Angela Carter was alone with her doctor undergoing a routine pregnancy scan when given the most devastating news of her life.
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With her husband and young daughter made to wait outside due to strict COVID protocols, she was told her baby boy, Bob, had died at just 21 weeks.
"I felt like I was out in the wilderness on my own," she says.
"It was very much a burden that I had to carry on my own."
It was June 2020, and Angela says her doctor was more focused on the virus restrictions than supporting her.
"Looking back, it just made a bad situation so much worse," she says.
The 39-year-old, her husband Paul and their two girls live in the small regional NSW town of Denman.
Before Bob could be delivered, however, they were told she would have to drive one-and-a-half hours to a hospital in Newcastle to undergo more tests.
Initially Paul was told he couldn't be with her for the birth but the hospital decided to make an exception.
Angela says she was still in shock as she held her baby in her arms and said goodbye.
But after giving birth, things went from bad to worse.
Back home, she had a phone appointment booked with her GP in Denman.
"When the doctor called he just said: 'I only deal with pregnancy and I don't need to see you anymore because you're not pregnant'," she tells AAP.
"I was shocked that a GP that specialises in pregnancy didn't see it as his role to provide anything in pregnancy loss ... It was just 'Well, I don't need to see you anymore'."
She then waited six weeks for a follow up appointment with the hospital.
"It surprised me, the lack of support and understanding that was out there," Angela says.
"I'm pregnant again now with our fourth child and the hospital has been so supportive but when you're in that period when you're not pregnant and you've lost your baby - there's nothing."
Sadly, Angela is not alone in her experience.
Red Nose Australia (RNA) figures reveal six babies die from stillbirth in Australia every day.
"We're hearing a number of stories like Angela's where mums are having to go into scans on their own," chief executive Keren Ludski says.
"It is heartbreaking to think of people being alone in that moment."
Mrs Carter was introduced to RNA at her six-week hospital check-up and at the time, was unaware the leading national charity supported families who had experienced stillbirths.
"It was very comforting to know that there were charities like Red Nose that actually do provide support for people and great resources," she says.
Talking to a counsellor helped her through this difficult period, she says, as did speaking to others who had been through similar trauma.
Red Nose has seen a 45 per cent rise in calls to their bereavement support line and a 40 per cent jump in demand for counselling since the pandemic began.
"We're seeing many families who have experienced loss during the COVID period, who are so incredibly isolated and their normal support structures are just not available to them," Ms Ludski says.
"We have to have a successful Red Nose Day so that we can continue to offer that free 24/7 support for families."
Red Nose Day is Friday, August 13.
Donate now by visiting rednose.org.au/donate.
For support call Red Nose Australia's 24/7 Bereavement Support Line on 1300 308 307.
Australian Associated Press
