiny. My heart goes out to them.

Also regarding all my previous postings regarding miscarriage/Downs, I am happy to report that after a 40 minute labour my daughter was born perfectly healthy and normal. All that worry for nothing.

[jodee]

Mima, so glad to hear your little one was delivered safely, in perfect health. I'm sure we would all have worried in the same circumstances.
Don't feel awful or guilty - feel blessed.

[Rhiannon]

Congratulations Mima, what have you called her? R.

[SueDonim]

Lovely news, Mima, I'm so glad it all turned out well - don't feel guilty, just enjoy your baby daughter.

[jasper]

Mima, that is wonderful, happy news. Many congratulations.
40 minute labour? WOw! How many babies have you had or is this your first ( I Am looking for inspiring stories about third labours, only heard horror stories so far!)

[robinw]

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[Marina]

Wonderful news Mima!

[TigerMoth1]

Brilliant news! Very, very, happy for you.

Tigermoth

[SID]

That is brilliant news, Mima, especially after all the trauma that you had last year - and such a low key announcement from you. Put it on the birth announcement thread and then we can be happy on that one and sad on this one. The Jennifer Jane story is so sad - I get tears in my eyes when I think about it.