Charlie was Karen and Daniel Schlage's miracle baby.
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Mr Schlage had both brain and testicular cancer and due to the treatments he received, they had been told the chances of having children naturally were very slim.
So both were surprised and overjoyed when Ms Schlage found out she was pregnant in June 2018.
But that joy soon turned to heartache when, at 15 weeks, they found out Charlie was not alive.
Ms Schlage knew she wanted to labour and deliver Charlie instead of having him surgically removed, allowing them to say goodbye as well as hello.
But she found a system ill-prepared for perinatal deaths, especially in its ability to offer women autonomy and provide holistic care.
The couple's grief was compounded by these gaps in the system, gaps they believe women across the country experience.
It has prompted Ms Schlage to advocate for a new perinatal hospice in Canberra.
She will on Tuesday give evidence in the first public hearings for a Legislative Assembly inquiry into ACT's public maternity services.
Ms Schlage rang the emergency department when her waters broke, with a view to give birth in the maternity unit.
"We wanted Charlie to be whole and intact and to see him and to be able to say goodbye in our way," she said.
But the presumption was that Ms Schlage would have her baby removed through surgery and it was only when she made it clear she wanted to go through labour that it became an option.
They found some of the language used cold and lacking compassion - their baby was simply referred to as the "products of conception".
"This was our baby, we didn't think of Charlie as the products of conception. I know that's medically correct but emotionally it wasn't what we needed," Ms Schlage said.
There were no beds available in maternity so she spent most of the labour in the emergency department, with just a thin sheet giving any privacy from the rest of the ward.
She was eventually moved to a surgical ward where she delivered, but was not seen by an obstetrician or midwife during the whole labour. While the staff were caring and well-meaning, they did not have expertise in the field.
At the stroke of midnight, Ms Schlage gave birth to Charlie.
After their birth a midwife attended and took loving care of Charlie, taking prints of his hands and feet and wrapping him in an angel gown.
"He was tiny but he was perfect," Ms Schlage said.
"It was heartbreaking but lovely to hold him, and rewarding in a sense to know we had gone through the process of delivering him.
"Our hearts were broken but the chance to spend some precious hours with Charlie has definitely helped us process our loss and to gain a sense of peace."
While she never felt unsafe during Charlie's birth, she felt she lacked autonomy and there were no clear and developed processes.
Some women have miscarried on their bathroom floor, covered in blood, not knowing where to go or what to do.
"People were all lovely and doing their best, everyone was doing the right thing within the system as it existed, but something was missing," Mr Schlage said.
After the birth, Mr and Ms Schlage discovered just how common it was for people to feel as they had.
"Some women have miscarried on their bathroom floor, covered in blood, not knowing where to go or what to do after receiving minimal assistance on the phone from the maternity unit," she said.
Out of the deep grief from losing Charlie in October, Ms Schlage has been motivated to improve the system for others and has tirelessly worked to gain support for a perinatal hospice centre.
The centre would be aimed towards women experiencing miscarriage, those who have chosen to labour and deliver after a termination and for women with a terminal diagnosis for their baby who choose to carry to term.
Her dream is for these services to be provided by a perinatal hospice similar to those provided by Clare Holland House for palliative care - something that would be one of its kind in Australia.
"Our goal is that the ACT will be able to provide a supportive and caring experience for all women that require it, in a predictable and controlled environment solely dedicated to perinatal," she said.
"The essence of a perinatal hospice is a true amalgamation of services and it does not comfortably sit within the maternity, emergency or other existing wards at any ACT hospital."
ACT Health director general Michael De'Ath said he looked forward to the upcoming public hearings of the inquiry and the recommendations that follow.
"I was saddened to read of the Schlage family's loss, and am grateful to Ms Schlage for taking the time to provide such a comprehensive and thoughtful submission to the inquiry about her experience," he said.
"The ACT Government welcomes all submissions to the inquiry proposing ways we can improve the support we provide to families in the Canberra region."
An ACT Health spokeswoman said the government acknowledged further work was needed to ensure a consistent access to support for families and individuals in the loss of a baby.
"Families grieving after miscarriage or stillbirth in the ACT can also access support services through Red Nose, which is partly funded by the ACT Government," she said.
"In addition to the work underway in the ACT, we also welcome Commonwealth Minister Greg Hunt's in principle agreement, earlier this week, to the recommendations of the Senate Select Committee on Stillbirth Research and Education Report."