Lauren Goodger marked what would have been her daughter Lorena's fourth birthday on Wednesday, a day that has been described as a difficult one for the reality television personality.
Lorena, Goodger's second daughter, was born in July 2022 but tragically died minutes after birth due to complications with her umbilical cord. Goodger and her eldest daughter, Larose, who is approaching her fifth birthday, honored Lorena's memory with balloons and a cake.
Goodger shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, writing, "Today marks my anniversary that will always be in my heart. Four years ago today, I gave birth to my beautiful Lorena. Happy 4th Heavenly Birthday, my angel." She noted that Larose, though young, participates in the annual celebration by releasing balloons, lighting candles, and enjoying cake.
She also expressed gratitude for the messages and support she received. "Thank you to everyone who has messaged, commented, called, or reached out today. Your love, support, and kind words mean more than I can ever put into words," she stated.
In a separate post on the ITV series' Instagram Stories, Goodger shared moments from a girls' night out with her The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE) co-stars on Thursday. Dressed for warm weather in a plunging top and shorts, she posted mirror selfies, indicating she was filming for the show. A co-star, Amber Turner, commented on the fun. The TOWIE star posted a clip of the group dancing, captioning it, "Oh I love these girls."
This social outing followed Goodger's appearance on This Morning earlier in the week, where she recounted the traumatic events surrounding Lorena's birth. She described planning a natural water birth at home, but noted that complications arose on the third day of labor when a midwife could not detect a heartbeat. This led to her being rushed to a hospital, where doctors attempted to save Lorena but were unsuccessful.
Goodger stated that Lorena died "due to oxygen loss." She reflected on the subsequent years, describing herself as being in "flight or fight" mode and powering through as a single mother, hoping to make her daughters proud. Goodger and her former partner, Charles Drury, maintain a cooperative co-parenting relationship for Larose.