Grieving parents who lost their beautiful baby girl have paid a special tribute to their daughter as they aim to help others who experience child loss.
Lizzy Robinson and David McNestry, both 36, were overjoyed when they found out they were expecting their first child together in 2020 and said they "couldn't wait" for her arrival. But at 35 weeks pregnant, Lizzy was admitted to Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) after experiencing a uterine rupture, which causes the uterine wall to tear open and requires immediate treatment.
And there was further heartbreak for the couple when they were given the devastating news that their baby girl's heart had stopped beating, moments before Lizzy was rushed in for surgery.
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David said: "I was devastated. I had to phone all of Lizzy's family and my family after being told our baby had no heartbeat and then I was told that Lizzy was going to be in intensive care as well because her bladder had popped, it was devastating."
Lizzy added: "I was in surgery for six hours and when they woke me up, Lyla was there with David."
Lyla-Jo Kate McNestry was born on January 7, 2021, weighing nine pounds. Despite hospital efforts to revive her, she sadly passed away.
Amid the heartbreak, the couple, from Chopwell, were able to find some comfort in knowing they could spend some precious time with Lyla-Jo before saying goodbye, thanks to a Cuddle Cot from the charity 4Louis. A Cuddle Cot is designed to keep a baby cool and allow families some extra time with their child.
And with the help of the equipment, Lizzy and David spent six days with their daughter. The Cuddle Cot was placed discreetly in a Moses basket and Lyla-Jo rested comfortably surrounded by teddies and wrapped in a pink blanket which was embroidered with her name.
Lizzy said: "Lyla weighed nine pound and looked so much like her big sister Lucy. The Cuddle Cot give us time with Lyla. Time to just love her as our daughter."
She added: "Those six days meant everything to us. We could have just shut the door and lived like that with her there because we knew we didn't have to let her go."
David added: "It was hard leaving her. But we had to let go eventually because we knew we couldn't stay in the hospital forever. We could have spent more time but we knew there had to be a point when we'd have to let go."
4Louis, based in Sunderland, helps people across the UK who have been affected by miscarriage, stillbirth, or the death of a baby or child. As well as Cuddle Cots, the charity provides Cuddle Blankets, memory boxes, and special bereavement and family rooms to allow families the opportunity to spend time with their baby or child in a peaceful and homely environment while they prepare to say goodbye.
Lizzy, who received a memory box on the day they lost Lyla-Jo, said: "Those things are so important because we've always got her there. Those things in the memory box - the handprints, the photos - they're all part of Lyla."
Following their loss, mum-of-four Lizzy and dad-of-two David decided to do something to help other parents who experience child loss. And now they have decided to donate a Cuddle Cot to Regent Funeral Services, in Saltwell, which helped to organise Lyla-Jo's funeral.
Lizzy added: "We just wanted to do something for Lyla. We've given money to the 4Louis charity. A friend [Lee Fortunato] said he would go a year without cutting his hair or drinking alcohol, so he was sponsored quite a bit for that. And then we had a fundraising day and we put all the money together and decided that we would donate a Cuddle Cot for somewhere so families could spend time with their babies."
Lizzy and David delivered the Cuddle Cot to Regent Funeral Services on Friday afternoon. The equipment, which is stored in a blue case, also features a special plaque engraved with Lyla-Jo's name in her memory.
Speaking on behalf of Natalya McLackland and David Coulson, who accepted the donation, a spokesperson for Regent Funeral Services said: "We would like to thank the family for their special donation. This will allow other families who have this heartbreak extra time with their baby or toddler.
"We are honoured they choose us to be the recipient of the cuddle cot. Such a beautiful family who has fundraised to help other’s in the future in their time of need.
"Raising awareness is important and we will continue to carry on supporting others."
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