Publish date: 3 December 2024
A Warrington mum who went into premature labour with triplets has thanked the neonatal and maternity teams at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals for their safe arrival.
Rebecca Oxtoby, a senior therapy development manager and parenting author, who lives in Callands with her husband Danny, a field operations manager, had been given an official due date of 19 January, with a planned caesarean section scheduled on 12 December when she would be 34 weeks’ pregnant.
The average pregnancy duration for triplets is between 32 and 35 weeks, however, Rebecca went into labour unexpectedly at 29 weeks – resulting in a late night dash to the maternity unit at Warrington on Saturday 2 November. Despite being given medication to try to stop the labour progressing, her son’s position caused her to dilate extremely quickly, resulting in an emergency caesarean section in the early hours of Sunday.
Gracie was delivered first at 1.09am on 3 November, weighing 2lb 8oz, followed two minutes’ later by Charlie, at 2lb 12oz, and Amelie, weighing 2lb 6oz, arrived at 1.13am. The non-identical triplets needed support to help them breathe with two requiring intubation and ventilation, and at just one day old, Charlie was temporarily transferred to Liverpool Women’s Hospital to receive specialist care, before returning to join his siblings in the Neonatal Unit four days later, where they have been looked after in their incubators ever since. Rebecca is expressing milk through the day and night which is given to the babies via their feeding tubes.
Rebecca, who was able to return home four days after the births, said: “The stars aligned that night, everyone who needed to be there was there for us at that moment. There were 25 people in the operating room, and despite the severity of what was happening, the staff at WHH went out of their way to try to make it a special birthing experience for us.
“What blows me away is that I turned up late on a Saturday night, in established labour with premature triplets, and the staff just dealt with it - safely, calmly and communicating with me throughout it all. We all know the pressures on the NHS, but even if I’d paid, it couldn’t have been any better than the care we received that night and every day since.”
It has been an emotional time for the family, having previously undergone 11 cycles of fertility treatment and experiencing two miscarriages prior to finding out they were expecting triplets in May this year.
“I found out I was pregnant on day eight following our most recent round of fertility treatment, and as soon as I did a pregnancy test and saw the strongest line I had an inkling it could be twins, but triplets definitely came as a bit of a surprise,” said Rebecca.
“On the day we went for a scan the sonographer confirmed there were two heartbeats, and then found a third baby hidden behind their sibling. Afterwards, we both headed back to work and drove all the way there in silence. Danny’s first words were ‘we need a bigger car’.
“I had a feeling they might arrive sooner than planned, but not this early. Fortunately I bought most of my Christmas presents in September just in case!”
The couple visit their miracle triplets every day, spending time in the unit in between negotiating school drop-off and pickups for their older daughter, five-year-old Isabelle.
There is still a long journey ahead for the triplets, with Gracie Bethany, Charlie Adam and Amelie Gemma (their middle names are the names of the couple’s siblings) expected to stay at in Warrington Hospital until after the new year. However, they are demonstrating great progress and are now on minimal oxygen requirements and all almost weighing 3lb each.
“It’s so conflicting at times,” said Rebecca. “You have waves of feeling happy that they’re here safely, and then heartbroken that they’re not at home with us. Our babies definitely aren’t out of the woods yet, they’re still so poorly and their progress can change daily.
“It’s like being on three separate rollercoasters at the same time, but I have absolutely no fear in leaving them at the end of the day as I know they are in the best possible hands and the staff have become like family to us. The environment within this ward is really special. To every single person who was there on that night, and everyone who has looked after us since, we can’t thank you enough.”
Rebecca and Danny wanted to recognise the exceptional care they’ve received by raising money for the ward. In just one week they have raised more than £1,800. Donations can be made via their JustGiving page at: Thank you Warrington NICU
Approximately 2,500 babies are delivered at WHH each year, and of those around 350 are cared for by the dedicated staff working in the Neonatal Unit. The Neonatal Team currently look after three intensive care cots, three high dependency cots and 12 special care cots with round the clock care.
Ailsa Gaskill-Jones, Director of Midwifery at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals, said: “Having a premature baby being cared for in the Neonatal Unit can be an extremely daunting and overwhelming experience for parents, which is further intensified in cases of multiple births.
“We are incredibly grateful to Rebecca and her family not only for raising such a phenomenal amount in such a short space of time, but also for their kind words, which highlight the compassion, expertise and dedication to duty that our Neonatal Team show not only to the tiniest babies they provide round the clock care for every day, but also the families they support and guide throughout their journey with us.”
