Four years after the death of her newborn daughter, Lorena, reality television personality Lauren Goodger has spoken about the lasting trauma and the severe anxiety it has caused. Goodger, 39, appeared on the program This Morning to discuss the loss and its effects on her life.
Lorena died minutes after birth in 2020, with her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. The family is preparing to mark the fourth anniversary of her passing. Goodger shared that her older daughter, four-year-old Larose, is unaware of her sister's fate, a detail Goodger plans to explain when Larose is older. The family intends to mark the anniversary with balloons, which Larose will believe are for her birthday.
Goodger described the trauma as having fundamentally changed her. She revealed that her anxiety is so severe that traveling to the This Morning studio was the first time she had taken a taxi since Lorena's death. "It's the worst thing I have ever been through," Goodger stated. "I am still not over it. It has completely changed me as a person. I'm still healing and getting my confidence back."
She detailed how the anxiety has affected her daily life, leading her to go to bed early, avoid alcohol, and struggle with social activities. "I've learned to live with it," she said. "I just have to accept what happened. But she's always in my heart with me."
Goodger recounted the events leading up to Lorena's death. She had planned a home water birth, but complications arose. After her waters broke on July 6, initial vital signs were normal. However, on the third day of labor, when contractions began, the baby's heartbeat could no longer be detected. Goodger was then rushed to the hospital. "Everything was quite calm at the beginning, then panic as the midwife... couldn't find a heartbeat," she recalled. During the ambulance journey to the nearest hospital, the baby lost oxygen. Following a two-hour birth, medical staff attempted to resuscitate Lorena but were unsuccessful.
Goodger, who recently released her book Mum Of Two: Love, Loss and My Life, explained that in the years following Lorena's death, she has been in a constant state of "flight or fight." She expressed a hope to make her daughters proud.
For support regarding child bereavement, individuals can contact the UK Child Bereavement line on 0800 02 888 40 or The Lullaby Trust on 0808 8026868.