On June 8 2022 Lauren Verona gave birth at home to a beautiful little girl – a shining light that she named Lucinda. She was surrounded by the loves of her life – her husband, Ryan Gaylard, and her other girls – Allira and Evie. ( giving birth )
Just hours after Lauren, 42, held her newborn baby girl in her arms and cuddled her close, she started to feel very ill. On the same day she welcomed Lucinda into the world, Lauren passed away.
She suffered from an extremely rare condition called amniotic fluid embolism, where fluid from the womb enters the bloodstream and causes organ failure. Lauren was rushed to the Sunshine Coast hospital but was unable to be saved.
Unfathomable loss
The Sunshine Coast community is absolutely devastated by the loss of Lauren, who ran a very successful yoga studio in Noosa and Maroochydore.
Ryan and Lauren were only married four months ago and the couple was more than excited to welcome their third little girl into the world. Lauren admitted at 30 weeks pregnant that the pregnancy was taking its toll thanks to pelvic instability, anaemia and gestational diabetes.
She was given the all-clear to have a natural birth and experienced a beautiful home birth at 41 weeks gestation.
Perfect natural birth
Ryan described the home birth as ”Lauren’s perfect natural birth, exactly how we had practised”.
The couple had undertaken a hypnobirthing course that “empowered Lauren to gracefully bring Lucinda into this world, just how she wanted to”.
Amniotic fluid embolism is extremely rare and not completely understood. It’s estimated that it can impact between 1.7 and 5.4 per 100,000 women giving birth, depending on various studies.
A coroner is investigating and the family has been told that the home birth had nothing to do with her death.
This condition is as rare as hens’ teeth and our family has been informed by hospital staff, no matter where Lauren birthed Lucinda, horrifyingly, the result would have been the same,” Ryan said.
Ryan’s touching tribute
It’s been nearly one month since the family lost Lauren and Ryan has opened up about the grief of losing the love of his life while welcoming his daughter.
This has been an extremely difficult time that no words could properly explain.
There is pain from our unfathomable loss but our hearts are filling from our little bundle of joy that Lauren has blessed us with.
Lucinda means light and she most certainly is a light in these dark times.”
Lucinda is surrounded by the love of her dad and sisters and is sleeping and eating well and benefitting from breast milk donated by friends and strangers.
These three girls are my absolute priority for the rest of my life.”
He also spoke out about the day Lauren passed.
I was with her during her fight to hold, talk to and look into her eyes. I spoke to her of our love, Allira, Evie and Lucinda’s love and to fight to stay with us.
She knew Lucinda was OK and perfect. I told her all the amazing things I could think of at the time, and most importantly, that I knew she was strong enough to do this.
She momentarily gained a heartbeat, a testament to her divine strength. I was with her when the doctors had exhausted all efforts and we had our last moments before saying farewell for now.
The universe had a higher plan for our beloved Lauren.”
Two little mothers for baby Lucinda
Lauren’s girls have also spoken out, explaining that the day their welcomed their baby sister and lost their mum was the “happiest and saddest day of their lives”.
They have vowed to raise Lucinda as their mum would have.
Little baby Lucinda makes me feel better each and every time I glance at her,” said Allira. “I will treat Lucinda as mum treated me, as mum would want me to.
My mum’s memory will never fade. My mum is forever in our hearts, emotionally and spiritually.”
Lauren’s legacy
Lauren’s community also shared their own tribute to their inspiring leader on social media.
This unfathomable loss is felt deeply by all of us that are part of her teaching team, by her family, her friends and we know it will be by all who came to know her.
Lauren has touched and CHANGED more lives than anyone can comprehend and it is our greatest loss to not get to continue to share her joy, her spirit and her wisdom with this world.
In this time of darkness, we still have a shining light, not only in Lucinda, but also those who she leaves behind, especially Ryan and her daughters. May they and we all continue to share her light, her wisdom, her laughter, her tears for lifetimes to come.”
