Premature birth can be incredibly lonely, says Princess Beatrice
Princess Beatrice said premature birth can be “incredibly lonely” as she recounted her own experiences for a podcast ahead of World Prematurity Day.
His remarks are part of a campaign by premature birth research charity Borne, of which he is a patron, months after his daughter was born several weeks early.
“I think a lot of the time, especially as mothers, we spend our lives feeling like we have to be perfect to do this,” Beatrice told the podcast.
“And sometimes, when you’re faced with that moment when you find out your baby is coming a little early, it can be incredibly lonely.”
The news of the princess’s second pregnancy was announced by Buckingham Palace in October last year, and the princess gave birth to her second daughter, Athena Elizabeth Rose, in January.
Beatrice, 37, the eldest daughter of the former Duke of York and the King’s brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was due to give birth to her daughter in early spring and received medical advice in December not to travel long distances.
After changing travel plans to spend the holiday period abroad, he joined the royal family at church at Sandringham on Christmas Day and doctors were said to have warned him that an early arrival was possible.
“Nothing can prepare you for the moment you realize your baby is coming early.” wrote in British Vogue in March“too little control.” he adds.
The Princess said she “looks forward to supporting Borne and its groundbreaking research program” during her patronage.
Last week Beatrice visited the charity’s research laboratories at London’s Chelsea and Westminster Hospital as part of its Every Week Counts campaign.
According to Borne, 15 million babies are born too early each year and 60,000 babies (1 in 13) are born prematurely each year in the UK.
The charity says complications from premature birth remain the leading cause of neonatal death and lifelong disability.
The princess said she felt a “life-changing sense of relief” knowing Borne was supporting the research and asking important questions.
He added that he hopes his support for the campaign will “bring more people with their own stories to come and share them.”
“Then maybe we can learn from each other.”
World Prematurity Day is organized every year by the World Health Organization.
