Ashleigh French will never be okay with her daughter dying not long after being born, but being able to take her newborn home to process the grief has helped her come to terms with what happened.
The Rotorua mum had five days with Luka Pixie at home to take photographs, make casts of her tiny hands and feet and introduce her to the rest of the family and friends before they finally said goodbye.
"We had a good experience [with her at home] after the worst experience of losing her."
With that in mind, Ms French has set about raising money for a "cuddle cot" for Rotorua Hospital - a special cooling device that fits inside a bassinet or basket to allow families whose babies have died - to take them home for a short time.
While she and partner Shane Morris were lucky they had family in the funeral industry and knew they could take their girl home, others weren't necessarily given the option, especially as some babies were born too early to be embalmed, she said.
