Darwen woman leaving rocks around world after baby was stillborn

Robyn Elsworth, from Darwen, has been leaving rocks around Lancashire, and even exotic locations across the world, to keep the memory of her daughter alive.

Freya Rae Chapman was stillborn on June 15. Robyn, 28, was 38 weeks pregnant when she was told her daughter did not have a heartbeat.

Robyn Elsworth and Stephen James Chapman (Image: Robyn Elsworth)

She said: “We got pregnant quite quickly, we were really lucky. The pregnancy was straight forward and she was really healthy… doctors had no concerns.

“We were getting everything ready for her. She was fine and we were watching her wiggle away as normal.

“The next morning, I noticed she wasn’t moving so I went into hospital. You expect to go in and be told your baby is ‘just being lazy’ and be sent home. Instead they told us that Freya has no heartbeat.

“We were taken to a bereavement room where we discussed options for delivering her. They gave me tablets to stop my hormones and the next day I was induced.”

Robyn started an Instagram page and blog to help her cope with the loss of Freya. She wants to tackle the taboo and stigma around baby loss and is encouraging more people to talk about it.

Freya's rocks (Image: Robyn Elsworth)

She said: “I was very much in the midst of grief months into losing Freya. My auntie brought me a book to write to Freya and I found that it really helped.

“I found myself wanting to write more about what happened to help me process it, so I started to blog.

“We found there is a stigma and taboo around baby loss. People don’t want to talk about it as much.

“Society as a whole is too scared to talk about it. I wanted to tell Freya’s story. I don’t want her to be forgotten.”

Robyn said she found it more useful speaking to other parents who have experienced baby loss, than reading leaflets given to her by hospital staff.

“At the hospital we were given leaflets and books,” she said.

“I found it better looking for other people’s stories and reaching out to other parents who have experienced loss, instead of reading these leaflets that the hospital passed out.

“It is the loneliest time and I wanted to let others going through it that they’re not alone.

“You think you’re the only person going through this but there are so many Instagram pages out there. There are a lot of people trying to end the stigma and talk about baby loss.

“People have messaged and said they relate to a lot of things we post. They think it’s amazing we are telling Freya’s story. Some people have gone on to make their own Instagram pages after they have read mine.”

Robyn has also been painting rocks for Freya, and putting her Instagram handle on them, then placing them around the world.

In September, she wrote the names of babies from other families on rocks, who so they can also be remebered.

Entwistle Teservoir, Whitehall park, Japan, Spain and Norway, are just some of the places the rocks have been left.

Robyn said the rocks, and her blog, help keep Freya’s name alive.

Robyn is raising awareness after her experiencing a stillbirth (Image: Robyn Elsworth)

Robyn said: “It was baby loss awareness month and people loved seeing me post Freya’s rocks. I thought it would be nice to see other babies’ names on the rocks so they can be dotted around other places in the world. Our family will take a rock with them when they go on holiday, it’s really nice.

“Every time we went somewhere we would leave one there for her. We started putting the Instagram page on the back of the rocks to raise more awareness. People could go to the page to see Freya’s story and what we are trying to do.

“She will also be part of us and always will be our daughter. We want people to know we want her to be talked about."

Robyn says it can be difficult to know what to say to families who have experienced baby loss but says “it’s better to say something than nothing at all”.

She said: “We know nothing you say will make this better but we want you to speak to us and talk to us about our babies. We don’t want you to be scared to ask questions. Saying their names and asking us about them is all we have.

“It helps us know our baby is not going to be forgotten.

“If you’re actually going through baby loss, know you are not alone.

"Unfortunately, a big group of parents have gone through this. It’s not a community you want to be part of but the baby loss community is a beautiful one.”

Follow Robyn and read here story on Instagram by visiting @dearfreyarae.