Throughout her pregnancy, the mother had no idea about what was to come.

Kristy Alexander, 33, from Kent, England, experienced a deeply emotional journey: halfway through her pregnancy, she was informed that one of her babies would not survive.

At week 4 of her pregnancy, Kristy noticed unusual signs and, fearing a possible complication, she and her husband, John, scheduled an ultrasound for week 7.

However, the doctors reassured them that there was nothing unusual and that she was pregnant with triplets instead of one.

“My belly grew very quickly after I found out I was pregnant, but I didn’t think it would be so different from my first pregnancy.

I had some bleeding, so I felt very anxious and decided to go for an ultrasound earlier than planned.

I was terrified that something was wrong, but the doctor congratulated me because the ultrasound showed two heartbeats, then he paused and added, ‘or maybe three.’

Recalling that moment, I was incredibly happy. I imagined what they would look like, what their personalities would be like, and what I imagined most was holding them safely in my arms.” “My baby,” Kristy recalled.

But at 18 weeks pregnant, a scan revealed a serious problem with Dotty: fluid buildup around her brain and other developmental issues, which ultimately meant she would not survive.

And Kristy—this brave mother—had to continue the pregnancy knowing that her little one, Dotty, would be gone too soon.

All three of Kristy’s children—Dotty, Delilah, and Wilfred—were later born on March 6, via C-section at 36 weeks of gestation.

Kirsty also said she struggled with anxiety about her two remaining children:

“The first few weeks were overwhelming. I felt like I couldn’t leave the house because my anxiety was increasing and I was so afraid something would happen to one of my children.”

Despite the strong support from the midwives and everyone’s advice for Kristy to share her feelings with those around her, Kristy felt she “didn’t feel strong enough to face” what had happened.

Therefore, she chose Instagram as the platform to express her feelings.

“It helped so much to release some of the fear, sadness, and emotions that I had been holding back for so long.

There were times when John had to speak to the midwives at the hospital on my behalf because I couldn’t speak through my tears.

But Instagram was like a comforting blanket, and it protected me from face-to-face interactions while still allowing me to share my feelings.

It’s a place where I can grieve, and I’ve talked to so many wonderful, supportive, and caring people here.

It also helped me connect with people who had experienced loss, and they gave me real comfort when I was at my lowest point.”

The hardest thing Kristy had to face after Dotty’s passing was saying goodbye to her child.

“The whole time Dotty was in my womb, I felt so safe and close to her, but I knew that once I gave birth, I would have to go through that loss again.

I cried so much thinking about her being alone, so Dotty the rabbit was what I chose to keep her comforted.

I cuddled her the night before the surgery, so when they took Dotty away, this rabbit would always be with her. I couldn’t bear the thought of her being alone.”

The whole story helped Kirsty realize how precious life is.

“I cherish every moment I get to spend with my children; I hug them tightly and love them even more than I thought I would after losing Dotty.”