Mum is skydiving so Northampton General Hospital can build ‘parent rooms’

A mother, whose birth experience left her with post traumatic stress disorder, is skydiving to raise money for parent rooms to be built at Northampton General Hospital (NGH).

Hannah Juliff, 30, had no idea if her baby would survive when her waters broke at 26 weeks.

Her son, Lucas, came into the world at just over 29 weeks. Hannah was able to cuddle her baby boy briefly before he was whisked away by doctors.

A few hours later, Hannah was wheeled to the Gosset Ward - NGH’s neonatal intensive care unit - to see Lucas.

Hannah, from Wootton, said: “Imagine seeing your baby for the second time in an incubator, wrapped in bubble wrap, wires and tubes coming from everywhere? I was sick. Not how I ever imagined seeing my first born arriving into the world. I felt ashamed as a mother that my reaction was that.”

Less than 12 hours later, Lucas was moved to Kettering General Hospital (KGH) and Hannah had to discharge herself to get to her son.

There were parent rooms at KGH, equipped with a kitchen that had tea and coffee making facilities, a microwave, a television, tables and chairs. However, there were none available that night so Hannah and her partner had to go home.

Hannah told this newspaper: “I’ve never felt so heartbroken leaving that ward and having to make the drive back home to Northampton.”

When the Gosset Ward had an incubator ready for Hannah’s baby, she was elated.

Her world was, however, flipped upside down when she got there and realised it had just one parent room for a 20-cot unit.

She was also only allowed to book a two hour time slot to see her baby because of Covid restrictions. It broke Hannah to have to leave her poorly son every night.

Hannah described the parent room as “dated” with a broken television, a toilet and a shower but no hot drink making facilities or a microwave.

Hannah said: “Other parents I met along my journey told me to bring my own blow-up bed as the sofa bed that was in there wasn’t capable of anyone staying on it. Let alone parents that are traumatised, tired or helpless.”

Her harrowing experience left her with PTSD, which was initially dismissed by her GP as “baby blues.” She is still undergoing treatment.

She hopes that her skydive in aid of the Northamptonshire Health Charity’s Gosset Ward appeal will help NGH build much needed rooms so that parents can stay close to their babies in intensive care.

Hannah told the Chronicle & Echo: “I genuinely believe my mental health wouldn’t have suffered as much as it did if we had the facilities of the parents room as I could have been with my little boy more and been more involved with his care instead of rushing in each morning, struggling to park and try and make it in time for the doctors round to see what the updates were.”

The Northamptonshire Health Charity has confirmed that planning permission has already been agreed for a two double bedroom ensuite parent block. Charity funds must be raised to pay for it.

If you want to donate to Hannah’s fundraiser, visit her Just Giving page here.