Courtney And Ben’s Story
Our hearts shattered. You weren’t going to make it. The tears didn’t stop

We were ecstatic

Two and a half years of “trying.”

Those two lines meant the world to us

We started to prepare

Blood tests to confirm everything

We saw the doctor, we went to our first scan

There you were, a cute little 3cm bean

Wriggling around like you literally owned the joint

I cried with so much joy

Ben also had tears! This is rare

Weeks go by

We buy as much as we can

We love Baby Bunting!

Next scan… you’re still a ninja moving around like you own the joint… and to be honest… you did

We buy more

So much more

We announce you were here and ready for arrival in August

Everyone loves you immediately

Next scan

You decided not to wriggle and were cool as a cucumber

Ok, no worries – must be tiring at 8am in the morning being poked to wake up and move around

It’s confirmed… we are in the clear and you’re a…. BOY!

I cry again, with excitement… a mother knows – since we found out you were coming I suspected you were going to be my little man!

We tell our family their first little boy was coming and cooking nicely

A few days goes past and we have all of these amazing plans

What we are going to do, teach you, how we are going to bring you up, and watch you grow.. What a bliss weekend that was… knowing we had a little man.. a mini Ben.. I couldn’t be happier or more proud of a father Ben would become

Monday rolls around and we get called to see the doctor

Our world slightly crumbled

Finding out there was a possible anomaly with our last scan

Our hearts were in our throats

We didn’t know what to do, say or feel

From then on the week was a blur

We couldn’t tell you what we even thought or felt over those next few days

Friday 3rd April a day we will never forget…

Another scan…

A scan that would change our lives forever…

There you were..

It was confirmed… you had Myelomeningocele

This is the most severe case of spina bifida

Your back was open, your spine was exposed, and your spinal cord was not formed properly

You also had Chiari malformation – type two

You already had fluid on the brain…

Our hearts shattered

You weren’t going to make it

The tears didn’t stop

Our stomachs had dropped and we were beyond numb

The weekend went by with so many emotions

Sunday was our last day with you

Monday rolled around

I was admitted into hospital and induced at 3pm

We spoke about you to everyone we came into contact with

They loved you, loved our story, loved your name

You were everything

The contractions started

Bearable

They got worse and worse throughout the night and into the early hours of the morning

They were still bearable compared to the heartbreak and emptiness I felt

The time came

3.31 am you were born

Tuesday 7th April 2020

Stillborn

Breach

25.5cm long

17cm head circumference

To me, you were perfect

We held you for the first time and it was magical

I was wheeled into surgery

An hour went past

I was wheeled back into our room

There you were

In your bassinet

Blue beanie

Wrapped in a silk pocket with a blue crystal Angel

You were surrounded by your teddies and your naming card

You looked so peaceful

So gorgeous

You were my baby boy

We spent the next 48 hours with you by my bedside

We had cuddles

We had kisses

But then it was time to go

Leaving the hospital was hard

It broke me into a million little pieces

Knowing you weren’t with me physically anymore

I know the nurses looked after you over the long weekend

The following week we signed the papers to have you collected and cremated

The next week we picked you up and brought you home

It shatters me every day that you are not here with me in my arms, but I know you are forever on my mind and forever in my heart

Until we meet again

Atreus Stanley

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Last updated on June 4, 2026
Published on March 29, 2020

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