Wulfric’s family said their devastating final goodbyes to their precious baby boy at Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, just days after his journey had begun. Mum Anne tells of the heartbreaking beauty of those final moments, and how the support of their ‘Bluebell Wood family’ has helped guide them through the darkness.

“It was a straightforward, normal pregnancy at the start apart from I suffered really badly with morning sickness - everything seemed fine,” said Anne.

“It wasn’t until the 20-week scan that things started to go wrong.”

Husband Elliot and the whole family went along for the milestone scan, with Wulfric’s brother Odin and his two sisters Arwen & Persia excited to find out whether they would have a baby brother or sister.

“They told me his arms, legs and chest were not the right size. So I said that’s fine, I have lots of love to give and I can cope with a child with disabilities.

“Then they told me it was a baby boy and I was over the moon.

“They called my husband Elliot and the kids back in and I told them there was something wrong. The consultant told us she didn’t think  baby was going to survive.

“We walked out of the hospital trying to get our heads around it, and Odin – who so badly wanted a little brother to play with - was in floods of tears.”

Day after agonising day followed as the family awaited an appointment with a specialist. It was then they were told Wulfric likely had a life-threatening form of dwarfism called Thanatophoric Dysplasia, giving him a one per cent chance of survival.

“I was a complete and utter wreck. I hardly ate anything and I spent most of my time on the internet doing research, looking for some glimmer of hope.”

Wulfric joined the family at 33 weeks, but just days after he was born, the family had to make the impossible decision to take him to Bluebell Wood.

“We drove down the drive to the hospice surrounded by all the woodland and greenery; and it was almost like walking into someone’s home. A very warm, homely and friendly place.

“Elliot, the kids and my mum were already there waiting for us. Our room was set up perfectly for us and we could finally take Wulfric out of the incubator for cuddles.

“Then they took all his tubes out, and it took him 1hr and 27 minutes to pass away in my arms. He stopped breathing quite quickly but his heart wouldn’t stop beating. It just kept beating and beating and beating.

“It’s an unbelievably hard thing to think about, but it was all done in the most dignified way. It was handled beautifully and I’ll always be grateful for that.

“They let me give him a bath and dress him, then I put him in his crib in the cold room. It was stunningly set out with candles and the little crib. It was beyond what you can imagine.”

Over the next few days, Anne spent her time taking photos and making memories with Wulfric, until the time came for him to be taken to the funeral home.

“When the funeral directors arrived we wrapped him in his blanket and put him in his little coffin.

"As we left, the whole of the staff of Bluebell Wood lined the drive, which was absolutely beautiful to see."

“We had our dinner and the Bluebell Wood staff suggested a visit to the Tropical Butterfly House on our way home to give us time to reflect.

As we walked around in a daze we saw a robin and it stayed by my side the whole way. Then when we got home there was a robin sat in the Christmas tree we have growing in the back garden.”

Bluebell Wood have been their “rock” ever since, with the family using the charity’s counselling services, sibling support and much more.

“There are some truly amazing people at Bluebell Wood and I honestly don’t know what we would have done without all their support.

“It really is a beautiful place and I can’t thank them enough for giving us the chance to say a proper goodbye to our little boy.”

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