Please or to access all these features

Bereavement

Find bereavement help and support from other Mumsnetters. See also your choices after baby loss.

My little girl is 15 today 😪

335 replies

Mygirlis15today · 23/02/2022 13:37

My baby is 15.

I cant believe it.

I'm just going to have a ramble on about her, if someone doesn't mind having a listen.

On her birthday and anniversary especially I like to talk about her. She doesn't seem real sometimes, and I think of all the people who's lives she would have touched had the world been blessed with her for more than 2 weeks.

I had a difficult pregnancy, I knew something was wrong, I was told multiple times I was paranoid as my dear sweet son had died 8 years previously.

Sadly at her birth I was proved right.

I had her and looked at her beautiful dark eyes and her shock of dark hair and she literally took my breath away. All I saw was a perfect angel, however after a few seconds the midwife whisked her away.

I was in the birthing room for 2 hours, nobody telling me anything apart from she was having some difficulties and I was unable to see her. That's when I sat and thought of her name and decided on Emma.

Before I was eventually allowed to see her I had 3 doctors come and see me. I couldn't tell you what they said after "she is having some difficulties ..." I didn't care what it was I was certain my baby and I would tackle any obstacle together.

When I walked into the intensive care unit I saw that beautiful shock of hair and walked over to her incubator and my heart broke.

My little girl was on a ventilator, unable to breathe alone, her leg had apparently broken at some point in pregnancy and had set as had her hand.

She was 7lb so, compared to some of the little ones she was massive, but she was so, so poorly.

The doctors were amazing, truly, they did every test on my little girl, they spent hours looking at everything they could, her doctor even set his retirement back by a week so he could see her case through.

I spent so many hours reading to her, singing to her (poor baby) and stroking her face. She had the most obnoxious eye roll when someone annoyed her, and it was always right on cue 😂 she was well known for it among the nursing staff. I was the recipient of quite a few, usually when I was being over emotional.

I was unable to hold her for a week as her bones were so brittle. After a week they allowed it in the hope of a miracle recovery I think, I didn't really hold her in my arms, she was on a board so I didn't hurt her, but I still treasure that cuddle so much.

All of her tests came back and they were no further forward in finding out what she had. All they did know is that she was suffering so much and that her poor broken body just didn't work.

The day I realised what had to happen was when the doctor took me into a room and showed me an xray. It looked like pieces of thread that had been cracked and I was very confused until he explained that I was looking at my darling girls ribcage. By this point my darling girl had started to swell up as she couldn't move at all too.

Looking back I think the doctors had been preparing me for this for days, but I chose not to hear it.

They said there was nothing further they could do and she was starting to get an infection from the ventilator and that the best thing for her was to take her off the ventilator.

I, selfishly, asked for one last night with her, it was so horrendous knowing the next day would be the day I lost her.

I spent the whole night with her telling her how loved she is.

When the next day came they offered to put a curtain around her incubator and said that they would ask other parents not to come in for 10 minutes, I wasn't comfortable with that and asked if we could go to a room ourselves.

The room they put us in was little more than a cupboard, but at least we were alone.

I put the radio on and sang to her, I had asked them to put her morphine right up so she felt nothing so she probably didn't hear me talking to her.

Then the most awful time came, I had to go and find the nurse and ask her to come and take my beautiful girl off her ventilator. The nurse was amazing, I'll never forget her.

She came in and quietened all the machines so they wouldn't beep and then removed her ventilator. This was only the second time I had seen her beautiful mouth, I gave my girl a kiss and then I opened a window so she could finally escape the hospital and fly free. I held her as her heart slowly stopped beating and she died in my arms surrounded by all the live in the world.

I carefully washed and dressed her broken body, she hadn't worn clothes for the two weeks of her life and she looked so peaceful and snuggly in her little baby grow.

I left her there with her little Teddy that had always been by her side and went home just empty and broken.

I gave her the same funeral as her brother had, and my beautiful Emma was scattered in the same garden as her brother too.

My heart is heavy today, I miss my daughter so much, even though she has been gone for so much longer than she was here her little life has had such a huge impact on mine.

I hope that I will see her again someday, running and happy and free, as she should have been in life, and no doubt causing mischief with her brother too Smile

Thank you to anyone who has taken the time to read what has turned out to be a novel. It's important to me that she still has an impact in the world.

Emma was here, and she mattered, and she is so, so loved ❤

OP posts:
CornishGem1975 · 23/02/2022 14:11

Happy birthday Emma x

Authenticcelestialmusic · 23/02/2022 14:11

Happy birthday Emma xxx

I am so sorry you didn’t get more time together x

Mumto7moboy · 23/02/2022 14:11

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Mygirlis15today · 23/02/2022 14:12

And this is us when I got my first cuddle with her. I was an emotional wreck, Emma, of course, eyerolled at me.

My little girl is 15 today 😪
OP posts:
FairWindClearSailing · 23/02/2022 14:12

Happy birthday, beautiful Emma ❤️

Daisylookslost · 23/02/2022 14:13

OP thank you for sharing, happy birthday Emma, this has made me cry. She may be an Angel now watching over you. You will always be her mother and just because she’s not physically here doesn’t mean she’s not here with you. I really wish you peace today x

PhoebeFriends · 23/02/2022 14:13

Flowers Happy Birthday Emma xxx

Notnastypasty · 23/02/2022 14:13

Happy birthday Emma. This has really touched me, sending you hugs xx

InstantUserNameJustAddWater · 23/02/2022 14:13

Oh, she's so beautiful! Happy birthday Emma, wherever you are, and thinking of you, Emma and your son today. Much love and strength to you OP xx

mondler · 23/02/2022 14:14

So beautiful. Thank you for sharing your story and the picture. Shes so loved and is looking down on you with a smile x

waytheleaveswork · 23/02/2022 14:14

Happy Birthday Emma. What a strong mother you have x

Rrrob · 23/02/2022 14:16

Happy birthday to your beautiful girl. I have been through a similar pain but my daughter was a little bit older. Your post was filled with pain but your love for Emma really stood out to me. Sending you love today, I know all the days are hard but anniversaries even more so.

VivX · 23/02/2022 14:18

Happy Birthday Emma Flowers xx

Maui69 · 23/02/2022 14:18

She's gorgeous. Happy birthday Emma. Big hugs to you all.

Playplayaway · 23/02/2022 14:19

Happy Birthday beautiful Emma.

Thank you Emma's mummy for telling us about her. Sending you love Flowers

Tomeeornottomee · 23/02/2022 14:19

I have been so moved by your post @Mygirlis15today. I am so so sorry for your losses 💐. Obviously I don’t know where you are from or what hospital you had Emma and your little boy at but I am going to donate to my local hospital’s SCBU in Emma’s name.

Rahgh · 23/02/2022 14:20

I’m so sorry for your loss OP. Happy birthday Emma.

biggirlknickers · 23/02/2022 14:20

Happy birthday Emma. You’ve touched my life today Bear

LazyDaisy22 · 23/02/2022 14:21

Happy Birthday Emma ♥️
Still so loved

Misspacorabanne · 23/02/2022 14:21

Beautiful photos of a beautiful little girl! Star

GladysGeorgina · 23/02/2022 14:21

Happy birthday Emma. Your story has just stopped me in my tracks. Thank you so much for sharing Emma with us today xx

Butteryflakycrust83 · 23/02/2022 14:23

Oh Emma, you are so so so loved.

Tears in my eyes reading this Mygirlis15today. sending you all the love.

ReiltinDubh · 23/02/2022 14:23

Happy birthday beautiful Emma who is so loved Flowers

Bundlesofchocforme · 23/02/2022 14:23

What a beautiful baby. Happy Birthday Emma. Sending love to you, your brother and your wonderful mummy 💕

Ahhhhhbisto · 23/02/2022 14:24

Happy birthday Emma. You sound so beautiful. ❤️

I am sorry for your loss OP. Emma is very much real Thanks

Swipe left for the next trending thread