The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Tragic mum says thanks to hundreds of followers
A FIFE mum who blogged about her pregnancy has been inundated with messages of support after her baby lived for just one day.
Debbie Chalmers (31), of Rosyth, started an online blog last year to share recipes and housekeeping tips with other internet users and said sharing her pregnancy with those who read her page seemed like the natural thing to do.
When her nine-month journey ended in tragedy on July 4, Mrs Chalmers felt she had to tell the terrible news to those who had followed her progress and went public about her loss.
She told The Courier that kind words, even from complete strangers, had been a comfort after losing her daughter Daisy.
“As I was expecting a baby, this naturally came into the conversation on my blog and, since I shared the news of my pregnancy, my followers and readers have kept up to date with my progress,” added Mrs Chalmers.
“One of my followers, based in Cornwall, even knitted me a baby blanket and sent it to me in the post.
“When my due date came and went, I started to receive messages, tweets and emails from others inquiring as to how we were doing.
“I didn’t want to disappear off the face of the earth so I shared the sad news with the online community that my beautiful baby girl, Daisy, had sadly died at just a day old.
“Since then, the support and kindness I have received has been really very touching.
“These people are complete strangers to me, other than via social networking and blogs, but have taken the time to send condolences and messages of comfort at what has been such a traumatic time.
“I’ve found it helpful to share my story with strangers as they are a step removed from the intensity of the grief we find ourselves wading through and can offer practical, impartial advice and support.
“Just to know there are so many others out there who care has been a source of strength to me at this incredibly difficult time.”
The customer services coordinator at Carnegie College in Dunfermline got married to Douglas (32) a year ago. She has a six-year-old daughter called Lizzie and a three-year-old stepson, Blake.
Her pregnancy had been normal but after Daisy was delivered on Tuesday July 3 shortly after midnight, the little girl started to become poorly and was transferred to the special care baby unit. Daisy’s condition deteriorated rapidly and she passed away early the next morning.
Mrs Chalmers said: “I am now building my connections with other bereaved parents and bloggers who have suffered a neonatal loss to build my support network further and take comfort in the words of others.
“Perhaps one day I can write words that will support and comfort other parents who tragically find themselves going through a similar situation.”
Her blog Family Life in Fife covers topics from money-saving hints to home-baking. As a sufferer of coeliac disease, she found blogging useful for finding out more about gluten-free food.
She added: “Writing my blog now has given me an outlet to communicate in a written form how I am feeling and to try to make sense of the jumbled, mixed-up thoughts rushing through my head.
“I cannot say for sure whether I will feel like writing every day, or every week. Tomorrow, I will worry about tomorrow.
“For now, blogging and tweeting is giving me strength and comfort and, as long as it continues to do so, I will keep doing it.
“I hope that, in time, I will get back to writing about all the other aspects of my life.
“For now I am learning to cope with my grief.”