Heidi Lynn Welsh

I migrated to Eaton, Western Australia with my husband, 12-year-old daughter Evie, and 4-year-old daughter Violet. I run a busy little private psychology practice in Bunbury Western Australia.

I love Australia and have lived here for 20 years. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to write this “letter of love” to my daughter Ellie who was stillborn at 38.3 weeks gestation. There was no known cause for her death. The doctor described it as SIDS inutero.

I was no stranger to loss. I had several early miscarriages and had a missed-miscarriage at 12 weeks gestation, 3 years prior to Ellie.

Losing Ellie was devastating. Traumatising. It changed me as a person. I no longer deal well with crowds or noise. My friendships changed and my social circles became smaller. I searched to connect to other people who experienced the same, researched like a maniac for reasons for stillbirth, and began reaching out to support organisations. Doing this seemed to help be find meaning, in the midst of something so awful.

I began a local Facebook page called “My Little Luv” to meet other local families who had been through what I had. I couldn’t believe the lack of resources and support at the time in our area. I wanted to improve the hospital responses to people, their information, to give families an option to connect…hope that you can survive after loss. I’m determined to break the silence; I hope my words resonate and connect with you.