An Irish mother named Ash recently shared a deeply personal look at her experience with a full-term stillbirth, posting a video montage on TikTok that has resonated with over 1.4 million viewers. The video documents the quiet journey that she and her husband took last year when they went to the hospital at 39 weeks to induce labor and deliver their son, Freddie, knowing they would have to say goodbye. The video began with a clip of Ash right before she left for the hospital, looking incredibly exhausted. As the clips played, Ash explained what was happening through the overlay text, writing that the video captured “the pain of going to hospital to give birth and say goodbye to the baby you’ve carried for 9 months.” Fortunately, the hospital had worked with them so that their grief wouldn’t be amplified. In the post, Ash noted that they were directed to a side entrance and then admitted to a bereavement room so that she wouldn’t cross paths with other pregnant women and babies. She told her viewers, “I look so exhausted. At this point I’d been sobbing for 3 days.” Pictures then documented their path to delivery: watching a movie, being given “A pessary, a sweep & gas and air,” and talking to her baby. With labour came her last, true, few moments with her son Ash told her audience that her labour was induced at 6 PM. “The universe was looking after me because my labour went too fast to get an epidural & the fetal ejection reflex took over. 1:17am he was here,” she wrote. “And he was so perfect.” Then she included censored photos and videos of her child. Moments where she or her husband cradled him, spoke to him, kissed him. “I recorded everything. I wanted to be able to look back at all these memories and remember my baby.” @weebiscuit This is what stillbirth looked like for us. On 23 March 2025, I gave birth to our son, Freddie. These are some of the only moments we ever got to have with him. I’m sharing them because he was here, he was loved, and because stillbirth, devastating as it is, is part of so many families’ stories. #stillborn #babyloss #birthvlog #grief #stillbirth ♬ nhạc nền – cblvvch – cblvvch In one clip, she held Freddie’s hand and said quietly that he had his father’s fingernails. She noted, “The midwives talked to him just like they did the living babies which meant so much.” She wrote, “We made casts & prints & as many memories as possible.” “There were so many tears but there were laughs and smiles too. I share this for any mother who walks this journey after me. This is my son Freddie. He existed. And we will always love him.” The community responded with an avalanche of support. Many commenters shared photos and stories of their own stillbirths. One user commented, “When one mama cries, we all cry. So sorry for your loss stay strong.” Another shared, “I didn’t have stillbirth but when I lost my baby at 18 weeks, they put me in a room by the labour ward and I could women in labour and baby’s heartbeat when they were getting checked over. I never cried so much in my life. absolutely awful.” Others offered words of comfort. One TikToker wrote, “All Freddie ever knew was warmth, comfort, a full tummy and love, what an amazing gift you gave him.” Another wrote, “An hour in heaven is 10 years on earth. He will see you in the morning.” According to the Cleveland Clinic, a stillbirth is defined as the death of a fetus after the 20th week of pregnancy. While many people associate the term specifically with a baby born without a heartbeat, the majority of stillbirths actually occur in the uterus. When it happens before this timeline, it is usually considered a miscarriage, and mothers often have to opt for a D&C. The Cleveland Clinic explains that these events can be caused by various factors, including complications with the placenta or umbilical cord, infections, or genetic conditions. In many cases, healthcare providers may not be able to identify a specific cause. The process following a stillbirth reportedly often involves induced labor, as medical teams work to provide the safest delivery options for the mother. The Cleveland Clinic notes that hospitals frequently offer parents the opportunity to hold the baby, create keepsakes like handprints or footprints, and take time to grieve in the hospital setting. This approach, the clinic noted, is intended to help families begin the process of processing their loss. For those seeking support, the clinic emphasizes that reaching out to counseling or pregnancy loss support groups is a common and helpful step in navigating the emotional aftermath of such a life-changing event. One TikToker shared how the loss never completely leaves a mother. She wrote, “I lost my daughter Sophie on 29th July 1989. I went through 21 hours of labour knowing she wouldnt survive. Its so hard. She lived 10 mins and all I have is a photo. I remember her every day”