Rebecca Adlington said she is “truly heartbroken” after suffering a late-stage miscarriage. The double Olympic gold medal swimmer found out about the devastating loss at a routine 20-week scan, sharing the news in a post on Instagram yesterday evening. “I don’t really have the words right now but unfortunately we went for our 20 week scan this week and they found no heartbeat. I gave birth to our angel, Harper on Friday at 7pm. We held her, and had time with her. We will forever love her and remember her always,” Adlington, 34, said. After thanking staff at Wythenshawe Hospital for their “kindness and care”, she added: “I don’t have the strength or words right now and don’t feel ready to share this news. However, I can’t pretend to be ok or fake a smile. I can’t have people ask me how pregnancy is or when I am due as I still look pregnant. I don’t have the strength to tell this news individually. “We are so truly heartbroken. Our beautiful girl. Rest in peace.” Adlington – who shares son Albie, two, with her husband Andy Parsons and has an eight-year-old daughter, Summer, from her previous marriage with Harry Needs – previously revealed she’d had a miscarriage 12 weeks into her pregnancy last August, resulting in emergency surgery. And as her Instagram post this week highlights, one of the many difficult things about losing a baby is telling other people. So, how can people respond supportively when a friend, relative or colleague shares news of a baby loss? Showing empathy “It’s about showing empathy as much as you possibly can, showing some form of understanding, and really just being there to listen to them,” Rochelle Love, a midwife working with baby loss charity Tommy’s, told the PA news agency. A late miscarriage is one which happens between 14-24 weeks of pregnancy, and is less common than early-stage miscarriage, occurring in an estimated 1-2% of pregnancies, Love explained. “We don’t always know why these miscarriages happen. They can be for a multitude of reasons, and the sad thing for expectant parents is that we may not always find a definite cause,” she added. “It may not necessarily be related to previous miscarriage.” Take care with ‘helpful’ comments Friends and family may try to comfort someone who’s lost a baby with well-meaning but sometimes way off-the-mark ‘helpful’ comments. Love said it’s crucial to be very careful about what you say. “I don’t think it’s ever up to us to make assumptions, and especially do not make comments like: ‘Don’t worry, you can have another baby’, ‘Don’t worry, you can try again’, or, ‘You were only 20 weeks pregnant’,” Love advised. “I think sometimes people just don’t know what else to say, so they make these throwaway comments, which are not necessarily the best things to say when someone’s grieving. It’s not up to us to say [these things] – how do you know, for example, that they can have another baby? Think about what you’re going to say before you speak to someone who’s had a loss.” Be mindful of terminology Remember this isn’t just a foetus to the grieving parents – it’s their child, and it can be very important to talk about it as such. Love said: “Address the baby as their baby, and if the baby has a name, then use it. Be very careful of the words you use.” Be there for them Instead of offering up platitudes, Love said it’s often better to just let people know you’re there if they need you. “Just let them know you’re there for them – you’re there if they want to speak, or if they just want to sit in silence – you’re available to be their support if and when they should need it,” she explained. Don’t forget their partner Love stresses that any kind of support needs to be extended to the partner as well. “Sometimes the partner is ignored and we just focus on the pregnant person, but the partner is the pregnant person’s closest support and they’ve also lost their baby and are also grieving,” she said. “I always advise anyone who’s had an unfortunate loss that if they decide to go for grief counselling, they should make their partner a part of that process as well, so they can go on that grief and healing journey together.” Remember everyone will grieve differently Loss and grief is experienced differently by everyone. “How I may grieve a pregnancy loss may be very different from how somebody else might grieve,” said Love – so it’s important to let people do things their way and at their own pace. Think about offering them helpIf you are close with them, offer practical help if you feel they may welcome it. Love said this could mean “getting someone’s groceries for them because they don’t feel they can face getting dressed and going out, or cleaning the house – anything at all could be very well received.” Tommy’s helpline is on 0800 014 7800 Read More What you need to know about new research into treating cervical cancer How to do Halloween make up and still take care of your skin Which houseplants best suit your star sign? 5 of the hottest new perfume launches for autumn/winter Consistent lack of sleep may increase risk of future depressive symptoms – study World Osteoporosis Day: The risk factors and early warning signs everyone needs to know about

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Whether you consider yourself a disciple of the clean girl aesthetic or not, there’s no denying that the TikTok trend has massively popularized gua sha. It seems that every other day, I come across a different girlie on my FYP showcasing her tutorial: She’s usually blonde, wears her hair in a slicked bun, and swears by her jade massage tool. Being consistent with gua sha has, in her words, “totally snatched her jawline.” As a Chinese person who grew up with gua sha, all this makes me feel some type of way.

The cornerstone of one’s winter wardrobe, a coat is an essential purchase if you’re looking to update your look for the new season. On the AW23 catwalks, designers delivered exceptional outerwear, with everything from tailored cuts and muted tones to bold hues and glamorous animal prints. These are the runway trends to know about now, and where to shop them on the high street… 1. Black magic The latest iteration of the continuing ‘quiet luxury’ trend, black tailored coats were all over the runways, from Givenchy (oversized) and The Row (double-breasted), to Dolce and Gabbana (nipped in at the waist). The ultimate outerwear investment piece, a long, black coat in a classic cut made with high-quality fabric will – if you look after it carefully – last you a lifetime. Mango Double-breasted Wool Coat Black, £179.99; 100% Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater, £119.99; Leather Boots with Tall Leg, £199.99. Lucy Sparks Black Waist Tie Women’s Coat With Deep Pockets and Shawl Lapel, £53; (other items, stylist’s own), SilkFred. Joe Browns Black Fur Trim Coat, £130; Black High Neck Embellished Long Sleeve Top, £21.60 (was £24); Nobody’s Child Mila Midi Skirt, £45; Square Toe Leather Boots, £75, JD Williams 2. Lipstick brights At the other end of the style spectrum, coats in brilliantly bright lipstick shades popped up repeatedly, from fuchsia at Gucci and raspberry pink at Max Mara, to scarlet at Valentino and Bally. If you’re looking for a statement staple this winter, ruby red is an elegant option, while a hot pink coat will brighten up any outfit. Star by Julien Macdonald Pink Cape Belted Coat, £119; Eyelet PU Ponte Leggings, £42, Freemans. Monsoon Bobbie Boucle Coat Red, £150; Cutwork Floral Embroidered Top Black, £70; Lara Wide Leg Jean Blue, £80; (shoes, stylist’s own). 3. Luxe leopard Take a walk on the wild side with an animal print coat, as seen at Stella McCartney, Ganni and Dolce & Gabbana. From lightweight leopard print coats perfect for layering over chunky knits, to thick furry jackets that work with everything from jeans to party dresses, a roar-some coat is a surprisingly versatile option. Roman Tan Premium Animal Print Faux Fur Coat, £89. Issy London Lena Leopard Faux Fur Jacket, £219. 4. Trench coats The timeless trench coat is having a high-fashion moment this season, with appearances on the catwalks at Chloé, Dries Van Noten and (of course) Burberry, the brand that invented the style. A longline trench in stone or camel will serve you well from autumn through to spring when teamed with cosy accessories – add leather gloves, over-the-knee boots and a cross-body bag for an effortlessly chic look. Albaray Belted Trench Coat, £165; Blue White Stripe Organic Cotton Shirt, £79; 90’s Straight Leg Jeans, £79. Paisie Faux Fur Collar Coat, £188 5. Quiet quilting Taking over from power puffers, lightweight quilted jackets are the trendiest way to wrap up warm this winter, according to Hermès, Chloé and Max Mara. Muted tones rules when it comes to this fashion-meets-function trend – think khaki, forest green and beige. La Redoute Recycled Padded Jacket in Slim Fit, £65; (other items, stylist’s own). George Green Quilted Parka Coat, £35, Asda. Read More 12 ways to weave some woodland wonder into your home Hibernation mode: 5 small self-care adjustments to make before the clocks change 13 possible cancer symptoms you should get checked out Neglecting women’s health at work could cost UK economy £20.2bn a year – analysis Nearly three-quarters of mothers feel invisible, study suggests The best ways to work-out in 22 minutes – as study finds this is magic number for offsetting ‘negative impact of sitting’

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