It all started on September 9, when Steph found out she was pregnant. A mixture of being in shock and in denial led to our first private scan at 5 weeks.
Two weeks later she went back for another scan and heard the heartbeat for the first time!
Fast forward to December 22, when we had our 20-week scan. We had them write the gender down so we could do a balloon gender reveal with family on Christmas Day.
When Christmas day came, after much anticipation, we found out we were having a little boy!
But a couple of weeks later, on January 9, we had a day we will never forget.
Image Credit: Liam and Steph Neal
Steph got up and worked at home before going to an antenatal appointment in the afternoon.
She walked to the hospital, attended the appointment, then walked home.
At 7:00 p.m., she started feeling a little pain in her lower abdomen. She thought she had picked up a bug from the hospital. At 10:10, we phone emergency services, who sent an ambulance immediately.
Before we knew it, she was on the maternity ward. Her waters broke shortly after, and even then we didn’t think the worst. We heard the baby’s heartbeat, and it was strong. We felt a sigh of relief.
But in the 45 minutes that passed since checking our baby’s heartbeat, he fell asleep for the last time. Within the hour, she gave birth to a beautiful little boy who we named Vincent Michael Neal.
We will never understand why this happened to us but take comfort in the fact he was too perfect for this world.
Thank you Liam and Steph Neal for sharing your story. Shared with permission.
Pregnancy and infant loss can leave grieving parents feeling isolated and unsure how to navigate the heartbreaking circumstance of living without their precious baby. Unexpecting delicately helps grieving parents navigate the complexities and heartache of life after loss.
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