Hollyoaks star Kirsty-Leigh Porter surprised fans on Wednesday with an Instagram photo of her partner Paul Barber carrying their newborn out of the hospital in a car-seat, including a string of emojis, including a baby, stars, praying hands and a rainbow, according to Daily Mail. Porter’s friends and co-workers were quick to respond as the photo of her partner and baby posted.
Metro reported Hollyoaks alums Sarah Jayne Dunn, Stephanie Waring and Nikki Sanderson all congratulated Porter. Ruby O’Donnell responded, “The best thing to happen this year!!” The English soap opera actress, 31, kept the pregnancy a secret, never announcing or posting the popular baby bump photo. Many soon-to-be mothers choose to keep their pregnancy private, particularly if they’ve suffered pregnancy complications in the past, and it's becoming more common with celebrities, too.
In fact, a rainbow baby is a term for infants born healthy to a family after first suffering a miscarriage or stillbirth. In December of 2018, Porter gave birth to Penny-Leigh Barber, stillborn at just 29 weeks and three days. She took time off from acting and posted several Instagram posts, in grief, but also to help others.
She shared a card on Instagram that she and Barber had received from National Health Service, NHS; healthcare services for those living in the UK, with Penny’s feet and hand prints. At the time, she said she had “never felt pain like it” and later posted in March of 2019 on the due date Penny-Leigh was expected. “The date I could NOT wait for, is finally here and it’s nothing how I had thought it would be. I can’t help imagining, would you have been here by now,” Porter wrote.
She shared her heartbreak with fans, questioning if her posts were welcome, but felt her experience could support other mothers in the same situation and educate others on miscarriage and stillbirth. For example, Porter described each flutter, kick and movement in her womb, wondering if she knew then what she knew now, how much more she would have appreciated the experience.
According to NHS, some stillbirths are linked to complications with the pregnancy, but for many, the cause is unknown. Women are at risk for postpartum depression and there are many support groups available to help mothers and fathers grieve. While subsequent pregnancies are considered a higher risk due to stillbirth, the chances of a second stillbirth are only three percent according to the Cleveland Clinic. Your doctor can tell you when you’re physically ready to try again, but only you can decide when you’re emotionally ready to go down that path.
The March of Dimes hosts StillBirthStories.org; a forum to offer support to parents suffering from a miscarriage or stillbirth.