Amanda Holden spoke about her experience with baby loss on her radio show this morning [September 27].
The Heart Breakfast presenter, 51, recalled being made to feel 'like a game show contestant' after she experienced a stillbirth in 2011 when her son Theo was born at 28 weeks, thanks to a doctor telling the star she was 'going home empty handed' following her tragic loss.
Amanda and co-host Jamie Theakston were joined on-air by Ross Sullivan this morning - a charity service user from the charity Aching Arms, which brings comfort after baby loss. Aching Arms is one of the small charities supported by Global’s Make Some Noise, which Amanda is raising funds for as part of her 3 Peaks Challenge next week.
Speaking live on-air this morning, Amanda recalled her own her 'awful' experience and her hopes people will learn to 'avoid' the triggering language used with her in the wake of her loss - adding how the charity she is working with 'will be helping people to avoid and educate them on how best to deal with something so awful'.
Amanda first became a mother when she and her now-husband Chris Hughes welcomed Lexi - real name Alexa Hughes - into the world in 2006, with the happy couple going on to tie the knot at Babington House, Somerset two years later.
The star then became pregnant with a second child in 2010 but sadly suffered a unimaginable tragedy, when her son Theo was born stillborn at seven months old in 2011. The following year, the couple were delighted when their second daughter Hollie Rose Hughes, now 11, joined the family in 2012 following medical complications.
"I will never forget when I went through something, that I would imagine is very similar to your [experience]," Amanda began when speaking with Ross on the radio this morning.
She continued: "We lost our baby Theo at 28 weeks, and they very sensitively moved me into another room so I could deliver him without having to hear the lovely babies screaming on a normal ward. Often that’s not thought about, it’s little things like that.
"I remember the lady afterwards as well when we went for a chat also said ‘I know you’re going home empty handed’ is what she said to me. So I felt like some sort of game show contestant, so it’s all of that language that I know this charity will be helping people to avoid and educate them on how best to deal with something so awful. It’s just awful."
Earlier this year, Amanda was flooded with support from her Instagram followers, as she posted a photo of tiny footprints on what would’ve been Theo's birthday, captioning the post: "You would have been 11 today. I’m still grateful you chose us for your journey .. #Theo."
"Theo will always be part of our family," Amanda previously explained to You magazine.
"He would have been a year older than Hollie. I often look at the children in the year above her and think, 'Oh yes, today Theo would have been doing this'. It’s not something to get over, but I’ve got my head round it."
*If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at Sands (stillbirth and neonatal death charity). You can call them on 0808 164 3332 or email helpline@sands.org.uk
Follow Amanda and her epic journey on Heart’s socials @thisisheart, on heart.co.uk and by listening to Heart, the home of feel good music, on 96 – 107 FM, on DAB digital radio right across the UK, on Global Player on your smart speaker (“play Heart”), iOS or Android device and at heart.co.uk.
