Lanarkshire MP backs campaign for more baby loss units in Scotland

Joani Reid is getting behind the campaign started by East Kilbride woman Louise Caldwell after she delivered her sleeping baby.

Author: Callum McQuadePublished 14th Oct 2024

The MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven, Joani Reid, is backing calls for more baby loss units across Scotland.

It's as campaigners step up their fight to open up more after the facility in Wishaw launched in August last year.

She told Greatest Hits Radio: "I find it really sad that the SNP would politicise this issue, these are traumatised women we are dealing with.

"We just want an update as to where we are with the commitment to open more baby loss wards.

"This is responsibility of the Scottish Government and given that it is baby loss awareness week, I would really like to hear what they are going to do."

Louise Caldwell's baby was born sleeping back in 2019.

She and her husband Craig had to sit in a maternity ward surrounded by other parents with their healthy newborns, cards, gifts and flowers.

She said: "Over the last 12 months, not one thing has been done to progress the opening of similar units anywhere else.

"I am absolutely livid and we should not be having to plead for another room to deliver a sleeping baby, it is barbaric and inhumane."

Louise has been taking names of sleeping babies from parents, writing them down on ribbons and hanging them outside the council's HQ in Hamilton for baby loss awareness week.

She added: "Being pregnant is a rollercoaster of emotions, but many more women are anxious that they might need to deliver their stillborn child within the live maternity unit.

"It's just not acceptable."

We've asked the Scottish Government for comment.

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.