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From baking to baby loss: A mother's public grief
Maddie Biggs, 28, turned to TikTok after her son Teddy died shortly after birth in September 2023. What began as a personal diary became a community of thousands who found comfort in her story.
Teddy's brief life and devastating loss
Teddy was born prematurely at 29 weeks with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), a condition where a hole in his diaphragm allowed organs to press against his underdeveloped lungs. Doctors at King's College Hospital in London had attempted an in-utero procedure-inserting a balloon to create space for lung growth-but Maddie went into labor just hours after a baby shower for Teddy.
Despite efforts at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Teddy lived for only 24 minutes. "They handed him to me in a blanket with his hat on," Maddie recalled. "The room was silent."
Creating memories in the Blossom Suite
The couple spent five days in the hospital's maternity bereavement room, the Blossom Suite, where specialist midwives helped them make lasting memories. They read to Teddy, sang to him, and took photos and videos. "They made it feel normal," Maddie said. "Without them, I'd have regrets-I wouldn't have things to look back on."
They also made casts of Teddy's hands and feet and spent time in the hospital's baby loss garden, using donated prams and keepsakes.
TikTok as a lifeline and legacy
Returning home without Teddy but surrounded by baby items left Maddie feeling lost. With no one in her life who had experienced similar loss, she turned to TikTok. Her first video, posted with a trigger warning, showed her and her husband holding Teddy in the Blossom Suite. "It was my grief diary," she said. "I wanted everyone to know Teddy existed."
Nearly 40,000 people now follow her account. Maddie believes baby loss remains a taboo topic, often dismissed as "scaremongering." But for her, sharing has been healing. "It's informative," she said. "It helps others feel less alone."
A bittersweet first Christmas with Emilia
This year, Maddie and her husband welcomed their daughter Emilia, now nine months old. While overjoyed, Maddie described the experience as "so excited but so terrified." Her TikTok videos about balancing grief and new parenthood have resonated deeply. "People tell me it's okay to feel joy and grief together," she said.
Christmas will be bittersweet. "It would've been Teddy's first Christmas where he really understood," Maddie said. The family encourages loved ones to send Teddy Christmas cards and donate to the Blossom Suite instead of buying gifts. They'll visit the baby loss garden on Christmas morning, now with Emilia, making it "really special."
Supporting others through loss
Tabitha Stuthridge, a specialist bereavement midwife at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, praised Maddie's openness. "We're privileged to support parents like Maddie during such a hard time," she said. "The Blossom Suite and garden offer comfort, and donations from families like theirs help us improve support for others."
"I wanted to scream Teddy's name from the rooftops. He was here, he matters."
Maddie Biggs
