Tragic loss for star of bee maternity photo shoot

Photo: Kendrah Damis
Photo: Kendrah Damis 

Beekeeper Emily Mueller set the internet buzzing - literally - with her unconventional maternity photoshoot featuring thousands of bees.

Tragically, Emily and her husband Ryan lost their baby Emersyn Jacob last week.

The little boy - the US couple's fourth child - was stillborn on Saturday November 11 and Emily took to Facebook the following day to announce his passing.

Emily posing for her bee maternity shoot. Photo: Kendrah Damis
Emily posing for her bee maternity shoot. Photo: Kendrah Damis 

"It is with the most deepening sadness I share that our sweet Emersyn Jacob was born an angel yesterday at 10:18pm.

He weighed 7lb1oz and was 20.25in long.

"Please pray for us today and the days to come," she wrote, in a post that has received more than 160 messages of condolence.

On Tuesday she told the story of their unimaginable loss, starting with giving thanks to all those who had supported them in the days prior. She then detailed how it dawned on her that something wasn't right with Emersyn.

"Thursday I was so busy prepping for our upcoming event that I wasn't paying attention to baby movement, but who truly does when you've been this far along 3 times before and everything has been completely normal. By evening I began to realise I had not felt baby move much and had contractions that felt different than any I have had before."

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After attending the hospital for monitoring, Emily and Ryan were told that their baby had passed away.

"Every detail of that moment is forever sketched into my mind and I cannot stop replaying it. Dr. Sutter sat on my right side looking at the screen and turned to me and said, "Your baby has passed." 

Desperate for answers, the couple have had tests conducted, but Emily says she already suspects what might have caused Emersyn's death.

"I have a very strong feeling that this was a blood clotting issue as those traits have been affecting our immediate family for some time. My next of kin have suffered miscarriages due to this disorder so it would make sense we could go through it as well. It may not be confirmed to be so but in my deepest thoughts, I feel it to be true."

The devastated mum continued to garner support from her social media network, posting a photo of baby Emersyn's hand atop bee-themed clothing as the family processed their first days of grief.
A memory quilt was made in the boy's honour, complete with his footprints.
The family said their final farewells to him at his funeral on November 17.