Sofia’s Story – The Precious Gift of Time

Sofia Loren was our first baby. After years of fertility treatment, we were over the moon to discover that we were expecting her.

The pregnancy was straightforward, with no complications, until 36 weeks, when we went to Liverpool Women’s Hospital because Sofia was not wriggling as much. There, we were told that our little girl no longer had a heartbeat.

What followed were the worst days of our lives. In a moment, the future we had imagined, the dreams and plans we had made for our daughter—was taken from us. The next few days passed in a blur.

The staff at Liverpool Women’s Hospital were incredibly compassionate, but the hospital environment was difficult. Hearing newborn babies, seeing families with their children and listening to alarms around us made an already painful time even harder.

Finding a place to be a family

When a baby dies, families are given papers and leaflets explaining what happens next. For many, this means leaving hospital without their baby until the funeral. We knew about Little Lights, so we asked the hospital team to contact the charity and find out whether there was a place for us.

Little Lights was able to welcome us. Sofia could stay in a temperature-controlled room, while we had access to a family suite with a living room, kitchen, conservatory and additional bedrooms. It meant our family could visit and spend precious time with her in a private, peaceful setting.

That time allowed us to make memories we will cherish forever. A local charity visited to help us make hand casts. We watched a Liverpool match, did arts and crafts with our family, read to Sofia, changed her clothes and gave her plenty of cuddles. Most importantly, we simply got to be her mums.

Our wider family had the chance to spend time with Sofia too, and even our dog, Baloo, was able to visit. These gentle, everyday moments became extraordinary memories.

“Little Lights gave us something that can never be replaced: time. Time to be with our daughter, time to create memories and time to say goodbye in our own way. For that, we will be forever grateful.”

Why making memories matters

There can be a stigma around baby loss, and the idea of making memories after a baby has died may feel unfamiliar. For families living through an unimaginable loss, however, this time offers a chance to parent their baby, to include loved ones and to do some of the things they will never have another opportunity to do. Only afterwards did we fully understand how precious those moments were.

The staff were exceptional. They brought comfort during the darkest days of our lives and helped us in more ways than they will ever realise. One of my most treasured memories is of them popping in to see Sofia, talking to her and playing Tonies in her room. It was deeply reassuring to know that she was never alone.

Sofia remains part of our family

Sofia would be four years old now. I truly believe that making those memories in the first days after her death has helped us keep her present in our everyday lives.

Since then, we have been blessed with boy-and-girl twins, Caleb Bear and Arabella Winter, who are now two and a half. We talk about Sofia often and want them to grow up knowing their big sister and understanding that she will always be part of our family. Caleb and Arabella fill our lives with love, laughter, adventure, hope and happiness.

We have remained close to Little Lights through family group sessions and days out. Taking the twins to activities such as arts and crafts is another way for us to honour Sofia’s memory and keep her within our family story.

Raising awareness of the Snowdrop Suite

It still breaks our hearts to hear of families who have faced a similar loss without the opportunity to spend precious time with their baby. By sharing Sofia’s story, we hope more people will understand why the Snowdrop Suite matters. A dedicated, compassionate space can give families privacy, comfort and the freedom to be together—to hold their baby, include loved ones and create memories that will last a lifetime. Raising awareness of the Snowdrop Suite helps ensure that families facing the unimaginable know that this support is there when every moment matters.