Mom who lost her first two children during pregnancy says exercise ‘saved her’

a mother and suitability Koch, who suffered the devastating loss of her first two pregnancies due to rare and unrelated health conditions, has spoken about the solace she found in exercise.

Jade Milner, 35, candidly said that “fitness without a doubt saved me” during an incredibly challenging period in her life.

With her partner Dan Whytock, also 35, Ms Milner’s first pregnancy 2020 brought hope of happiness for his son Peter. However, a three-month ultrasound scan revealed a serious and rare genetic disorder, Patau syndrome. Tragically, the baby died in the womb and was later removed during an operation.

The couple, from Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, faced further heartbreak the following year when they discovered they were pregnant again with a baby boy named Oscar.

During a three-month ultrasound scan, it was discovered the baby had gastroschisis, where a defect or hole develops in the abdominal wall, preventing Oscar from growing normally and resulting in “serious complications” – and the couple made the “impossible” decision to terminate the pregnancy.

Now the mother of three healthy children, two-year-old Leo and five-month-old twin girls Esme and Raya, Milner has urged other women who have experienced infant loss “Try and see the light” as he highlighted the importance of “talking about what you’re going through.”

,HealthWithout a doubt, saved me,” Ms Milner told PA real life,

“I started to appreciate what my body can do, and not hate my body, or hate myself.

“It started becoming a privilege to train, to try to take care of my body.

“It gave me the strength to know ‘I can do this’.”

In November 2020 the couple revealed they were expecting their first child, named Peter.

However, during a three-month ultrasound scan, it was revealed that Peter had died in the womb as a result of Patau syndrome.

according to NHSPatau syndrome is a serious, rare genetic disorder caused by having an extra copy of chromosome 13 in some or all of the body’s cells.

The NHS says the disorder, which affects one in every 4,000 births, seriously disrupts normal development and, in many cases, leads to miscarriage, stillbirth or death of the baby soon after birth.

Ms Milner said that in February 2021 she underwent an “extensive” operation at a medical clinic “to take Peter away from (her)”.

“It was excruciating afterwards and there was a lot of bleeding which I was not prepared for,” she said.

Eager to “try again”, the couple learned Ms Milner was pregnant in October 2021, and decided to name one child Oscar.

However, a three-month ultrasound scan revealed an “abnormality”, and Ms Milner was referred Royal London Hospital to investigate further, where she said she met “the most incredible team”.

There, it was discovered that Oscar has gastroschisis – a condition where the baby develops a defect or hole in the abdominal wall while still inside the womb, according to the NHS.

This condition, which occurs in one in every 7,000 births, causes part of the intestine to bulge out through the hole and continue to grow outside the baby’s abdomen.

“It’s something that can be fixed at birth, so we always tried to remain hopeful,” Ms Milner said.

“However, every time we checked, things weren’t great and it was realized that the gastroschisis was preventing Oscar’s organs from growing – things weren’t working the way they should.”

The couple said they had been informed that Oscar had been left paralyzed in his limbs, and that he would suffer from “numerous and serious” health complications.

Ms Milner said she and her husband were “asked to decide” whether they wanted to continue the pregnancy.

Becoming emotional, Ms Milner said: “You are choosing to end his life – his life could potentially recover but it is very unlikely.

“You weigh everything in your mind because you want to stay hopeful, but you wonder what their life will be like.

“There are so many endless complications and it got to the point where we had to decide he wasn’t going to do it.”

Ms Milner’s pregnancy was terminated by injection at 25 weeks Royal London Hospital In April 2022.

Several days later, Ms Milner gave birth to her stillborn baby after nine hours of labor at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow.

In the weeks and months that followed, Ms Milner said she could neither eat nor sleep, she “couldn’t stop crying” and she struggled to leave the house.

She gradually returned to work as a gym coach and “worked hard for years” to put her energy into fitness, saying that it “saved” her.

In September 2022, Ms Milner started her own business, empower meA women’s online training program aimed at helping women and mothers become stronger and more confident.

Then she discovered she was pregnant with her now healthy two-year-old son, Leo.

Then, in August 2024, Ms Milner discovered she was pregnant again – this time with twin girls. Esme and Raya were born on April 14 this year.

Ms Milner advised other women in her position to “try to see the light”.

To learn more, visit Jade’s website powerfulmehq.com