The Whiteness of The Lily - Reform the Stillbirth Law

Photo used with permission

I feel so privileged to be a blogger. Us bloggers invite you into our lives to share the happy times, and the sad times. At times there is bickering, the odd fall out, sometimes there are cliques. It's human nature.

Sometimes though, something happens to bring us all together. Kerry, a sweet and much loved blogger has recently gone through one of the saddest things that can happen to an expectant mother. She lost her baby. Kerry has been blogging her journey, and the posts are the most beautiful tribute to her beautiful girl Rihanna Lily. I feel privileged to be walking along this path with her.

Kerry has shared the most heartbreaking news this week. Her baby girl cannot be registered. Her baby girl had to be born, Kerry was induced when it was found that Rihanna had passed away, but she cannot receive a birth or death certificate. Why? Because Rihanna died at 23 weeks + 5 days, not 24 weeks.

I'm not entering into a debate about when life begins, or the current termination of pregnancy laws, that debate is for another day. However I strongly feel that a baby stillborn after 20 weeks should be entitled to have their birth and their death acknowledged by the state. This is common practise in many countries including Australia.

If you agree, there is a current petition, not drafted by us, it already existed, and I would dearly love, that if you feel the same way, that you sign and share.

Thank you