The parents of a baby girl who died at just four weeks old have spent 16 days with her after her passing, documenting the experience in photos.
The 21-year-old mother, Charlotte Szakacs, has spoken out about the experience and said that it has been a huge emotional help for her and the 28-year-old father Attila. She told Metro that having time to ‘cuddle’ has made all the difference.
“So many people have never heard of parents being able to spend that time with their babies and other mums reached out to me saying they think it would have helped so I really want to raise awareness.
“I know it might not be the best option for everyone but for us it was so important to be able to have that family time – and just properly cuddle our little girl.”
She added, “I think having the time with her made such a difference. Being able to do so many of the things you imagine like taking her out in her pram, it really helped emotionally.
“I was really nervous about bringing her home because I didn’t know if it would feel right but it was so nice to have her there. And it wasn’t just for us but for Evlyn so she got to come home.”
Their baby girl Evlyn was born on December 13 in Leeds, UK with an underdeveloped brain, narrow airways in her nose and lungs and a narrow aorta.
She lived for four weeks, battling against her ailments, but was unable to receive the heart surgery that she needed because she couldn’t breathe on her own. She died on January 10.
After she passed away, she was kept in a refrigerated ‘cuddle cot’ for 12 days, and her parents could occasionally take her for walks. Four days before her funeral on January 26, the parents took her home and spent time with her in the park and in their house.
Charlotte is very grateful for her time with Evlyn, and while she misses her terribly, she knows that her baby girl is in a better place.
See the photos they took here.
