Charley Corden

Our gorgeous, perfect boy Charley.
xxxxx



Heartfelt thanks to everyone who leaves messages or lights candles for Charley, we both find it
hugely supportive to know so many people care.
xxxxx

Your lullaby baby boy, which I used to sing to you in my tummy. It will always be yours...

Baby mine, don't you cry.
Baby mine, dry your eyes.
Rest your head close to my heart,
never to part, baby of mine.

Little one, when you play,
pay no heed what they say.
Let your eyes sparkle and shine,
never a tear, baby of mine.

If they knew all about you,
they'd end up loving you, too.
All those same people who scold you,
what they'd give just for the right to hold you.

From your hair down to your toes,
you're not much, goodness knows.
But, you're so precious to me,
sweet as can be, baby of mine.

xxxxx

We started trying for our first child in April of last year, and before we knew it, we were
pregnant! Feeling incredibly blessed and happy, we sailed through a blissfully uneventful pregnancy,
enjoying all the normal highs and lows. We were booked in for an induction on the 29th of January
2008 as little ‘un was having far too good a time in my tummy, despite both our efforts (long
walks, pineapple, raspberry leaf tea – you name it, we tried it!). Was given one Prostin and
within an hour and a half, things were progressing fast and furiously. Don’t really remember much
apart from the slightly drunken feeling of the gas and air (had even noted to myself to get some of
it installed at home just for fun!)! 5 minutes before baby started to appear they monitored
Charley’s heart rate, and all was fine. 10 minutes later he was fully delivered and a deathly
silence prevailed. I remember him lying on my tummy, all curled up and beautiful, asking the midwife
why he wasn’t crying. They swiftly took him over to the resuscitation unit in the room, and within
2 minutes, it felt like half of Holby City was in there with us. The rest is all a bit of a blur,
but the upshot was Charley being whisked over to the Neonatal Ward and the lovely Paediatrician
Consultant telling us our baby was very poorly indeed, and may not survive.

I had a shower and got dressed, having to listen to the screams of a newborn from the adjoining
labour room, a point where I thought I really was going to lose my mind. We were allowed over to the
Neonatal Ward after about an hour, and found our gorgeous, darling boy. 9lb and 4oz – far too big
to be with all the other beautiful but tiny, fragile babies in there. We had 16 wonderful hours with
Charley, talking to him, stroking his beautiful hair, before we had to make the heart breaking
decision to switch off the life support machine. He died peacefully in our arms, with love all
around.

We have subsequently found out the in the very last minutes of the delivery, there was not enough
oxygen to keep Charley alive, probably due to the cord being tied tightly round his neck and foot
which compressed the cord. They can’t give us a definitive reason, but have ruled out infection,
placental abruption, any problem with Charley’s body etc – cord compression seems to be their
best guess.

Leaving him wrapped up in the blanket we had bought to bring him home in was the hardest thing
I’ve ever done in my life. I think I was only able to physically move out of the room because my
husband was holding me, and because Charley was left with the Neonatal nurse whom we had got to know
well, and trusted with our boy.

I hope one day we can think of Charley and smile for what we had, rather than cry for what we lost.
I also hope we can one day give him the brothers and sisters he deserves, and we can tell them all
about their wonderful, perfect big brother, who fought so hard against all the odds.

For Charley;
Words will never express how much Mummy and Daddy love you. You will always live on in our hearts,
as dear in there as in my tummy for those 41 wonderful, precious weeks. The stars shine for you my
gorgeous, darling boy. To love you is to know you.

Always, always, always yours,
Mummy and Daddy
xxxxx