For Gabriella Morley and Matthew Dalton, the arrival of their first daughter was supposed to be one of the happiest moments of their lives.

Their baby girl, Poppy, was due at 39 weeks and two days. After nine months of waiting, they were so close to finally meeting her.

Then, just days before her due date, everything changed. 💔

Gabriella suddenly realized she hadn’t felt Poppy moving all day. Worried, she and Matthew went to the hospital the next morning, hoping doctors would reᴀssure them that everything was fine.

Instead, they heard the words every parent fears:

There was no heartbeat. 🕊️

The following day, May 9, Gabriella gave birth to Poppy in a quiet hospital room.

There was no newborn cry.

No tiny breath.

But there was a mother and father holding the daughter they had already loved for nine months. ❤️

Pachelbel’s Canon in D played in the background as Gabriella held Poppy for the first and only time.

The family was later given a private, specially cooled room where they could spend three precious days with their daughter. They bathed her, dressed her, held her, and introduced her to relatives who came to say goodbye.

Those moments were heartbreaking, but they became memories Gabriella and Matthew would treasure forever. 🌸

A post-mortem examination later revealed that Poppy had suffered cardiac arrest after being exposed to dangerously high levels of bile acids in the womb, caused by intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP).

Gabriella had experienced only mild itching during pregnancy and had believed it was simply a normal part of her changing body. She had no idea it could be a warning sign of a pregnancy-related liver condition that can pose serious risks to an unborn baby.

What made the loss even more devastating was that everything had appeared normal.

Poppy had been growing well, and earlier scans had not shown obvious problems.

Then her movements stopped.

At Poppy’s funeral, Gabriella and Matthew carried their daughter’s tiny white coffin into the chapel as Canon in D played once again. The music that accompanied her arrival became part of her final goodbye. 🕊️💔

Today, pH๏τographs of Poppy remain throughout their home.

Gabriella doesn’t want her daughter to be forgotten.

She speaks about Poppy openly, with love and pride, because although her baby girl is no longer physically beside her, she will always be her mother. ❤️

Now Gabriella hopes that telling Poppy’s story can help other expectant mothers recognize potential warning signs of ICP and understand the importance of seeking medical advice for persistent itching or any noticeable change in their baby’s movements.

Poppy’s life was heartbreakingly short.

But she was deeply loved.

And her family hopes that by sharing her story, her name will continue to live on — not only in their hearts, but in the lives she may help protect. 🌸🕊️💗