Reality star Lauren Goodger's baby died hours after a 'textbook birth'. She needs to know why.

Content warning: This post includes discussion of stillbirth that may be distressing to some readers.

Eight weeks after giving birth to her baby girl, Larose, The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE) star Lauren Goodger fell pregnant with her second child. 

Sharing the news on her socials with her 840,000+ followers, Goodger shared her entire pregnancy journey online, just like she had done with baby Larose. 

"The news is out! I am having baby number two and it's another girl!! I'm so excited Larose will have a little sister," she said via Instagram.

"My body has changed so much and grown and carried both my pregnancies now for two years back to back… it's not been easy mentally or physically but I am so proud of it. What a beautiful magical thing a mother's body can do. I've had my down moments when nothing fits and I think my boobs are a mess. I am still breastfeeding Larose currently but I wouldn't change any of it. I'm proud of my baby girl – this body grown and nurtured my perfect baby girl. Not long now until my other little princess will be here... not saying it's been easy, but it's been god damn worth it."

Pregnancy was challenging for Goodger, but nothing out of the ordinary or to be concerned about.

She had planned to have her second child in a "natural home birth" as she did with her first child, even hiring a doula to help out. Her first labour was around seven hours long, so Goodger expected things to run smoothly.

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A post shared by Lauren Rose Goodger (@laurengoodger)

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A post shared by Lauren Rose Goodger (@laurengoodger)

Just before giving birth to her second child, Goodger wrote on Instagram that she was overwhelmed but looking forward to the new arrival alongside her partner Charles Drury. 

"I'm waiting now for this baby girl to arrive, which I will shower with love, kindness strength and all my time and affection. I don't want to be anywhere else apart from with my baby girls. I've cried a lot tonight. I've spent every minute with Larose as it's not going to be just me and her anymore but it's another new chapter of my life," she wrote.

"I feel scared, excited, nervous – all thoughts going around my head but I can't wait to have my baby girl in my arms I've waited so long for her to arrive."

But sadly a week later, Goodger lost her baby minutes after she was born.

Naming their second child Lorena, Goodger said she and her partner were in complete shock, and couldn't believe what had happened.

Ten doctors worked tirelessly to save Lorena, but it was unsuccessful. 

"There was no pregnancy or labour complications and she was fine and healthy. There was nothing wrong with her or myself, she was perfect – I can't understand it," she wrote after just coming back home from hospital. 

"The day I gave birth, I breastfed Larose and it started my contractions. [My doula] came but she could not feel her heartbeat – so she called an ambulance."

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Goodger said that when she delivered Lorena, she looked just like their first child Larose. Goodger then spent the next few hours holding her daughter and getting moulds of Lorena's hands and feet to keep.

"She is so, so beautiful. She was the most beautiful healthy baby I've ever seen – just like her sister. Words can't describe as a mother losing your baby that I carried for all these months perfectly and gave birth to, for my angel to be taken from me."

Given the publicity that surrounds Goodger given she was a cast member on TOWIE, she then signed off her update by asking the paparazzi to respect her and her family during this time.

"I just need this time with my baby girl Larose. She is my rock that's getting me through this or I wouldn't survive… I will never ever get over this but I will learn how to live every day with Lorena in my heart. She will be with me always and I will be with her again one day."

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In the days since, Goodger has said she is going to have a post-mortem done on her baby daughter in order to find out what happened.

"They think her oxygen may have been restricted. That is why I am having an autopsy. I need to understand how she died for my own sanity. She looked like she was sleeping. I thought she'd wake up," she said to The Sun this week.

"I went into hospital thinking I would come home with a baby girl but I came home with nothing. Lorena was a healthy baby, and it was a textbook pregnancy. They think her oxygen may have been restricted because she had two knots in her cord but normally babies can still get enough oxygen despite this..."

Saying this event has been "the most traumatic experience of my life," Goodger said she hopes by sharing her story that she will make other women feel seen. And since Goodger's interview with The Sun has been published, she has received many messages from mums who have gone through similar circumstance. 

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"I want to talk about her death to help other parents out there going through this. I want them to know they aren't alone."

She also confirmed that her partner and Lorena's dad Charlie was struggling too.

"Charlie was in pieces, he was screaming, 'Please save my baby'. It was awful. I sat in my bloodied sheets for four hours. They asked me if I wanted to shower and I said yes, but I just couldn't move. I just sat there in shock. That evening all of my family and Charlie's family came to meet her. It was a very emotional evening, just tears and crying and crying. I stayed awake all night with her."

She is now in the midst of planning a funeral for Lorena and sadly had to register her daughter's birth and death in the same instance. Goodger has also been supported by Petals and Tommy's, which is the UK's largest baby loss charity.

"I've been inundated with messages from people. There have been people in the public eye who have messaged me privately, people I know who wouldn't have said hello to me if I saw them. Their messages have helped me so much. I just hope my story helps other parents going through this to know that they are not alone."

If this has raised any issues for you or if you would like to speak with someone, please contact the Sands Australia 24-hour support line on 1300 072 637. 

You can download Never Forgotten: Stories of love, loss and healing after miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death for free here.

Feature Image: Instagram @laurengoodger.