Helen Richardson is speaking out about the devastating loss of her daughter Amelie, who died just six weeks after birth, to shed light on the often-unspoken grief experienced by parents who lose a 'rainbow baby'. A rainbow baby is a child born after a miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss. Richardson endured five miscarriages and three cycles of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) before Amelie's birth in May 2025. The journey cost the couple £20,000 and was funded through savings and family assistance.
Amelie was born with a serious congenital condition called exomphalos, a condition where the abdominal wall does not fully develop in the womb, leaving the baby's bowel and some organs outside the body. This condition affects approximately two in every 5,000 babies born in the UK. While doctors initially indicated a good prognosis following necessary surgery shortly after birth, Amelie's health declined due to infections and kidney failure.
Richardson described the agonizing decision to let Amelie go. After spending her entire six-week life in the hospital, undergoing major surgery, the medical team informed the parents that there was nothing more they could do. The family was able to spend time with Amelie in a private room at the hospital and at a children's hospice before her funeral. "Our families were able to spend time with Amelie in a private room, holding her and loving her, before all the machines she was hooked up to were taken away," Richardson stated. The parents also had a brief opportunity to bring Amelie home before her funeral, creating precious memories of their daughter in the home she never had the chance to grow up in.
"Despite everything – the miscarriages, the failed fertility treatments, and Amelie’s death – I would like to try for another baby. To give our little miracle a sibling," Richardson shared, emphasizing the enduring hope that fuels her. She is also building a social media community to support other families affected by severe exomphalos.
Richardson's experience highlights the emotional toll of losing a child after a difficult path to parenthood, a situation she feels is often overlooked compared to the narratives surrounding infertility and miscarriage. The nursery remains as prepared for Amelie’s arrival as it was on the day Richardson went to the hospital, filled with unworn baby clothes and an empty crib, serving as a constant reminder of the child she longed for and the profound grief of her loss.