Northamptonshire mother who lost baby boy organises ribbon display event to support bereaved parents

Baby Loss Awareness Week is led by Sands, a stillbirth and neonatal death charity that works to support bereaved families.

During the week, people in the community and beyond come together to remember much-loved and missed babies and raise awareness of pregnancy and baby loss.

Naomi Troup, a Special Educational Needs (SEN) teacher, went through a stillbirth more than five years ago. She was 29 years old when she had to give birth to her son Oakley in 2019, despite knowing that her son had died in the womb.

The 34-year-old Northamptonshire mother said: “To go away from the hospital with a memory box and not your baby is very difficult, and it's a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, I think. We were very lucky; we were allowed to take photos, and we had time with him; we were able to hold him.

“Everyone's story is different, but the feelings are very similar.”

At her 20-week ultrasound scan, Naomi found out that her son was “really poorly.” Oakley developed a congenital diaphragmatic hernia, a rare condition that occurs when the diaphragm fails to close during prenatal development.

Oakley passed away shortly after in the womb, and Naomi was assisted to induce labour on March 28, 2019.

“At the time, we were very lucky. The bereavement team at the hospital was very supportive, and they gave us lots of information. We felt very lost.

“When I came away from the hospital, I just didn't know what to do,” said Naomi.

Naomi said she found solace in social media and online community groups.

“Up until that point, I've known a couple of people who had gone through early miscarriages, but I've never known anyone who had gone through something as far into the pregnancy as we had.

“I think just be open to the different types of support that are out there, and you will find something that works for you. It might take some time, and it might be a difficult journey, but you will get there,” said Naomi.

To remember her son—and all the children lost—the mother is holding a ribbon display in Towcester, together with her husband and two daughters, four-year-old Pippa and one-year-old Ettie, in support of Sands, which she described as an “incredible” charity.

Today, the Sands Memorial Garden at the Towcester Road Cemetery in Northampton is home to the ribbon display. Naomi described the circular-shaped garden as a “beautiful place.”

She said: “It's a really nice place to stop, take a moment, and reflect. I just thought it was the perfect place to have a ribbon display.”

Naomi intends to leave a number of tags and ribbons for people who want to create their own at the location.

The week concludes with the global event 'Wave of Light' on October 15. Families across the world light a candle at 7pm to commemorate all babies who sadly died too soon. The ceremony will start at 6pm next Tuesday at the cemetery.

“At the end of the day, you had a beautiful baby, and that baby will always be yours, so it's nice to remember them in a positive way,” said Naomi.