A man whose baby died following pregnancy complications which also left his partner in a coma for two weeks has revealed how they were still able to meet their son together.

Ryan Godolphin’s fiancée Ellie required emergency surgery and was rushed from Tunbridge Wells hospital to St Thomas’ in London.

Thanks to the incredible support of bereavement midwives and an Abi cold cot, provided by Medway charity Abigail’s Footsteps, the couple met their baby son Max at the same time when Ellie woke up.

Ryan said: “It’s made just the world of difference to us in a situation that’s been so incredibly tough.

“We were really scared to meet him, you don’t really know what to expect and actually, believe it or not, we didn’t know his gender up until this point.

“He was in the world for two weeks and all the staff kept it secret - we just called him pickle.

“Once we met him we just had this feeling of being settled - like I know him a bit and I know things about him.

“It’s very hard what you’re left with now, once he’s gone, you’re left with these feelings of loss but I know things about him now.”

Ryan has shared his experience in the fourth episode of A Journey With Abigail’s Footsteps - a podcast series to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week.

It describes how the charity has supported families through counselling, Abi cold cots, bereavement suites and the training of midwives.

Jack Jeffery and Tom Gower also open up about their experience of baby loss and how there could be more support available for dads during a partner’s pregnancy.

Jack Jeffery lives in Gravesend - his daughter Olivia died just over two years ago when his wife Heather was 20 weeks pregnant.

He said: “The dads can’t be forgotten about and when something like this tragically happens, naturally everyone’s first instinct is ‘how’s your wife, how’s the mum’ and not often enough it was ‘how are you or how’s your partner getting on’.

“It’s not all about the men at all but you’re both in it and the men’s mental health side of it can’t be ignored.”

Tom Gower’s son Oliver was stillborn at Darent Valley hospital in Dartford in January 2018 when his wife Jayne was just over 40 weeks pregnant. The couple had been trying for a baby for seven years.

He said: “It will be the worst thing I think I’ll ever go through.

“And for us, personally, it was two things we were grieving - it was Oliver and the fact that we haven’t got our family that we’ve been wanting and didn’t get.”

Also in the episode, counsellor Naomi Marston speaks about her role as an ambassador of the charity and the support she has given to so many parents who have suffered a loss.

A Journey with Abigail’s Footsteps is an IM Listening production.