6 October 2016

Vital help of neonatal nurse highlighted by heart failure mum


A Derbyshire woman who suffered heart failure whilst pregnant has hailed a Sheffield Hospitals Charity funded nurse who helped her bond with her baby during her lifesaving care.

Ruth Clout, aged 39, from Chapel-en-le-Frith was admitted to the Jessop Wing Hospital at 33 weeks pregnant purely as a precaution, after suffering coughing and breathlessness.

It was there that doctors diagnosed Ruth’s shocking heart condition, prompting baby William to be delivered early. But thanks to the help of Family Support Nurse Sandra Brown, Ruth and her family found a way to cope with their traumatic ordeal.

Ruth said: “I had been unwell for a few weeks which we thought was a chest infection, but after it didn’t go away, I was given a chest x-ray, which revealed I had an enlarged heart.

“I was transferred from Jessops to the Royal Hallamshire Hospital where an echocardiogram – a sonogram of the heart - was arranged. Following this I was transferred to the Coronary Care Unit at the Northern General Hospital, where I was told me I had heart failure. The doctor held my hand and said my heart wasn’t happy. It completely wiped the floor with me and my husband, Daniel.

“Originally, doctors thought it was caused by my pregnancy, and as I was so unwell we had to discuss when would be the safest time to deliver our baby. This was when we were introduced to Sandra Brown. She gave us information about the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). She also talked about the process after the delivery and how our baby would be transferred to Jessops in an ambulance with the neonatal transfer team.

“She spent time with Daniel and me, but also my mum and dad. The booklets she gave us helped us to explain to our four-year-old daughter Emily that our baby was going to be coming early, which made things less scary for her.

“Unfortunately I deteriorated later that day and my blood pressure got dangerously low. I was breathless just getting out of a chair. I looked so pale and my eyes were really sunken and dark.

“William was born the next day by Caesarean Section, weighing a good 5lb 6oz and was taken to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to receive the specialist care he needed. I had to have a general anaesthetic during the delivery, but Sandra was there and took photos for us. She spent vital time with Daniel and my parents on the day of delivery and was incredibly supportive to them all.

“I was very worried and upset about being separated from my baby at birth and not bonding. But after I was woken from the anaesthetic, the neonatal transfer team and Sandra had brought William to see me on the ward in cardiac intensive care.

“Sandra stayed in regular contact, arranging for William to be brought to see me every day. Being separated from a newborn baby is so difficult, but all the support Sandra gave was so beneficial - she was able to see the importance of me still seeing William regularly.”

Ruth stayed in hospital for two weeks and during this period Sandra ensured she saw William on a daily basis. Initially she arranged for him to be transferred by ambulance to see Ruth, and then when he was well enough, she took him over in a car seat. Without Sandra’s help, Ruth would not have seen her baby and would have missed out on his early development.

Sandra Brown is funded by Sheffield Hospitals Charity and helps parents deal with their baby’s stressful journey through the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit by providing information, emotional support and practical advice.

She works with families in need of support, focussing solely on providing advice to families of vulnerable babies. This may be one-to-one support for breastfeeding and expressing milk, supporting skin-to-skin holding, or just talking about their baby.

Sandra is often the first and last person parents come into contact with at NICU. She helps families prepare for the birth of a premature baby, and provides advice for when it’s time to take their baby home.

“William is now nearly four months old and is doing great, but my heart condition hasn't been resolved and we are now waiting to see what the next step is. If things don't improve then I may have to be added to the heart transplant list.

“Sandra was amazing, as was my consultant Cardiologist, Dr O’Toole. Daniel and I felt we were treated like VIPs and we were very lucky to have such incredible care and support from all services within the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. It made a traumatic experience more bearable,” Ruth added.


To make a donation to support families in the Jessop Wing, visit http://www.sheffieldhospitalscharity.org.uk/jessopsappeal or text JESSOPS1 to 70660 to donate £3 to support babies and their families.
 



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