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A Northampton mum is calling for baby CPR training to be given to expectant parents for free.

Dakota Tarry-Spencer, from St Crispin’s, is mum to a toddler – Nevaeh - and newborn twins – Marley and Winnie, who are now eight weeks old.

The 23-year-old’s worst nightmare happened on August 23 when, during a day out in London, Marley, stopped breathing. The scared mum ran outside “screaming for help”. Thankfully someone phoned an ambulance.

Marley and Winnie were born prematurely in Northampton, which meant their mum was taught baby CPR.

Dakota said: “I pretty much froze when it first happened, but within seconds I’d realised if I don’t do something he will not survive until the ambulance arrived. He was completely blue and floppy.

"I instantly started doing mouth to mouth and then chest compressions. He came round back to normal colour and he was crying and then within the same breath stopped again and was lifeless once more.

"I performed CPR again but it just wasn’t enough, we needed oxygen.

"The ambulance arrived and he was still having episodes of not breathing for long periods of time. He was put on oxygen and rushed to A&E.

Dakota with Nevaeh, who is nearly two, and twins Winnie and Marley, who are eight weeks old.

"Whilst in A&E they realised he needed to be sedated and put on a ventilator so he could stop working so hard to catch his breath.”

The family was transferred to St George’s Hospital in London where there was space in pediatric intensive care. Marley remained on a ventilator until Saturday (August 27). He was transferred back to Northampton General Hospital on Tuesday (August 30), before being allowed home on Thursday (September 1).

Dakota says he is still breathing “a little too fast” and he is still learning to breath alone again, but now the devoted mother has had time to think, she wants to enforce change and make sure all parents know how to help their little ones, if the worst happens.

She added: “We still have a long way to go, but are just so grateful he is here.

"After I’d got my head around what had happened, which took a few days, I shared my story of what was happening on social media and I realised how many parents do not know infant or baby CPR.

"I only knew baby CPR because my twins were premature and without completing baby CPR training you cannot be discharged from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

"I’m now thinking of the hundreds and thousands of mums and babies that don’t have a NICU stay and get to leave the hospital without knowing basic CPR.

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“My petition is to push that all mothers should be taught baby CPR for free before being discharged from hospital with a newborn baby. Either in a routine midwife appointment or at an antenatal class.

"This 15 minutes of your time could potentially save your baby’s life or even an infant in the street, should the worst happen.

“I really hope no one ever needs to use it but unfortunately it is common for babies to stop breathing for various reasons.”

Dakota’s petition, which was set up on the morning of August 31 has already received more than 5,000 signatures, which is half way to the target needed for the Government to respond.

Visit and sign the petition here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/622758

Northampton mum who saved newborn's life petitions for baby CPR training to be free for expectant parents