Jools Oliver paid tribute to the five babies she’s lost by sharing a post on Instagram to mark the end of Baby Loss Awareness Week on Thursday.
The mother-of-five, 46, previously revealed that she has suffered five miscarriages – two before giving birth to her son River in 2016, and three afterwards – including one earlier this year when the UK was in lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Jools, who shares Poppy, 18, Daisy, 17, Petal, 11, Buddy, 10, and River, four, with her chef husband Jamie, 45, shared a poignant image of a lit candle with her 559k followers alongside a caption detailing her tribute to her ‘stars in the sky’.
As well as honouring her own ‘stars’, she also noted that the tribute was to Archie – her friend’s baby, who she has previously mentioned on Baby Loss Awareness Week.
Touching: Jools Oliver paid tribute to the five babies she’s lost by sharing a post on Instagram to mark the end of Baby Loss Awareness Week on Thursday
In the touching tribute marking the important week, Jools penned: ‘Our candle burns brightly to mark the end of baby loss awareness week…
‘So many stories of loss, heartbreak, bravery and strength at the most unimaginable time of losing a baby, either through miscarriage, still birth or neonatal death…
‘It has been a privilege to have listened to such incredible woman/men and families open their hearts out and tell their stories of their beautiful stars in the sky to raise much needed awareness. A very emotional week…
‘Our candle as always burns brightly for little Archie and our own 5 little stars we never got to hold in our arms xxx’.
Her love: The mother-of-five, 46, previously revealed that she has suffered five miscarriages – two before giving birth to her son River in 2016, and three afterwards – including one earlier this year when the UK was in lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic
In July, Jools spoke openly about the heartbreaking miscarriages she’s suffered during her 20 years of marriage to chef Jamie and on their wedding anniversary last month paid tribute to the ‘five little stars in the sky’ they had lost.
Speaking on the Made By Mammas podcast, host Zoe Hardman noted that Jools – who had been ‘pining for a sixth child’ before her 47th birthday next year.
Jools then admitted: ‘I really do, I really do but I’ve just had three miscarriages since then and I’m thinking… and a recent one three weeks ago and I’m thinking: ”No,” I dunno. I do want to, but I’ve got to mentally check that it’s a good idea to do.
Tragic: Jools, who shares Poppy, 18, Daisy, 17, Petal, 11, Buddy, 10, and River, four, with her chef husband Jamie, 45, shared a poignant image of a lit candle with her 559k followers alongside a caption detailing her tribute to her ‘stars in the sky’
‘And also physically because I am 45 as I always say, nearly 46. So it’s a little bit dodgy. Jamie is still up for it, kind of… not really…
‘I haven’t got long, maybe another year and then I really will just shut that chapter off because I am very happy and I am pretty full up at the moment as it is. But just that little baby, it’s a terrible thing to keep wanting something and you can’t help it.’
Jools went onto reveal: ‘I went to see the doctor the other day and he said, ”How are you mentally?” and I thought about it and I went: ‘Well, this is the fifth one now,’ I had two before River, and they’ve been early ones, the last two have been at 6 ½ weeks.
‘So I just feel… I’m really good at going ”Right, I’m pregnant but it won’t work so I’m just going to carry on,” whilst everyone gets really into it and I have really learnt to not because I’m kind of not very positive about it.’
Sad: Jamie and Jools pictured in March 2016
Jools also admitted she didn’t tell her mum about her most recent miscarriage, saying: ‘I did have a pretty dangerous one, I think it was my second one which was really dangerous for myself so my family don’t want me to do it again.
‘They think ”You’ve got five, you’ve got healthy children, just be grateful.”
‘I understand because my life is more important so I sometimes may not tell the sisters because I don’t want to hurt their feelings, I’d rather just not say because they’ll be worried about me specially during lockdown…
‘Telling my mum, well, especially because I couldn’t see her, would have really upset her so I kept that quiet. She knows now, but, you know…at the time I didn’t tell her.’