Couple donate cuddle cot to Northern Beaches Hospital in memory of baby Roseanna Doyle

A special cot that allows grieving parents to spend more time with their babies before they say their final goodbye has been donated to Northern Beaches Hospital.

Danielle Mooney knew something was wrong with her unborn baby girl when she noticed she wasn’t moving as much as usual.

After pushing for a scan at Royal North Shore Hospital and other checks she was told the baby, who was at 41 weeks gestation, had a healthy heartbeat and everything was well.

Nevertheless she insisted her induction date be brought forward as soon as possible and it was moved forward three days.

However, the day before her induction she noticed her baby’s movements had become erratic, which she now knows can be a sign of distress, so went back to the hospital.

Danielle Mooney and Kevin Doyle with their baby daughter Roseanna, who was stillborn. Picture: Heartfelt Photography.

Roseanna Doyle, who was stillborn. Picture: Heartfelt Photography.

Again the baby was checked and she was told everything was well.

Tragically, the next day when she arrived to be induced, doctors were unable to find a heartbeat.

Ms Mooney, 31, a hairdresser, who lives with her partner Kevin Doyle, 32, in Cammeray, said six babies are stillborn every day in Australia and in most cases doctors are unable to determine why.

An independent investigation found no-one was to blame and all the procedures were followed correctly.

The couple said that although all the tests had shown that the baby, named Roseanna, was healthy, women should always trust their instincts.

Danielle Mooney and Kevin Doyle, of Cammeray, suffered the loss of their baby daughter Roseanna, at almost 42 weeks gestation at Royal North Shore Hospital. They have fundraised for a cuddle cot which allows the baby to be kept at the right temperature so the family can spend all the time they need to say goodbye. Picture: Supplied.

“I listened to my intuition and I knew something wasn’t right,” she said.

Now the couple, who want to raise awareness of the signs that can lead to stillbirth, have also thrown themselves into fundraising for specialist equipment that allowed them to spend four precious days with baby Roseanna after she was delivered in October last year.

They and their friends and family raised more than $6000 for a cuddle cot, which keeps the baby at a cool temperature so parents can spend time with them.

The equipment allows parents a chance to bond with their baby, to love and hold them, take pictures, even take them home and take them for walks, creating precious memories.

A further $6000 went to the stillborn awareness charity Still Aware.

The cuddle cot was donated via a charity called Bears of Hope and could have gone to any facility in Australia, but by coincidence it went to Northern Beaches Hospital, just a stone’s throw from Roseanna’s final resting place at Frenchs Forest cemetery.

They can even see the top of the hospital from their home in Cammeray.

Danielle Mooney and Kevin Doyle, of Cammeray, suffered the loss of their baby daughter Roseanna, at almost 42 weeks gestation at Royal North Shore Hospital. They have fundraised for a cuddle cot which allows the baby to be kept at the right temperature so the family can spend all the time they need to say goodbye. Picture: Supplied.

“I can’t imagine people going through what we did and not being able to spend time with their baby,” Mr Doyle, an operations manager said. “We were told these cuddle cots are not mandatory for hospitals.

“We hope the one we donated never gets used, but given the numbers and the fact that we know so many people that it’s happened to, knowing that somebody might have that time with their child because of something we and our friends and family donated towards, was just the reason we did it really.”

Roseanna Doyle, daughter of Danielle Mooney and Kevin Doyle, of Cammeray, was stillborn. Picture: Heartfelt Photography.

The couple, who both originate from Ireland, said it was hard that their family did not get to meet her because of COVID restrictions.

“There was only a small window, but knowing that our family never got to see her and to hold her and to give her a kiss, even though it was a goodbye kiss, was difficult,” Ms Mooney said.

However, volunteer photographers from Heartfelt Photography came in and took pictures of them with Roseanna which they have been able to share.

The couple plan to raise more funds next year for charities that support parents who have lost children to stillbirth, with another walk from Curl Curl to Chinaman’s Beach – which was supported by around 40 friends, and a cycle ride from Royal North Shore Hospital to Wollongong.

Kevin Doyle and friends cycled from Royal North Shore Hospital to Wollongong to raise funds in memory of his daughter Roseanna who was stillborn.

Friends of Danielle Mooney and Kevin Doyle who took part in a walk to raise funds for a cuddle cot in memory of their daughter Roseanna, who was stillborn. Picture: Supplied.