Northampton mum's 'babymoon' turns into nightmare two months trapped in Greece after daughter arrives early

A Northampton woman who jetted off on a 'babymoon' before the birth of her first child was trapped in Greece after her daughter made a surprise early arrival.

Robyn Bishop, aged 29, flew to Crete with partner Stephen Howe for a luxurious stay at a five-star adults-only resort in April.

The mum-to-be was 29 weeks pregnant, and had been signed off as fit to fly by her doctor ahead of plans for the new arrival in Northampton General Hospital in June.

But just two days after landing in Greece, Robyn's waters broke and baby Flora arrived six weeks early.

She was declared too premature to fly by insurers and the trio finally landed back in the UK via a medical repatriation flight.

Mental health nurse Robyn, who lives in Northampton with boyfriend Stephen said: “I’m traumatised by the whole experience.

“I'm a first-time mum with a premature baby and we were just stuck out there in another country with no help.

“We called the insurance company seven times a day just trying to find a way back to the UK. We were desperate to get home.

“I’m just so relieved that Flora is here safe and sound. It was unlikely I could have children easily naturally, so she is certainly my miracle baby!”

Robyn and Stephen, who is the director of a painting and decorating company, jetted off on a ‘babymoon’ with Flora not due until June 24.

She said: “We actually booked our holiday before we got pregnant and then decided to use it as a babymoon as I'd still be safe to fly.

“We had been struggling with the idea of having a baby and the realities of it.

“We were pretty rocky as a relationship and had hoped some time, just the two of us, without life's stresses would give us an opportunity to reconnect before our baby arrived.”

Robyn visited her doctor in April 2022 where she was declared fit to fly and set off with Stephen, five days later on April 17. But her waters broke as she sat on the hotel room balcony on day two of their trip.

She was rushed to a local hospital where medics attempted to halt premature labour but Flora was in no mood to wait and was born on May 13 via a Caesarean.

Robyn said: “Nobody spoke English and they weren't explaining what they were doing so I was just having drugs pumped into me without knowing what it was.

“After the C-section, I woke up to no baby. I didn't see Flora for two days and then only once a week.

“I was in hospital for four weeks and we only saw her four times and were allowed to touch her twice. It was horrible.

“I have PTSD from everything that has happened! I'm a first time mum with a premature baby and we were just stuck out there.”

After finally being discharged last month, Robyn, Stephen and baby Flora were left trapped in Greece.

Robyn claims that their medical insurance company, Mayday, originally stated Flora was unfit to fly due to arriving six weeks early and doctors ruled out taking up the company’s offer of four-day trip home in an ambulance.

The family had to change accommodation four times, spending a whopping £5,000.

Dad Stephen, 32, said: “The medical insurance company were putting financial decisions above the health of our baby.

“They were doing everything they could to keep us there instead of paying out for our medical repatriation home — which is what we had paid for!”

Thankfully, Mayday managed to put the family on a medical repatriation flight.

Prior to the flight, a spokesperson for Staysure Insurance, who use Mayday as their global assistance company for customers, said: “Our priority is to ensure that baby Flora gets the best care possible, which is why we have been closely liaising with our medical team on the ground, and the doctors at the hospital, to discuss the safest way to get the family home.

“Various options were explored, including transfer by road ambulance with a specialised medical team.

"However, despite the doctors declaring baby Flora fit to fly home on a commercial flight, Mayday, our 24/7 global assistance company, overruled the decision and instead have arranged her transfer by air ambulance, to ensure the safest and most comfortable journey home for them all.”

"Staysure always strive to deliver the best travel insurance so our customers can travel confidently knowing we’re there for them when they need us."

Robyn said: “The journey honestly was a dream.

“The ambulance crew came to the apartment and checked her vital signs to ensure she was fit to fly.

"They went through some questions about her birth, treatment following it and my pregnancy and they then put her in the pod and into the ambulance.

“We were put in a taxi and we all went to the consulate to pick up her passport. From there, we drove to the airport and went through the crew security and straight onto the plane.

“The paramedics were incredible and told us to go to sleep if we could and they'd handle any feeds/nappies. It took just over four hours and we were in Luton.

“Flora slept the whole way, only waking for a feed. She was hooked up to a heart monitor and strapped into a cosy pod.

“When we landed, she went in an ambulance and us in a taxi to my mum's address where we were all finally reunited with family!

“I'm just so relieved that Flora is here safe and sound. I couldn't wait for her to come — and it turns out, neither could she!”