Claire Cooper insisted a woman shouldn't be defined by "whether she has [a] child or not", as she opened up about losing her baby in July 2019.
Emmett J. Scanlan and Claire Cooper
The former 'Hollyoaks' star took to Instagram to speak publicly for the first time about losing her little one last year, revealing she was left fighting for her own life after the tragedy.
In an emotional post to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week, the 39-year-old actress - who welcomed a son Ocean-Torin with her husband and former co-star Emmett J. Scanlan this July - wrote on Instagram: "It's baby loss awareness week and although I wasn't quiet about our loss privately, I didn't share it with the public, mainly I didn't have the words at that time & perhaps I still don't but if this post helps one family or person out there, perhaps my words were worth the wait...or not.
"We lost our little soul July 2019 the devastation was unreal, the day came when my body let go of what I'd fought so hard to keep. Little did we know that I myself would also end up in a precarious situation strapped to machines & fighting - it truly was hard enough losing our baby but to then fight for my own life was something else. I lost over a third of my blood & my recovery was painfully slow. Instantly anaemic & instantly heartbroken. (sic)"
Claire - who played Jacqui McQueen in 'Hollyoaks' - has taken time to "stand tall again" following her heartbreak.
And despite welcoming her son into the world earlier this year, she's insisted women shouldn't be defined by whether they have a child.
The actress - who married Emmett, 41, in 2015 - wrote: "It took me time to walk, to stand tall again but today I stand so tall with my husband by my side, grateful, strong & full of joy we have been blessed with our little man who arrived on OUR timeline & who knows maybe he was the same soul who visited before...
"I don't believe that a woman is defined whether she has child or not, whether she's married or in a relationship. My advice go gentle with your friends, colleagues, passerby's, strangers, we don't know each others circumstances & if anyone knows their timeline & desires in life its the woman living it [love heart emoji] (sic)"
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