Charity wants hard conversations around baby loss

Aimee Conroy set up Luna's Fund after losing her daughter in 2017

A Devon and Cornwall charity CEO has urged people to have "hard conversations" during Baby Loss Awareness Week, which started on Wednesday.

Aimee Conroy, founder of Luna's Fund, said it was an opportunity for people to "understand how they can help, what to say, what to do and what not to say".

"It's OK to have hard conversations and it's OK to feel a bit awkward but your 10 seconds of awkwardness is 1% of what that person feels every single day," she said.

Sands, one of the UK's leading pregnancy and baby loss charities, organises the week to "give anyone touched by pregnancy and baby loss a safe and supportive space".

'Huge shock'

Ms Conroy created Luna's Fund, which is based in Plymouth, after her own experience in 2017 when she planned to give birth at home in a birthing pool.

She said: "At the pushing phase there were some complications where I couldn't get Luna out, she was very stuck.

"She eventually came out but her umbilical cord had ruptured so she, bless her, floated to the other end of the pool.

"I wasn't attached to her anymore. Thankfully there were four people there to help. Two were with Luna, one was with me and one was sorting out the ambulance.

Ms Conroy added: "They tried to revive her but that was it, just like that everything changed. It was a huge, huge shock."

She described the weeks that followed as "very, very dark".

Funded scans

Although she was offered support through helplines and leaflets she described it as feeling "far away and very distant".

"It was a huge barrier to reach out to anyone. I didn't want to pick up my phone, dial numbers and ask for help," she said.

"It was a really dark time, I would not wish that upon anyone. That's why I created Luna's Fund, the second it happens the hospital will refer the family straight to us."

Luna's Fund offer support to families across Cornwall and Plymouth.

Services include helping with the weekly shop, organising relaxing getaways and funding extra ultrasound scans through the next pregnancy to ease anxiety.