Natalie Collins’ love for her family is contagious as she and her husband Justin sit alongside their sons Liam and Harvey in their sunny backyard. The family is perched together on Amelia’s bench — a very special place — one where Natalie and her loved ones can think and talk about their baby girl who never made it home.
Baby Amelia was born still in 2017 after what could only be described as a ‘normal’ pregnancy. The bench where Natalie and her family sit was crafted by Natalie’s father-in-law as a place of reflection. As she reflects upon her beautiful angel baby, Natalie, like so many other mothers who have lost babies to stillbirth, try to find reasons for her loss.
Natalie and Justin with their sons Liam and Harvey.
In the vast majority of cases, there simply is no reason, says Director of Maternity Services at Werribee Mercy Hospital Dr Jacqueline van Dam.
“So many families try to find reasons why their baby died, but most of the time, just like in Natalie’s case, there is simply no explanation,” she says. “But there are some simple steps that families can follow to reduce the risk.”
The Safer Baby Collaborative, an Australian Government and Safer Care Victoria initiative, has been designed to educate families-to-be to take five simple steps during pregnancy to help reduce the risk of stillbirth. The Collaborative aims to reduce the stillbirth rate in Victoria by 30 per cent by July 2020.
Follow these simple steps and do everything in your power to help bring your baby safely home.
“There are five very simple messages that we are sharing with families and mums-to-be that can help to reduce the risk of stillbirth,” Dr van Dam says.
“Since this program was launched, Victoria’s stillbirth rate has reduced for the first time in almost 20 years, so while they are simple steps, we know they make a difference.”
The five steps are:
1. stop smoking
2. sleep on your side in the third trimester
3. be aware of any changes in your baby’s fetal movements and talk to your midwife or doctor if there are changes
4. monitor your baby’s growth with your clinician
5. talk about the best timing for your baby’s birth.
Natalie and her husband Justin sit alongside their sons Liam and Harvey on Amelia’s bench
Baby Amelia’s bench — a very special place
Natalie’s heartbreak over the death of her baby girl will never fully heal but she does take comfort knowing that there is a national effort to make sure no other family has to go through what she did.
“Nobody should have to leave hospital without their baby,” Natalie says
For more information, visit saferbaby.org.au
Last reviewed April 23, 2020.