Helen Savage with her husband and children Aimee and Nathan

A BALLINDERRY woman who suffered the anguish of having a still-born baby two years ago has set up a website to help other women in similar circumstances.

In February 2005 Helen Savage was 39 weeks pregnant with her first child Samuel when he developed Group B streptococcus, a bacterial condition, and died.

The news was even more devastating because until then Helen (29) had a trouble-free pregnancy.

But she became worried one day when she did not Feel her baby move and went to Lagan Valley Hospital where an ultrasound scan found that her precious baby had died.

Everything had gone really well throughout the pregnancy until then," said Helen. "He grew and all the antenatal checks went fine. He seemed strong and healthy, and I felt him kick, hiccup, and somersault."

Helen and her husband Sam went home and the following day Helen was induced. On Wednesday February 16 2005, she gave birth to Samuel, who weighed 7lb 9oz.

Since then the couple had two more children, Aim�e and Nathan, but following the loss of her first child Helen found the situation unbearable and went onto the internet in search for support groups which helped her deal with the bereavement.

She decided she wanted to create something that reflected her own situation and in February, on Samuel's second birthday, she set up the website Life After Loss, a support group for parents who have lost children.

The site, www.lifeafterloss.org.uk/forum, already has 238 members, with up to 222 new messages posted every day.

They have members in Northern Ireland, England, the USA and Australia and there is a section where people can light candles for their babies.

"We were so devastated when Samuel died and found it all very difficult to cope with," Helen said. "I did not know much about still births so thought I was the only one that this had happened to. I found it unbearable to talk to people so I turned to the internet - it was my life line.

"The website helped me move forward and was a way of remembering Samuel and knowing that I am doing something in his memory."

mary.magee@jpress.co.uk

05/10/2007