Rebecca Adlington has expressed her support for the recent lifting of restrictions on baby loss certificates, stating that her own certificate has helped her feel that her baby is still part of the family.
In October 2023, the Olympic swimmer experienced the loss of her baby daughter, Harper, at 20 weeks of pregnancy. This was Adlington’s second miscarriage in two years. Since then, she has become an ambassador for Petals, a charity focused on baby loss counseling.
During an appearance on The UK Tonight with Sarah-Jane Mee, Adlington discussed the new rules that allow anyone in the UK who has suffered a miscarriage to apply for a baby loss certificate. Previously, this service was available only to parents who had experienced a loss since September 2018, but that restriction has now been removed.
Adlington shared, “We’ve got one; it’s actually framed. As soon as we found out about the certificates, we applied. It was something we absolutely wanted to have because we don’t have many things around the house that make her feel part of the family, and she is part of the family. It really brings it home that she is part of the family. My kids know; they always say, ‘Harper’s my sister.’”
While she acknowledged that the certificates “are not going to take away the pain,” Adlington emphasized their importance in acknowledging the loss as part of life. “With miscarriage, there aren’t many things you can hold on to,” she added.
As the one-year anniversary of her miscarriage approaches, Adlington mentioned that she and her husband, Andy Parsons, plan to check in with their counselor. She reflected on the challenges they faced, saying, “Both times, it was incredibly difficult to go through, so I’m so, so grateful I had support.” Adlington has received numerous messages from individuals who lacked adequate support during their own experiences.
The changes regarding baby loss certificates align with Baby Loss Awareness Week, allowing all parents who have experienced a loss to apply for a certificate for free via a government website.
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