Baby loss couple: We were told we’d picked a bad day to give birth

A Happy Beginning That Turned Tragic

Baby loss couple – Lauryn McCready and her husband Andrew, a carpenter, recall the moment they first learned of their pregnancy as one filled with joy. “We were so excited,” Lauryn says, reflecting on the time they discovered they were expecting a child. Their journey to motherhood had been marked by several miscarriages, which left them eager to embrace this new chapter. To maintain the surprise of the baby’s gender, they shared the news sparingly, confiding only in close friends and family. Months of preparation followed, as they transformed their home into a sanctuary for the arrival of their child.

“We didn’t have too much of a plan, just expecting a vaginal delivery,” Andrew says, describing their approach to the birth. Lauryn added that she entered the hospital with a “naive trust” in the care team, believing everything would unfold smoothly.

A Busy Night and an Unfounded Comment

On September 4, 2023, Lauryn arrived at Luton and Dunstable Hospital at around 10:00 PM, nearly a week past her due date. Contractions had started two days earlier, but the evening proved to be a hectic one. The maternity ward was crowded, with staff stretched thin. Lauryn remembers a midwife saying, “You picked a bad day to have a baby,” a remark she describes as “off the cuff,” yet one that lingered in their minds. “That phrase haunts us still,” she says.

Overlooked Warnings and Delayed Actions

Lauryn spent 28 hours in the triage unit, where she overheard discussions about staff shortages and a colleague absent without explanation. Despite multiple vaginal examinations indicating stalled labor, the medical team continued monitoring her condition. By the early hours of September 6, the baby’s heart rate began to drop, and Lauryn’s waters broke during a cervical check. An obstetrician reviewed the case and ordered a Category 1 C-Section, a procedure that should be completed within 30 minutes. However, the couple claims they were never informed of the urgency, and the decision was later downgraded.

“We were left in the dark about the steps being taken,” Andrew explains. “The longer it went on, the hope was getting lower. The 25 minutes felt like 25 hours.”

A Hushed Theatre and a Heartbreaking Moment

At approximately 03:30 AM, Lauryn was moved to the labor ward, where the C-Section was scheduled. She describes the operating theater as eerily quiet, with minimal conversation until an alarm signaled the urgency of the situation. “Something wasn’t right,” she recalls, struggling to process the rapid shift in her circumstances. The team rushed to deliver the baby, who was born at 04:26 AM on September 6. Without a heartbeat, medics attempted resuscitation efforts for 25 minutes. “I have moments of remembering things. A lot is a blur,” Lauryn says, grappling with the memory.

Lois’s Legacy and a Family’s Grief

Lois, the couple’s daughter, was declared lifeless after the resuscitation attempts. The post mortem revealed that she had died from a sudden and severe lack of oxygen, likely caused by breathing in her first stool, combined with a bacterial infection. “That was a clear moment for me,” Lauryn says, “I don’t think I said ‘no,’ I think I probably screamed ‘No!’ at the time.” The loss left them in a state of profound sorrow, as they had to say goodbye to their newborn and plan her funeral while still in the hospital. “It felt like living a nightmare that never ended,” Andrew reflects.

Recounting Their Experience for Change

Having endured this tragedy, the McCreadys have shared their story with the Amos Inquiry, a national review of maternity care. They hope their testimony will help prevent other families from experiencing the same heartbreak. “We wanted to make sure that the system learns from our pain,” Lauryn says. Their hope is that by highlighting the sequence of events—starting with the midwife’s comment, moving through the delayed C-Section, and ending in the 25-minute resuscitation attempt—others can avoid similar missteps.

“No one will know—they’ll think you’re like any other mum and baby,” a nurse told Lauryn after she held Lois in the private room. The couple remembers feeling a deep sense of longing, wishing to be part of the normalcy of motherhood. They spent four days in the hospital with their daughter, keeping her close by bathing her, reading books, and making casts of her hands and feet. Family members visited often, offering comfort and support during this difficult time.

A Call for Better Maternity Care

The McCreadys’ story is one of many that underscores the challenges in maternity care. In England and Wales alone, 2,341 stillbirths were recorded in 2023, each a profound loss for the families involved. Their experience highlights potential gaps in communication, response times, and the pressures faced by medical staff during high-stress situations. “We wanted to ensure that the care team is better prepared for such moments,” Lauryn says. “That other parents don’t have to go through what we did.”

The couple’s testimony also brings attention to the emotional toll of such events. “It felt like we were being taken through a checklist of failures,” Andrew says, recounting the sense of helplessness they felt. Despite the pain, they remain determined to advocate for improvements in the system, believing that their story can serve as a catalyst for change. “We’re not just sharing our grief—we’re sharing our hope for a better future for other families.”

As they return home, the McCreadys carry with them the memories of Lois and the lessons learned from their experience. Their journey, though marked by loss, has become a beacon of resilience. “We want to be remembered not just for what we lost, but for what we’ve gained from fighting to make sure others don’t have to face the same fate,” Lauryn concludes. Their voice adds to the growing chorus of parents urging the healthcare system to prioritize safety, communication, and compassion in every step of the birthing process.