One baby every week is stillborn at the Canberra Hospital with up to 80 babies stillborn every year.
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The statistics are slightly higher in the ACT than in other jurisdictions across Australia, but similar internationally across developed nations.
About half of those who have a stillborn baby never find out the cause of death.
Jack Baker was born in 2016 at 24 weeks and survived for three days by his parents' side in the maternity ward of the Canberra Hospital. His mother, Ashlee Baker, said he was just too small to live.
Jack was the third child for the Bakers. Mrs Baker was transferred from Tumut hospital after suffering placenta problems. She was haemorrhaging.
"It all happened really quickly," she said.
"We didn't know it was going to happen that night."
Jack was born weighing just 700 grams. Mrs Baker, who was required to undergo a hysterectomy to stop the bleeding, remembers having to walk up stairs and through corridors to go and see her baby in the days following.
While the hospital had a cuddle cot, donated in 2015, it was likely being used by another family at that time.
That situation meant the Bakers had to stay in the maternity ward, surrounded by newborn babies, while saying goodbye to their own.
"It was really hard," Mrs Baker said.
She said the family was so grateful for everything the hospital did for them, they decided to raise money for a cuddle cot, to help other grieving families. The cot lowers the body temperature of the baby after death, to allow the family more time.
Mrs Baker set up a crowdfunding campaign and the Tumut community rallied together.
Astonishingly, the small town raised $6500 for the piece of equipment - in just one month.
"People were just so generous, it wouldn't have happened without them," she said.
Centenary Hospital for Women and Children clinical midwifery consultant Wendy Adler said the natural phenomenon of stillbirth affected about 2000 babies annually in Australia.
"That's five to six babies a day," Ms Adler said.
A stillborn baby is one that dies either in utero after 20 weeks of pregnancy through to the early days after the baby is born.
"For us that means one to two babies a week, and that's just here at the Canberra Hospital, where we care for those families who go home with empty arms."
Ms Adler said midwives talk to mothers throughout pregnancy about the importance of monitoring their baby's movements.
"The mother is the only outside link with the world that the baby has," she said.
"It's important that she continues from at least 28 weeks but more from 20 weeks to monitor the baby's movements that she's feeling and we encourage all mothers to report any concerns, any changes in the patterns of movement or a decrease in the movement."
Donations to the hospital are greatly appreciated. To find out how to donate visit the Canberra Hospital Foundation website www.canberrahospitalfoundation.org.au
Do you have a story to tell? Contact kimberley.lelievre@fairfaxmedia.com.au
