Mom Loses Son After He’s Diagnosed with Terminal Condition. Then This Device Gave Her the ‘Gift of Time’ to Grieve

At her 12-week scan, Emily Rollinson learned her baby had a condition doctors said was terminal.

Heartbroken, she chose to continue the pregnancy, saying she wanted her son — whom she named Dexter — to have the chance to decide, in his own time, when he would let go. She was induced at 38 weeks. Dexter was alive at the start of the induction, but died two hours before he was born.

“When he arrived, I spent 24 hours in the bereavement suite in my hospital,” Rollinson, who has been sharing her journey on TikTok, says. “I had hand and footprints taken and gave Dexter his only bath.”

“I had photos taken by a charity, and my family came to meet him,” she continues. “After 24 hours, I went home and Dexter came with me. The funeral home collected him from the hospital and delivered him home.”

Dexter was able to stay with Rollinson and her family for 10 days in a CuddleCot — a portable, water-cooled bassinet system that cools the carriage to slow down natural changes in a baby who has died. CuddleCots give grieving families more time to create memories, bond, and say goodbye.

“I was made aware of a CuddleCot at around 28 weeks pregnant when I spoke to the bereavement midwife,” Rollinson says. “In the U.K. [where Rollinson lives], most [grieving] parents will use a CuddleCot at home for around five days, but this is flexible and every family needing it can decide for themselves.”

“CuddleCots provide families of stillborn babies the gift of time, which is the most precious thing in this situation,” she adds. “CuddleCots are used worldwide and commonly donated to hospitals by parents who have used [them] and understand the importance to families.”

For Rollinson, the CuddleCot didn’t only help her and her partner. It also gave her older child time to understand what had happened — and a way to be included in the family’s goodbye.

“My daughter was 2 and 3 months when Dexter was born,” Rollinson says. “She loved him from the moment she met him and talks about him all the time. I was advised by many professionals that allowing her to be part of the grieving process was the best thing to do.”

“It’s just over a year since Dexter was born and he is spoken about daily,” she shares. “We watch the videos and reminisce [about] the time we had with him.”

Looking back, Rollinson says she’s grateful for the days she had with Dexter at home — time that allowed her to grieve privately, in a space that felt safe, and at a pace that felt manageable.

“I am so grateful we have such amazing memories of our time with Dexter,” she says. “We were able to process our grief in our own home, in our time, while having Dexter with us.”

“While we were home, I took him for a walk, got castings of his hands, feet and face, danced and watched Disney films and even put our Christmas tree up,” she continues.

“I think, unless you are in the position that you have a stillborn baby that you have grown and loved but not had time with, you may not understand my decision to take Dexter home. However, a CuddleCot is there for parents for this exact reason, and I don’t regret any of my decisions.”