Family's heartache as '˜beautiful and popular' Glasgow mum-to-be dies suddenly

The grieving family of a pregnant woman who died in her sleep spoke of their shock at her sudden death - and of their heartbreak at having to cremate their first grandchild.

Rosanna Sanderson, 22, who died in her sleep while pregnant. Picture: SWNS

Rosanna Sanderson, 22, died in her sleep on Sunday and was discovered by her mum Jackie, 49, and the baby’s father, Oliver, 28.

Hairdresser Rosanna had only told her family the news about a month before and was 14 weeks pregnant.

Tragically, her mum and siblings Angelina, 27, and Paul, 24, only found out Rosanna was expecting a baby girl when a post-mortem examination was carried out.

The family faces an agonising wait for answers about Rosanna’s death as it will take eight to 12 weeks to establish the cause of death.

Jackie, from Clarkston, Glasgow, said: “I don’t know if it was something that went on with the pregnancy.

“She had been complaining of sore legs, I thought maybe it was a blood clot or something.

“I’m going to be cremating my first grandchild.

“We were all so excited about the baby.

“We’d bought so many things and we were waiting for a gender scan.

“The only comfort that I have got is that she was with the baby, the baby is going with her.

“We have got a lot of girls in our family, I wanted a girl for her.

“My mum died six years ago, she was a big knitter and I can picture my mum knitting all these little cardigans for the baby.”

Heartbroken Jackie told how Rosanna had dreamed of retraining and becoming a midwife and had said becoming a mum would be the making of her.

Jackie added: “All she ever wanted was to become a mum, she was over the moon.

“She said ‘Mum, this is going to be the making of me’.

“I said to her she would be the best mum ever.

“If she was going to have a baby girl, she would have called her Lilly.”

The “beautiful and popular” young woman had nicknamed Jackie ‘GG’ - for ‘glamorous granny’.

As a child, she loved ballet, tap, majorettes, and cheerleading, and had many friends.

Jackie said: “She was always the star of the show.

“In the dancing shows, she wanted to be at the front - a pure show off.

“She’d want a big fat gypsy funeral - a big white horse, a glass carriage, a tiara.

“That’s the kind of person that she was.”

She added: “Rosanna was loved by so many people.

“She was such a popular girl.

“The only comfort I’ve got is that she got what she wanted - a wee beautiful baby girl.”

Rosanna’s friends will help do her hair and make up ahead of the funeral, and a fundraising page has been set up to help with the costs.