by REBECCA SPARROW
Monday nights are usually pretty blah for me.
With the kids in bed, I’m often working. Half-watching Q&A. Making myself cups of tea. Forgetting to drink them. Making myself more cups of tea.
You know.
But last Monday night was rather extraordinary. I spent an hour talking on the phone to Debra Oswald who is the creator and head writer of Offspring.
I know.
No, seriously. I KNOW.
It was awesome. Even if the topic of our conversation was unbearably sad.
Deb and her writers are in the process of plotting out the storylines for season four of the show. A season that sees Nina and Patrick grappling with parenthood.
Offspring fans will know that such a pregnancy isn’t necessarily going to be all rainbows and ponies for Patrick whose first baby – a little boy named Gus – was stillborn.
And so it was that Debra Oswald (DEBRA OSWALD!!) wanted to talk to me to about Brad and my experiences losing Georgie. And then being pregnant with Fin. You see my husband Brad is an obstetrician. And there’s a whole other layer of trauma involved with experiencing a stillbirth when delivering babies (or in Patrick’s case being the anaesthetist in an obstetrics unit) is your job. Every day.
Part of the reason why Offspring is just so, so good is that the writers (led by Debra) work hard to get their storylines right.
And so Debra and I talked. About how I lost Georgie. About getting pregnant with Fin. About the waves of anxiety that washed over both Brad and me throughout that pregnancy. The feelings of guilt (it felt strangely disloyal at times to be excited about a new baby). The attempts to be brave. The loss of control Brad felt. All of it.
Top Comments
This is a great piece of writing and I am glad that you write about Georgie. I wish that I could talk/write about my son but it's been made clear that there are very few people who care.
We care. Feel free to write about him here :)
Bec, I love reading anything you write, and the way you write about Georgia is no exception.
I know that she would have heard yours and Brad's and Ava's voices while she was growing in your belly. And she will know forever that she is loved and adored.