Anglesey mums' heartbreak at losing babies drives national campaign

Teachers Fiona Hughes, 46, from Dulas, and Emma Telford Owen, 38, from Gaerwen both experienced the tragedy of losing babies prematurely.

In Wales, a baby that dies after 24 week of pregnancy is officially recorded as a stillbirth – but there is no official recognition for a child stillborn before that date. Fiona lost babies Cadi, in 2013 and Osian, in 2015 – both at 21 weeks -just before the 24 week registration date.

Whilst Emma, lost baby Efan, at 22 weeks, in 2014, and Lydia, at 34 weeks, in 2018 – meaning Lydia could be registered whilst Efan could not. The friends got together to create special certificates to provide a written record, for use by mum’s and families as a keepsake

Fiona Hughes And Arwyn Hughes with their eight year old daughter Catrin Hughes (Image courtesy Fiona Hughes)

They formed the Pluen Wen (White Feather) charity, they have created bilingual versions, with a religious and non-religious option, including a naming certificate or certificate of blessing. Initially the idea was to provide the certificates for the babies unable to be registered before 24 weeks – but it was decided to provide them for any baby lost at any stage of pregnancy.

Pictured Emma Telford Owen with husband Carwyn and Children Alys, 8, And Noa, 4. (Image Courtesy Of Emma Telford Owen)

After working with Ysbty Gwynedd, the pair say their scheme quickly spread to other Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board hospitals including Wrexham Maelor and Glan Clwyd. But now they are increasing their charity efforts, and hope to get their certificates in hospital boards across Wales, and are enlisting the help of politicians in Cardiff.

Rhun ap Iorwerth says he has written to the Welsh Government, and is now preparing to individually write to health boards across the country. Fiona is a teacher in Benllech and also works part-time helping her husband Arwyn in the family’s funeral business.

After years of IVF, the couple are now the proud parents of an eight-year-old daughter, Catrin.

Fiona said: “It is very difficult for mums, and their families, to lose a baby.

“If the baby dies before 24 weeks, you go home with absolutely nothing to show that your baby ever existed.

“Emma experienced a loss before and after 24 weeks, meaning one child was allowed to be registered and one not.

“I asked her what she thought of a certificate scheme, she loved it and wanted to get involved.

“She even felt it could also bring some comfort to those who could register their babies, as it was not a very personal system involving filling in the baby’s name on an online form.

“We designed our own certificates, and we are now in discussions with Rhun Ap Iorwerth who is helping us to raise awareness of Pluen Wen in the Senedd.

“We really hope one day they will be used in health boards across Wales. We think it’s important to have a written record of our babies as a keepsake.

“Recent responses have been encouraging, it has confirmed the need for some kind of recognition when families experience loss similar to ours.”

Pluen Wen Certificate For Babies Born Before 24 Weeks (Image Fiona Hughes)

Emma , is a teacher in Llanfairpwll, she is married to Carwyn and they have two children Alys (8) and Noa (4).

She said: “In 2014, we lost our baby boy Efan, at 22 weeks due to a heart condition..

“We went on to have Alys in 2016 with a normal pregnancy.

“Fiona and I were pregnant at the same time and both her daughter Catrin and our Alys are great friends, which is lovely!

“Sadly in 2018, we also lost a little girl called Lydia at 34 weeks due to compression of the umbilical cord.

“In 2019 we went on to have Noa. Fiona had had the idea of creating the certificates a few years ago.

“I thought the idea was lovely, I felt it was something to do in memory of our babies, so we set up the Pluen Wen charity.

“The original plan was to offer certificates to families who lost babies before 24 weeks. But as someone who experienced loss before and after, I felt it would have been comforting to receive a certificate for Efan and Lydia.

“So we decided to offer them at any stage. The process has been very emotional, it’s been comforting thinking we’re helping others.

“We hope our certificates will one day be offered throughout Wales.”

Pluen Wen - the alternative certificate - a Certificate Of Blessing (Image Fiona Hughes)

Taking up their cause, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS said: “I admire the work Fiona and Emma are doing, drawing upon their own personal and heart-breaking experiences, to try to bring comfort to parents who face the devastation of losing a child.

“I have written to the Welsh Government to seek support to roll out their Pluen Wen initiative throughout Wales, we are preparing to contact every health board individually too.

“I’m grateful to Emma and Fiona for all they’re doing and look forward to continuing to work with them to try to ensure as many other parents as possible are able to feel supported at this most difficult of times.”

A spokesperson for the Welsh Government said “Work has started on the next two bereavement specific pathways relating to children and young people’s bereavement, and pregnancy and baby loss.

“The Wales Maternity and Neonatal Network is working with Sands, the pregnancy and baby loss charity to design and implement the rollout of the National Bereavement Care Pathways across Wales specifically for pregnancy and baby loss.

“Implementing these Pathways was identified as a priority for improvement within the discovery phase of the Maternity and Neonatal Safety Support Programme (MatNeoSSP).”

It was also noted that “All families who experience pregnancy loss at maternity units in Wales are supported by bereavement midwives, in conjunction with Sands and other charities, and offered memory boxes which include a certificate of birth.

“We are also working with officials in England to explore delivering the certification process across Wales to formally recognise baby loss.”