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Bereavement

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I'm not going to put a trigger warning. She's still my daughter and I don't need to have a warning to talk about her.

267 replies

Mybeautifullittlegirl · 03/07/2019 17:37

Sorry, I don't want to have to warn people before I talk about my daughter.

She was here, she was a person who was, and is, loved every day, and I shouldn't have to worry about talking about her in case it triggers someone. I'm fed up of worrying about other people's thoughts about my personal tragedy.

I'm having a wobble today. There's nobody around who knew her, nobody who understands what we went through, I can't talk about her because it makes other people sad.

She's a memory and some old photos to most people.

But she was my daughter. I loved her from the moment I knew she was there, until the moment she took her last breath, and every day since.

Her big dark eyes and massive fuzz of dark hair were the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

She was very poorly her whole short life, in so much pain every day. I'm struggling to deal with it more and more as time goes on. She was so delicate she never even had a proper cuddle because she would have broken.

It's been over 10 years, you would think I would feel better now, but I sometimes look at girls her age and wonder why they couldn't be her.

I look at recent cases and wonder if I should have fought more for her, I knew there was nothing they could do, but I would have had more time, and I wouldn't have had to hold her so gently as they removed the machines that kept her alive.

I keep thinking she must have felt so betrayed as I looked at her with love and pain and let her slip away. I worry she was scared but she was so little I would never have known.

I left a window open in that horrible little store cupboard where she died as the hospital had nowhere else to go that was private, I left the window open so her beautiful soul could fly high and free as she never was in her short time here.

I miss her so much.

Sorry for rambling, I have no one to talk to and just want something real that isn't a thought in my head.

Today is a struggle.

OP posts:
Rainbowknickers · 04/07/2019 10:38

I’ve just been walking home reading your thread and my god she’s gorgeous!what a beautiful little girl with a beautiful name
You must be so proud of her-her sprit lives on in your heart
I can’t even begin to think what you must have been through in the last 10 years-Ive lost babies but never after the birth

My darling-do what you need to do to cope you must have been to hell and back she chose you to be her mummy on earth and again after she’s gone
I’m so sorry there are no words

AnneLovesGilbert · 04/07/2019 10:42

Sending you my heartfelt love and I’m going to light a candle for you and your beautiful precious baby girl OP. It’s a privilege to hear you talk about her and see her photos. Flowers

golddustwomen · 04/07/2019 10:55

What a beautiful little girl. Thanks for you and your Emma xx

Mybeautifullittlegirl · 04/07/2019 11:58

Thank you for all the links and suggestions.

I just don't think counselling is for me. All of the words in the world won't change what happened, and I cope fine mostly, just the odd bad day every now and then. There's nothing that can be said that will help or change anything.

Thank you all so much for thinking of her, and I'm loving the 'Emma eye roll' ❤

OP posts:
Tistheseason17 · 04/07/2019 17:55

Emma is a beautiful name for a beautiful little angel.
Those eyes look wise and knowing and so bright.
The time may have been short but what an impact it made. My sister passed as a baby and like you, my mum kept her memory alive in everything we did, like she was with us - and it means so much so please do keep doing it xx

darkriver19886 · 04/07/2019 17:57

So sorry OP. Your right you shouldn't have to put trigger warnings up!

Beansandcoffee · 04/07/2019 18:26

OP I’ve just seen your photo. Emma was a beautiful baby. She is so alert in that photo. I’m so sorry for your loss. Life can be very cruel. Hugs.

CurtainsAndCords · 04/07/2019 18:37

Oh wow! She's beautiful. What a darling girl with an amazing expression Thanks

AllFourOfThem · 04/07/2019 18:41

One thing that I found helpful was going to local SANDS meet ups where I could chat with others who had been there and understood. They also have befrienders so you can have extra support if you’d find it helpful. Again, the befrienders are all bereaved parents.

NeverSayFreelance · 04/07/2019 18:42

Emma is beautiful ❤️ if you wanted to do fundraising, you could do it for a charity for bereaved parents? Or one for pregnancy and infant loss?

Don't feel you have to, though. You are her mum and that is all you need to be. Thanks

Mybeautifullittlegirl · 04/07/2019 19:58

Thank you.

I'm having a proper proud Mummy moment here with you all saying how beautiful she is.

It means so much to me Flowers

OP posts:
Celebelly · 04/07/2019 20:00

What a gorgeous girl. My daughter is called Emma too - beautiful name for a beautiful girl Thanks

MyGastIsFlabbered · 04/07/2019 21:40

OP I hope you don't mind or think I'm speaking out of turn but I'd love to 'nominate' you for a Woolly Hug.

Snowy81 · 04/07/2019 22:03

@Mybeautifullittlegirl Emma is adorable 💕 she has the sweetest kindest eyes, but I bet behind them she was a ‘don’t mess with me girl’. I haven’t lost a child myself, the closest was a young child in the wider family, so I will not pretend to know what you are going through, I can only imagine. Much love and strength to you. I hope you take some comfort it knowing that even though years have passed, she is now in many individuals memories ❤️

SecretWitch · 04/07/2019 22:07

I’m remembering your precious Emma tonight🥀

PerfectPeony2 · 04/07/2019 22:27

What a beautiful girl. I think she has very kind eyes, whenever I meet someone called Emma I will always think of your sweet girl.

What stories did you read to her? Babies always love to hear the sound of their mothers voices. It’s so comforting to them as it’s the first voice they ever hear, she would have known you were there with her just like when you were pregnant.

Thinking of you. xxxx

squee123 · 04/07/2019 22:32

I don't usually find babies cute and have to come up with polite things to say... but honestly Emma is genuinely utterly gorgeous. She has beautiful wise eyes, but also that gorgeous little nose 😍. Of course you're proud of her, you should be, she's your amazing daughter.

All she ever knew was love, she was lucky to be born to such a wonderful loving mummy who honours her even now.

darumafan · 04/07/2019 22:36

Thank you for posting this, I was having an awful day yesterday. It was the seventh anniversary of my son's death and I was not in a great place.

Your beautiful, love -filled words made me realise just how lucky I was. James was 22 years old when he died, I am so lucky to have 22 years of memories.

I heard his voice, I remember his laugh. I know what he liked to eat, I know what it was like to hold him in my arms.

You have made me see how much I have to be grateful for.

I'm so sorry for your pain, Emmas eyes are just about the most beautiful I have ever seen.

foreverhanging · 04/07/2019 22:50

@darumafan Thanksfor you

Douberry · 04/07/2019 23:04

Emma is gorgeous and such wise eyes. Stay strong OP you are an amazing mummy to Emma and your other DCs. She is proud of you too.
Your post has got me feeling so emotional. It's beautiful the way you talk about herFlowersFlowers

Mybeautifullittlegirl · 05/07/2019 09:23

Thank you gast That's such a kind thought, Emma died over 10 years ago so I would feel a bit of a fraud accepting one, but it's so lovely of you to think of me.

I read her all sorts from the problem pages in 'Take A Break' and the like to Chicken Licken and I used to sing her 'Bobby Shafto' but I changed the words to her name and she was combing back her dark brown hair, at around the time she was alive Chasing Cars was on the radio all the time and I used to sing that too, it was so poignant at the time the words just fitted with what she was going through, I can't listen to it at all anymore.

darumafan I'm so sorry that you're also here, it's a horrendous place to be and I would never wish it on anyone. I'm so sorry that you have to miss James. We were very lucky to have our children, even for the short time we did and I hope today is a little more gentle on you.

Thank you again to everyone. I have asked for this to be moved so I can read it again when I'm having a bad day. When I posted I thought I was just ranting to myself but I've been overwhelmed with love and support. I have truely read every word several times over and I can't thank every one of you enough. To just have her acknowledged is more than I could have hoped for, but the support (and everyone telling me how beautiful she is) has been so special and I wish I had started this thread years ago and showed her off sooner.

Thank you everyone Flowers

OP posts:
writersbeenblocked · 05/07/2019 18:23

Sorry I didn't say much when I posted upthread, I'm an Emma too and we seem to share the "Emma eye roll". Like many others I'm finding myself thinking of Emma every time I roll my eyes! She is so beautiful, you must be so proud of her.

Wishiwasrunning2 · 05/07/2019 18:33

Beautiful Emma xx

MyGastIsFlabbered · 05/07/2019 18:37

Honestly don't feel a fraud, I'm sure the lovely Wooly Hugs ladies would be only too pleased to commemorate beautiful Emma. (I wonder if you could knit an eye-roll Grin)

KittyMcKitty · 05/07/2019 18:47

Thank you for sharing your precious picture of Emma with us - it is a privilege to see your gorgeous girl Flowers

I have an Emma (strangely she’s Emma Daisy) and she is very found of an eye roll - I’ll remember your Emma when she does it x