A mum whose child died in her womb has spoken about the loss of her baby to raise awareness of infant deaths.

It is an important moment for mum Shelley Evans, who wants to make sure her son Casper and other babies like him are not forgotten.

She has even got a star named after Casper to keep his memory alive.

The 43-year-old from Romford tells her story for Baby Loss Awareness Week, which started on Wednesday (October 9).

“My biggest fear is him being forgotten,” she says. “He is part of our family and I’m his mum — even though he’s not here anymore.

“We have a display at home for Casper with pink and blue lights in the front garden and light a candle for him each year.”

The family release butterflies on his birthday, which they raise from caterpillars in their garden.

Casper was Shelley’s third pregnancy. She also has sons Dexter, 13, and Cooper, 10, and little Lyra who is three.

Shelley knew something was wrong when Casper was due. She went straight to Queen’s Hospital when she couldn’t feel the usually-active Casper just before his due date in July 2019.

Tragically, a doctor informed Shelley and husband James that he had died in the womb. She had to give birth to Casper, who had his umbilical cord around his neck.

“I was in shock,” she recalls. “They gave me a pill to start labour then sent me home until my contractions started. I was terrified.”

She returned to Queen’s and had a medical student at her bedside while the midwife “got on with what needed to be done”. The student even stayed after her shift to see Casper being born.

“I gave birth on the labour ward and could hear other babies crying,” Shelley remembers. “I had skin to skin with him for a few hours then the midwives said I could bathe and dress him if I liked. Casper was gone.”

The stillborn child was placed in a refrigerated cot which allows parents to spend time with their lost babies.

“It was really hard to go home as you don’t have your baby,” Shelley added. “We had the cot all set up and had to take it down.

“It still feels really raw, even now. I was yearning for Casper, looking for him.”

The couple were looked after by specialist bereavement midwife Louise Brodrick who saw to Casper’s funeral arrangements after they said goodbye.

The support from the NHS hospital trust for Barking, Havering and Redbridge continued when Shelley became pregnant again — but the family faced further heartache when she miscarried.

Around a year after Casper died, Shelley became pregnant with Lyra, now aged three. She asked to be induced at 37 weeks — taking no chances after what had happened with Casper.

Lyra knows about Casper and tells her mummy that he just fell asleep in her tummy.

Baby Loss Awareness Week runs until October 15 for those affected by baby loss to share their stories and help raise awareness “to ensure no one feels alone”.