A woman has shared her heartbreak after losing three babies in the space of just six months. Sian Johnston and partner Richard were "over the moon" when they found out they were having a baby in March this year - but tragically, Sian suffered a miscarriage.
She later suffered an ectopic pregnancy and then another miscarriage, leaving the couple, from South Derbyshire, devastated. Sian is now determined to use her awful experiences as an opportunity to help others who are going through the same trauma, StaffordshireLive reports.
Sian sadly suffered her first miscarriage in March this year when she was five weeks pregnant. But things started to look up again when she fell pregnant again shortly afterwards, leaving Sian and Richard feeling lucky and hopeful.
When she was seven weeks into her second pregnancy, she suffered an ectopic pregnancy - where a fertilised egg implants itself outside of the womb, usually in one of the fallopian tubes, which can cause serious health problems for the mother - and lost the baby, just four weeks before marrying Richard.
Sian, from Church Gresley, did not need to have surgery because the ectopic pregnancy was noticed early, but she needed regular hospital visits for monitoring. She said the experience was traumatic and she was still having treatment right up until she got married.
She said: It was awful and very traumatic. I was doing all this while trying to deal with it emotionally.
"It happened in April and I got married in May, so I was going through the treatment right up until the wedding. It's been a really tough year. I got married this year so it has all been strange as we had the highs of the wedding and then all this heartache."
Sian fell pregnant for the third time in August, but miscarried at six-and-a-half weeks, also developing an infection that left her seriously ill. She said: "I took it really hard, the last one, particularly; I don't think I'd really processed the ectopic pregnancy either.
"I was pretty low at the end of August and we did go off to get away and have a bit of space. We really thought this was going to be the one.
"It was really hard and it all happened so quickly. It's also been really difficult for my husband as well. He's such a lovely, kind and caring man, you couldn't meet a nicer person. He's been absolutely amazing.
"It's been really hard to see me going through all of that physically - he said he felt helpless."
Sian has also been talking online with other people who have been through similar experiences through the Miscarriage Association, which she says has really helped.
One major thing she has noticed through her own experience is many businesses do not have a policy in place to account for a woman having a miscarriage - and many bosses do not know what to do. She worked through her first miscarriage, as she thought that was "the done thing", not taking the time to grieve and deal with what had happened.
She has since discovered it is perfectly normal to take paid leave to process what has happened, saying many people do not know what to say or act around someone who has lost a baby.
Along with Richard, 46, Sian has set up Three Little Lights which, will help businesses introduce policies to support those who have lost babies, including helping with the anxiety of going back to work and introducing a phased return. They hope that policy will be made clear, along with all the other guidelines, to people before they start jobs.
Currently, most workplaces have guidelines for losing a baby after 24 weeks gestation, but not before - and this is something Sian wants to change. She will be helping businesses introduce new policies, providing information on the different losses in pregnancy and showing how colleagues can show their support.
She has plans for video presentations, site visits and reading material for those wanting to make the change. Sian plans to have many resources available, using her experiences working in businesses and human resources, and will cover everything she can. She is hoping to have sensitive greeting cards made, as she knows the difference receiving one can make.
It is hoped the project will help people talk about what they have been through. Although she will be giving her time for free, Sian and Richard have sent up a GoFundMe page to help cover the cost of travel, leaflets and other resources they will need.
Anyone who would like to support the cause can do so by visiting https://www.gofundme.com/f/workplace-support-for-employees-who-lose-a-baby. Sian is also available on email to give advice to those who need it or need to talk. She can be contacted on threelittlelightsuk@gmail.com
