Grieving couple donate CuddleCot to hospital in memory of their baby son to mark 2nd anniversary of his death
A grieving couple have donated a cuddle cot in their baby son’s memory to mark the second anniversary of his death and provide some comfort to families experiencing similar heartbreak.
Emma Hughes and Dwayne Webley’s son Jaziah Webley was stillborn at Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital on August 22, 2021.
The couple were told that Jaziah had sadly died when attending maternity triage at the hospital.
Jaziah was then born via caesarean section as Emma had a condition called placenta praevia.
Thanks to the CuddleCot, Emma and Dwayne were able to spend three days in the hospital with Jaziah and then take him home, which they will always be grateful for.
“It was of massive comfort to us because we didn’t know what was going to happen to him,” said Emma.
“Sometimes I’d wake up in the middle of the night and was relieved to see he was there, so I could still cuddle and kiss him.”
Emma and Dwayne live in Wolverhampton with their sons Ayrton, Terelle, and Isaiah. All three boys were born at New Cross Hospital.
Emma added: “I had no idea about CuddleCots, so when we were asked if we’d like to, it was a relief.”
Dwayne added: “I remember feeling shocked that we could take him home.”
Straight away, the couple decided to donate a CuddleCot, and set up a GoFundMe page, which quickly reached its target.
“You’re in such a state of shock and in a dark hole but you can spend a lot of time with your lost baby and having him in the cot somehow gives you some control and comfort until they’re laid to rest,” said Emma.
“There’s nothing like the comfort of your own home and he was able to be in his cot in his room.”
Kirsty Malcolm, specialist midwife for bereavement services at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, which runs New Cross, said: “No one wants to be in the position that Emma and Dwayne were in, so what they have done is wonderful to allow this facility to be available to other families. We’d like to offer this to all families in this position.”
Emma added: “Anything I asked of Kirsty was no problem – she was amazing. I tell everyone that.”
The CuddleCot will be the fifth one in the Willow Suite at New Cross and there are others kept in the neonatal and the Swan Suite.
The couple are indebted to the Lily Mae Foundation, which provides support to bereaved families.