At week 40, the nursery was ready, toys and nappies were aplenty and family members were overwhelmed with excitement.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But then the worst happened.
Wollongong's Geordi Penrose and Ashleigh Charlesworth had a stillbirth earlier this year.
"When we met our son Parker for the first time it was in tragic circumstances," Mr Penrose said.
"We had a cuddle cot provided to us by Wollongong Hospital which allowed us to spend some precious time with him.
"That really helped the connection we had with him and it mean we could have some family time together rather than having to say goodbye quickly."
A cuddle cot is a cooling system that has been designed to fit within a small cot so families can spend time with their baby. It means babies are not required to be cooled in a mortuary environment.
"We had a photographer come, we watched movies, we played music, family were in and out and we told stories about ourselves." Ms Charlesworth said.
The four days they spent with Parker would always be cherished.
That's why the couple, along with infant loss support group Bears of Hope and Mr Penrose's employer Vodafone, have fundraised money for a cuddle cot to go to Port Kembla Tender Funerals.
"We don't want anyone to go through what we have been through but stillbirth is a reality," Mr Penrose said.
"Parents do experience it and we want to make sure they are cared and have time to connect with their baby."
According to the Stillbirth Foundation, there are six stillborn babies a day in Australia, a figure that has not reduced in 20 years.
Tender Funerals, which provides a personalised funeral service, will be now able to offer the cuddle cot to parents who have a stillborn baby.
Parents will be able to take the cot home or use it before a funeral.
"At Parker's funeral, we didn't have a cuddle cot," Ms Charlesworth said. "Parker was in his coffin so we couldn't have much time with him before the lid was closed.
"It was so difficult to take Parker out of the coffin and put him back into it. I was traumatized.
"If the funeral place had had a cuddle cot then we could have had more time with him."
Tender Funerals volunteer Rebecca Collier said the cuddle cot was a much nicer way to see and hold the baby rather than in the coffin.
"It brings a human element to saying goodbye and maxmises time," she said.
Mr Penrose's Vodafone colleague Joanne Baxter said the team wanted to support the couple going through their loss.
"We got in touch with Bears of Hope, made a fundraising page and sent that around the business," she said. "We were all blown away by how fast the donations came in.
"We got to $3000 and the Vodafone Foundation said they would match it.
"We were so happy we could buy a cot and provide a legacy for Parker and help other families in the future."
This cot is the second one Ms Charlesworth has fundraised.
She was shocked to find out not all hospitals had cuddle cots.
So she teamed up with Bears of Hope and within a couple of days she raised $6000.
It was sent to Proserpine Hospital in the Whitsunday region because it was rural and did not have easy access to cot.
Ms Charlesworth is hoping to raise more money so a third cot can be purchased and donated to an Aboriginal community.
She also hopes to raise more awareness of stillbirths and break down the stigma.
Ms Charlesworth wants other parents to know they are not alone or isolated.
Donations can be made to Ms Charlesworth's cuddle cot fundraiser.