A MUM who finally got to hold her 'rainbow baby' in her arms has written a book to help other parents after she went through 18 miscarriages.

Louise Warneford released Baby Dreams this year talking about the heartbreak of losing her babies but also encouraging mums to go the IVF route.

The 52-year-old said: “It’s about my journey to motherhood. I had 18 miscarriages and 16 years of IVF treatment.

“The reason why I wrote the book is because I have been inundated with messages on social media asking me questions about IVF and asking for help.

"I want to help others who are struggling – I don’t want women to suffer in the way that I did.”

It was heartbreaking for Louise and her husband Mark having to keep trying for years and spending over £80,000 for the treatments.

But when she was able to hold William, now four, she was over the moon. Children born after the mother has suffered miscarriages are known as 'rainbow babies'.

“I must have done a pregnancy test every day for the first three months,” Louise of South Marsden said.

“I was absolutely terrified, sometimes I would take one twice a day. At one point I had to go hospital because I had high blood pressure and even though the doctor said I was okay and the baby was fine – I didn’t leave because I was terrified.

“Then around the same time my husband’s dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer and his mum had a heart attack. It was a very difficult time.

"I was so scared to go home because I didn’t know what would happen to our baby.

“When I had William in my arms finally, I was so relieved. He was such a gorgeous boy and I was absolutely relieved.”

Despite the number of times she miscarried, Louise was determined to be a mum and she was happy that she didn’t give up before she could have her baby.

And she hopes her book will help others like her who might be thinking about giving up.

She told the Adver: “The miscarriages were horrific. There’s no words to explain it when you hear those words ‘we can’t hear a heartbeat’. I was devastated.

“At one point I was put in a ward with women who were choosing to have abortions.

"I was told that my baby had died and I was put on a ward with people that were choosing to have an abortion, I will never forget it.

"I just wanted to beg the woman next to me not to go through with it and to let me look after the baby. It was horrible.

"I think it would be good if hospitals separated women who had miscarriages and those who are having abortions – there should be something done about that.

“Now my mission is to help other women. I don’t want them to suffer. I think if women were to talk about this more often and being more open it wouldn’t be so taboo and it would help society. I would like to address that and help women feel more comfortable.”

Baby Dreams is available on Amazon and in Swindon’s Waterstones store.