Yahoo Finance Louise Thompson praised by baby loss charity for helping shatter miscarriage stigma
Louise Thompson has been praised for shining a light on the taboos surrounding miscarriage and baby loss.
In a poignant post the Made In Chelsea star opened up about suffering from a miscarriage earlier this year.
Though she told her followers she had not “processed” what had happened, she wanted to use her platform to bring awareness to the subject of miscarriage.
Baby charity Tommy's, which funds loss prevention research, runs clinics for high risk pregnancies and a midwife helpline for parents, showed its support for the star, while also thanking her for publicly sharing her story.
“Louise Thompson’s heartbreaking story highlights that people can feel like parents and imagine their baby’s future from the moment they see a positive pregnancy test," says Tommy’s midwife Sophie King.
"And naturally want to share that excitement – but sadly for the 1 in 4 pregnancies that ends in loss, the taboo Louise mentioned can mean people don’t talk as openly when those hopes and dreams are taken away.
"That silence can lead grieving parents to struggle with terrible guilt and shame, so it’s good that Louise understands this wasn’t her fault and has found the support network she needs at such a difficult time."
Read more: TV presenter Anita Rami says discussing miscarriages is ‘such a taboo’
King went on to say that Thompson opening up about her own experience is a "vital" step in breaking down the silence surrounding miscarriage and baby loss.
“Losing a baby can be devastating at any stage in pregnancy, and it’s endured frequently but often silently because of the stigma that Louise’s post is trying to tackle," she explains.
"Everyone deals with trauma differently and some families prefer to grieve privately, but people like Louise sharing their stories is a vital step in breaking the silence around baby loss so that anyone going through it knows: this may feel incredibly lonely, but as Louise said, you are not and will never be alone.
"Friends and family, doctors and midwives, all of us at support organisations like Tommy’s; we’re here.”
Watch: Chrissy Teigen struggling with miscarriage memories as she marks son's due date.
Earlier this week, Thompson wrote about her heartbreak alongside some images of herself posing in the mirror with a bump as well as holding her positive pregnancy test.
"Trigger warning: Miscarriage," she began her emotional caption.
"I wanted to share my story because it might help someone, but for the first time in my life, I’m actually a bit lost for words.
"Maybe it’s because I feel like I have so much to say and I don’t want to waste this opportunity or because I'm not sure I've 100% processed it yet, but either way, there will be no 'perfect' time, so here goes, I’ll try my best."
Read more: James Van Der Beek and wife Kimberly open up about heartbreaking miscarriage
The reality TV star went on to say that she'd started to love her baby from the moment she'd seen the positive pregnancy test.
"I started to build an emotional connection and my whole world changed, and for that to be taken away was devastating," she says.
Having opened up to a couple of friends Thompson realised there are quite a few others who have gone through something similar.
"I found it very comforting to talk to them about their experiences of loss and grief, and I also found it incredibly comforting to learn that there isn't really much you can do to prevent it from happening," she added.
Thompson, who is engaged to Ryan Libbey, wanted to start the conversation about baby loss after her own "total shock" over her miscarriage.
"Some of you will already be familiar with HOW common they are (1 in 4 pregnancies), but for me, it came as a total shock. That is probably down to the fact that people never really talk about it. Losing a baby in pregnancy through miscarriage or stillbirth still seems to be a taboo subject that is linked to a certain amount of stigma and shame, and I really wish that that would change.
"I believe that one of the ways it CAN change is by opening up a space for more conversations and sharing experiences with one another. I want people (and YOU out there reading this) to know that if you are struggling, you are not alone. There are others who share your pain."
She ended her post, which continued into the captions, by urging anyone going through something similar to realise they aren't alone.
"I want people (and YOU out there reading this) to know that if you are struggling, you are not along. There are others who share your pain."
Since sharing her poignant post Thompson has been inundated with messages of support, with many thanking the star for shining a light on the silence surrounding baby loss.
"Louise I’m so so sorry to hear of your loss. Sending love and strength. You are extremely brave to share and will have helped so many not feel alone in going through the same. I hope it does bring you some comfort," Dr Zoe Williams commented.
"I’m so sorry to hear this, but well done for using your platform to open up the conversation," one person wrote.
"This is an incredibly brave thing to share and no doubt you’ll be helping countless others. Sending lots of strength and light to you and Ryan," another Instagram user added.
Thompson isn't the only celebrity to share their experience of baby loss and miscarriage recently.
Meghan Markle was praised back in November for helping to break down the stigma surrounding miscarriage.
The Duchess of Sussex revealed she suffered a miscarriage last summer, in a deeply personal article about the loss and pain of 2020.
Writing in the New York Times, Meghan, 39, explained she miscarried in July after feeling a “sharp cramp” while she looked after her one-year-old son, Archie.
“I dropped to the floor with him [Archie] in my arms, humming a lullaby to keep us both calm, the cheerful tune a stark contrast to my sense that something was not right,” she wrote.
“I knew, as I clutched my firstborn child, that I was losing my second.”
In a brutally honest account of her and Prince Harry’s experience of losing their unborn baby, the Duchess went on to share that she has learnt about 10 to 20 in every 100 women will miscarry.
And last year, Chrissy Teigen also opened up about her own experience of pregnancy loss. The model and cookery writer shared the “deep pain” she was feeling following the death of her unborn baby.
Binky Felstead also recently shared her heartbreak about the miscarriage she experienced when she was almost 12 weeks pregnant.
More recently, Myleene Klass revealed in an interview about the heartbreaking experience of losing her baby while hosting a radio show.
Speaking to the Daily Mail’s You magazine, the mother-of-three said she discovered she’d miscarried during a brief toilet break while live on the air.
She said: “I was on air. I went to the loo while the music was playing and there was blood everywhere. I didn't know what to do. I had one hour left of my show.”
Help and support
Tommy’s funds research into miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth, and provides pregnancy health information to parents.
For more information and support visit stillbirth and neonatal death charity, Sands UK.
The Miscarriage Association provides support and information to anyone affected by miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy or molar pregnancy.
