A couple who spent two weeks looking after their stillborn daughter before her burial have welcomed her ‘miracle’ baby sister.
Jess Mayall, 36, and Steve Branson, 38, from Grimsby, Lincolnshire, were heartbroken when their daughter Ava was stillborn last July, just 11 days before her due date and weighing 7lb 1oz.
The couple spent two weeks with her, taking pictures, changing her clothes, bringing her home for a night, pushing her around in a pram in their local park and even cuddling her in bed before finally laying her to rest.
Jess, who worked as a beauty therapist, would visit her grave three times a day for the first few months for hours on end but was given hope after finding out she was pregnant again on February 4 – and gave birth to Ava’s sister Imogen on September 9.
Jess Mayall, 36, and Steve Branson, 38, from Grimsby, Lincolnshire, spent two weeks looking after their stillborn daughter before her burial. They have now have welcomed her ‘miracle’ baby sister Imogen (pictured)
The couple were heartbroken when their daughter Ava (pictured with Jess) was stillborn last July, just 11 days before her due date and weighing 7lb 1oz
Now, Jess and Steve, who have been together for 18 years, are making memories with their healthy daughter but still have pictures of her older sister round the house and insist they will make sure Imogen always knows she had a big sister.
Jess said: ‘We had been trying for a baby for two years before I found out I had endometriosis which had left me with hardly any eggs so we had to go on a waiting list for one free trial of IVF which didn’t work.
‘We had an egg donor and after our second round of IVF, which we had to take a loan out for, we fell pregnant with Ava in October 2018 and were over the moon.
’11 days before her due date, I had a placental abruption, so she was born stillborn – it was surreal because I had to give birth to her naturally and it was traumatic for both of us.
Jess told how, 11 days before her due date, she had a placental abruption, so Ava was born stillborn. Pictured pushing Ava in her pram
The parents used the bereavement suite at St Andrew’s Hospice in Grimsby, where they were able to make memories with Ava (pictured) for two weeks
Jess told how Ava was a fully grown baby and she kept thinking that she would wake up at any minute
Now, Jess and Steve, who have been together for 18 years, are making memories with their healthy daughter but still have pictures of her older sister Ava (pictured) round the house
‘St Andrew’s Hospice in Grimsby were amazing – we used their bereavement suite where we were able to make memories with her for two weeks. She was a fully grown baby and I kept thinking that she would wake up at any minute.
‘When we found out we were pregnant with Imogen, we were overwhelmed but I was terrified throughout the entire pregnancy that the same thing might happen again – it was mental torture.
‘When she was born, it was an overwhelming sense of relief and we have already taken Imogen to visit her big sister at her “forever bed” and we will make sure she knows who Ava is growing up.’
Imogen is in the same room that Ava would have been, surrounded by what was once her sister’s belongings.
The couple, who had undergone IVF to have Ava, took a rainbow footprint of their stillborn daughter before laying her to rest
Jess was given hope after finding out she was pregnant again (pictured with the scan) on February 4 – and gave birth to Ava’s sister Imogen on September 9
‘I did feel slightly guilty bringing Imogen home; I worried that people would think I was trying to replace Ava, so it has been a strange journey,’ Jess admitted.
‘I feel as though the girls have a connection because Imogen has been to visit Ava at her and when we first took her, I really felt her presence and Imogen will always know she has an older sister’.
Jess and her fiancé Steve, a gas engineer, had just bought their first home when they decided to try for a baby.
But five years later, the couple were left heartbroken after their daughter was stillborn.
Jess explained: ‘The placental abruption meant she wasn’t getting any oxygen or blood supply, so she was wasn’t breathing when she was born.
Jess had a C-section with Imogen because she was so scared that the same thing would happen again
Jess was in for a shock as Steve popped the question after she had given birth to their 6lb 1oz baby Imogen
‘The hospice was a life saver for us – the support they offered us really changed our experience and we are so glad that we were able to make two weeks’ worth of memories with her before laying her to rest.
‘We took Imogen to meet her sister the first day she came home, and the sun came out and a white feather landed on her bed – we know that she’s with us.’
Jess had a C-section with Imogen because she was so scared that the same thing would happen again.
‘When I heard her cry, it was a surreal moment and tears just rolled down my eyes.,’ she recalled.
Jess and Steve are pictured returning home with their newborn daughter Imogen last month
Jess told how the day she gave birth to Imogen was the happiest moment of her life and she was overwhelmed with joy when they put Imogen skin to skin with her
Imogen is in the same room that Ava would have been, surrounded by what was once her sister’s belongings. Pictured: Jess with Imogen and a photo of Ava
The couple insist they will make sure Imogen always knows she had a big sister and have taken her to visit Ava’s grave (pictured)
‘It was the happiest moment of my life and I was so overwhelmed with joy when they put her skin to skin with me.’
Jess was in for a shock as Steve popped the question after she had given birth to their 6lb 1oz baby Imogen.
Jess said: ‘I was in the recovery room and Steve had popped a baby grow on Imogen reading “Mummy, will you marry me” and I turned round, and Steve was on one knee.
‘That was the best day of my life’.