Cristiano Ronaldo and his partner Georgina Rodriguez are going through a devastating ordeal – and I know their pain

Of course, I never thought we’d ever have anything in common – and yet with the announcement of the death of his newborn son, he’s joined the only club in the world that nobody wants to be a member of.

The loss of a baby brings with it a very unique pain.

In my case, it happened early enough in my pregnancies that I never had a chance to hold my babies or find out if they looked more like me, their father, or their big sister.

Cristiano and his partner Georgina Rodriguez lost their son at birth and will hopefully get the chance to spend as much time with him as possible in the coming days. These precious moments will be so important to her in the months and years to come.

For most parents, from the moment they learn they are pregnant, it is difficult not to spend hours imagining what this new little life will bring.

Which school will they go to? What will they become? Who will you marry? How will they look?

When a baby dies, all the firsts—the first smile, the first word they say, the first step, and the hopes and dreams that come with being a parent—are ripped away.

Instead, families mourn the loss of a person they never met. At the same time, they have to deal with the cold, hard, practical aspects of baby loss.

A funeral has to be planned, they may have to discuss the possibility of an autopsy while the mother deals with a hormonal surge telling her her baby is here.

And then there is the return home to the empty children’s room and the child’s bed that was never filled.

The awkward conversations with neighbors who unknowingly congratulate you on the arrival of your baby, or the heartache that arises when family and friends don’t know what to say, so ignore the loss instead.

Of course, there are those who prefer to mourn in private and prefer not to discuss their loss with others, but that won’t be an option for Cristiano and Georgina. The news of her son’s death made headlines around the world.

Whether they share more details is entirely up to them — but this tragedy has put the issue of baby loss on the global stage.

It’s a lot more common than many people think. For example, it is estimated that one in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage or birth loss. Even so, life after the loss of a baby can be overwhelmingly lonely.

So many people don’t talk about it, don’t share their experiences, but knowing that you’re not alone can bring some comfort.