The midwife who supported Russell Howard and his wife after the devastating death of their baby son chose her career path after suffering the loss of her own child at the same hospital.
Lauren Petrie, 46, now a Specialist Bereavement Midwife at Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital, qualified as a midwife in 2018. Earlier this year, she helped guide Mr Howard and his wife, Cerys Morgan, through unimaginable grief after their baby boy Felix died shortly after birth.
The 46-year-old comedian said the support Ms Petrie gave the couple “meant more to us than we can ever put into words”.
He said they were able to share “precious hours with our beautiful boy” after Felix was placed in a cool cot, adding that he and his wife were “overwhelmed” by the compassion and care they received.
Ms Petrie had been working in elderly care at Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital when she endured a similarly heartbreaking loss in 2013. Her second daughter, Jada, was stillborn at 41 weeks, a tragedy she said came “completely out of the blue”.
Hoping to make something positive out of her bereavement, she retrained as a midwife at King’s College London before joining her hospital’s bereavement team.
She told the Daily Mail: ‘I don’t share it with that many patients because I don’t want to take away from that person’s grief.
‘It’s not about me and my story, but there are times you get to know people closer and they ask “how did you deal with it?” or “what did you physically do?” and sometimes that conversation will happen naturally.
Comedian and TV presenter Russell Howard and his wife Dr Cerys Morgan are pictured in 2023
Midwife Lauren Petrie (pictured) helped Russell Howard and his wife through the death of their baby boy joined the profession after losing her own child at the same London hospital
‘Carers tell you it feels really lonely and no one truly understands it and I guess because I have been through it when I tell parents I know what it feels like it means a lot.’
Mr Howard said the hospital staff showed ‘extraordinary compassion, kindness and humanity’ while they were suffering ‘from the most devastating time of our lives.
He said: ‘They helped us navigate an unimaginable heartache and gave us support when we needed it most.’
Ms Petrie added: ‘They were really appreciative when I shared my story with them because they knew I got it. They were reassured because it was someone who has been through it themselves.’
She described how some mothers come in for scans completely unaware there is a problem. Then suddenly they have to consider funeral arrangements, post mortems, and if they want their baby blessed by a chaplain. She said she was in shock and was unable to make the decisions herself when she suffered the loss.
The midwife, who has worked with the Government to improve standards in bereavement care, uses her experience to develop new treatment techniques at her hospital. One is the creation of a soundproofed maternity room called ‘Jada’s room’, where mothers and families can stay without hearing cries from other babies.
It has facilities like a kettle which means families can avoid small talk with new parents on the ward who are unaware of their loss.
It also has a cold cot which preserves babies for longer, allowing parents to spend more time with their child.
Mr Howard said the hospital staff showed ‘extraordinary compassion, kindness and humanity’ while they were suffering ‘from the most devastating time of our lives’
Ms Petrie (pictured) lost her second daughter Jada in similarly devastating circumstances in 2013. She had a stillbirth at 41 weeks which came ‘completely out of the blue’
Howard praised the cool cot for allowing him and his wife to hold Felix, ‘talk to him and tell him just how much we loved him.’
He said: ‘Those hours are among the most precious memories we have of Felix.’
The comedian said he was establishing The Felix Foundation, a bereavement charity, in his son’s memory.
He wrote: ‘The foundation will aim to relieve the needs of parents, siblings and other close family members affected by miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, neonatal death or related bereavement.’
‘Supporting the additional training of midwives in specialist bereavement care, through yearly grants to enable them to access resources such as counselling qualifications.
‘Funding resources to provide emotional support and practical assistance.
‘Providing or funding dedicated rooms, facilities, equipment and resources within hospitals, maternity units, neonatal units and other appropriate healthcare settings, supporting the care, wellbeing and dignity of babies and their families.
‘Providing information, guidance, signposting and other resources to affected families.
‘Raising awareness of late miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, neonatal loss and related bereavement, and the support needs of affected families.’
Russell revealed he will be hosting a charity gala at the O2 in London with his famous comedian friends to raise money for The Felix Foundation, a bereavement charity, in his son’s memory
Ms Petrie will help advise what courses should be done and what resources, such as specialist equipment, should be used.
In a statement, Russell revealed he will be hosting a charity gala at the O2 in London with his famous comedian friends to raise money for the foundation.
He said: ‘To help launch the foundation and raise vital funds for this work, I will be hosting a very special charity gala at The O2 in London on 8 February 2027.
‘Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of friends and colleagues, we have managed to put together an incredible line-up of comedians, including: Michael McIntyre, Jimmy Carr, Aisling Bea, Guz Khan, Greg Davies, Mo Gilligan, Michelle Wolf and John Bishop.
‘Every single one of these incredible performers is giving their time completely free of charge. I will never forget their generosity.
‘We would absolutely love it if you could join us for what promises to be a very special evening: a night of comedy, laughter and celebration, all in aid of a cause that means everything to our family.’
He concluded: ‘The Felix Foundation is named after our beautiful son. We miss him dearly, every single day, but we take some comfort in knowing that his name will stand for kindness, compassion and laughter, and that his legacy may help other families through the darkest moments of their lives.’
‘We would love it if you came along and helped us make Felix’s legacy something truly special.’
Russell is currently touring Don’t Tell The Algorithm across the UK, following a run at the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe.
Russell and his wife, Cerys, started dating in 2004 when he was 21 and she was 17, before marrying in June 2019. The couple welcomed their first baby boy in 2024.
