Parents thank QA Hospital staff for saving their premature ‘miracle’ twins

Nikki Fletcher and Mark Lawrence went back to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Queen Alexandra Hospital to pay tribute to staff for the life saving care they provided to their twin boys, George and Oliver.

Both boys were born at just 25 weeks and two days into pregnancy – 15 weeks short of their full term.

Nikki said: ‘From the paramedics arriving to taking the boys home – the care we have received has been amazing and we can’t thank the hospital staff enough.’

According to consultant, Dr Huw Jones, the two baby boys ‘should now be able to enjoy a normal healthy childhood’.

However, their future wasn’t quite so certain when Nikki went into early labour in the early hours of November 16. 

‘I had been getting pains in my stomach and came downstairs for a drink. I phoned the hospital and they told me to come in. However it was whilst I was in the hallway that my waters broke. I went to go to the toilet and it was there that I gave birth to George,’ explained Nikki.

‘George actually came out into the pan. I pulled him out and started rubbing him to get him breathing,’ added partner, Mark.

Whilst all this was unfolding, the couple’s other daughter, Maddison, 11, got out of bed after hearing the commotion.

‘I knew something was wrong and so phoned for an ambulance. It was really frightening – the person on the phone kept telling me to lean over George’s mouth to see if he was still breathing,’ Maddison explained.

Whilst the arrival of the paramedics offered some reassurance, weighing just two pounds it was a race against time to get him to hospital.

First paramedic on the scene, Gilbert Hall, said: ‘When I arrived, mum was in the front room with George and the umbilical cord was still attached. I tried to remain calm, but at just 25 weeks I knew just what a precarious position George was in. Once I had established he was breathing I was able to cut the umbilical cord and pass him on to the ambulance team to take to hospital.’

George was then rushed to Queen Alexandra where he was handed over to the Neonatal Care Unit Unit.

Deneka O’Brien, who was driving the ambulance, said: ‘It was really frightening as the chances of a baby of that age surviving when not born in hospital is slim. After handing George over the whole team just started crying.’

As staff fought to save George’s life, Nikki arrived at hospital. Two hours and forty minutes after George was born, she gave birth to brother, Oliver.

Over the next three months the brave brothers overcame heart and eye operations, difficulties breathing and bleeds on the brain to eventually be ready to be taken home and join their three other siblings – still in advance of their official due date of February 27. 

Mum, Nikki, said: ‘It is amazing to be able to take them home and they have settled in and are sleeping really well.’

For the staff of Queen Alexandra it is such moments which make their job so worthwhile.

Gilbert said: ‘At the time my expectations feared for a different outcome. I lost my own son at 25 weeks. To be here today, seeing them doing so well is a fantastic feeling and is testament to the brilliant work of the team here at the hospital.’ 

Colleague, James Grant, who travelled with George in the ambulance, added: ‘It is the most amazing day of my career. It is a miracle that both survived.’