My name is Katie. I found out that I was pregnant just before my 17th birthday. I was so excited about having a child of my own, as I was told just months before that I would never conceive a baby.

My little girl was due to be born January 14, 2005. My pregnancy was fairly hard due to many health issues between the baby and me. I had ultrasounds every fortnight to check that Paris was still growing (she was very small for her gestational age). There appeared to be a problem with her kidneys at one stage, but that was all cleared up and she was healthy and strong.

At 31 weeks I was having very strong and frequent contractions. I called the midwife and she said to come in.

When I arrived at the hospital I was hooked up to a heart monitor to check that Paris was not distressed. Although I was having contractions the hospital sent me home without even checking to see if I was dilated. They just said it was too early for me to be in labor. They treated me like a silly little teenager.

Just one week later I was due for another ultrasound. I had been in pain since my last visit to the hospital and had felt very little movement from my baby. I was fearing the worst.

My ultrasound confirmed my worst fears. My baby girl was dead; there was no heartbeat.

I was in labor for three days trying to give birth to her, as I was not offered a Cesarean section. After the most painful three days I finally got to hold my sleeping angel. She was a spitting image of her father, who was supporting me and feeling my pain as it was his own.

Paris was born on November 27, 2004.