Kit, Blake, and Arlo's story

Life before.

In November of 2019 before our worlds were hit by COVID we learnt of my endometriosis diagnosis. This put the wonders of our future family at the forefront of our minds. After trying naturally for a few months we sought the help of an IVF specialist - we knew my endometriosis had affected my fertility but it came as a shock to also find out that Blake had a condition called azoospermia. The only way for us to build a family was through IVF. After surgeries for both Blake and myself we were able to commence our first round of IVF. Three egg collections later and four transfers we saw those two beautiful lines on the pregnancy test.

Our pregnancy was uneventful. With healthy scans and tests we found out we were having a beautiful baby boy - Arlo. He was a mover and a shaker, like his mum and dad. Loved the water and danced when the record player was on.

At our 38 week scan everything was looking good and we were due to go in for a scheduled c-section just a short 7 days after as Arlo was breech. A few days later I had reduced movements so decided to head into the hospital. I knew something was wrong. After what felt like a lifetime the obstetrician told us that our little boy had gone, and with those few words our life changed forever.

Life after.

Our Baby boy Arlo was born at 8.57pm on 2nd January 2023. Weighing 2.795kg and 50cm long - he was perfection. Nose and hands like his mum, ears and feet like his dad. A perfect blend.

It’s still not known how or why Arlo passed and we probably will never know, however it most likely was due to a hyper-coiled cord with a blood clot.

We spent 5 beautiful days with our baby boy in the hospital thanks to what is called a Cuddle Cot. A cuddle cot preserves his body by keeping it cool whilst he sleeps. We were able to hold and kiss our baby boy for those five days and although we were not gifted a life of time with him, we were gifted those special moments.

My auntie also experienced the tragic fate of a stillborn 31 years ago with my cousin Djemma who was born with a still heart at 38 weeks also due to a cord issue. She did not have a Cuddle Cot so only received 30 minutes with her baby girl. The appreciation Blake and I have for those 5 days is beyond imaginable.

Life in the future.

We never thought we’d be going to the hospital to leave without our baby, but we did. 6 families a day in Australia have to. By being open and sharing Arlo’s story we hope we can raise awareness and money for the unfortunate reality that stillborn and neonatal deaths happen. We hope the money raised can help those families get the support and resources to help them with a little light in the darkest of days.

What your donation will do.

In Australia, 6 babies are stillborn each day, affecting more than 2000 families each year. To honour Baby Arlo and to help families that will experience stillbirth we're fundraising for Bears Of Hope Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support. The first $6,500 raised will provide a Cuddle Cot to a hospital in need of one, so parents are able to spend precious time building memories with their newborns before saying goodbye. What makes this particular Cuddle Cot extra special is that it will carry the words "Lovingly donated in honour of Arlo Norrish 02.01.23", acting as both a lasting tribute to Arlo and a reminder to parents that use the Cuddle Cot that they are not alone, in fact surrounded by and connected to a network of parents that have felt what they're feeling and are there to support. All additional funds raised will go towards Bears Of Hope grief support services providing counselling, support groups, grief workshops, parent support weekends, community events and crucial resources to help families navigate this heartbreaking time.

Your support of any amount is gratefully appreciated, and every dollar up to our target will be matched by 7-Eleven Australia.