UK MUM Awards 2025

Kristen’s Nomination:

We’d like to nominate the maternity and neonatal unit at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton for the MUM awards. Both the fetal medicine unit, maternity and neonatal units have all helped to save our two premature babies

I had difficult pregnancies and was cared for by Miss Raouf, Fetal Medicine Consultant in both pregnancies. On both occasions I went in to preterm labour at 28 weeks, Miss Raouf managed the timings of my preterm labour with Atosiban and magnesium sulphate. With Tate I managed to get to 34 weeks and with Daisy 32 weeks. I remained an inpatient from the diagnosis of the preterm labour until their births as I continued to contract throughout these periods. This meant I missed my family, my friends and my other children but the entire maternity team became my family and ensured I felt listened to and supported at all times. They balanced the needs of maintaining the pregnancies as long as they could as with my health needs. And at the point when the babies were born they ensured they’d received steroids and magnesium sulphate to ensure they had the best neuro-protection and lung development they could.

My deliveries were extremely high risk and Kate James, labour ward Midwife, kept me calm and supported throughout. Not only did she care for me, but she ensured that my husband Mark was also supported and kept informed at all times. At times when I cried and feared for my life and that of my unborn babies, she held my hand and comforted me. Something I will never ever forget.

As I mentioned, the babies were born at 32 (3lb 8oz) and 34 weeks (4lb 6oz). But this isn’t the end, having a premature baby is where the real hard work begins. Both babies were immediately taken to the neonatal unit where they were intubated and ventilated. To be separated from your babies goes against every maternal instinct but Kate James made sure I had an iPad in my postnatal room linked to the babies in NICU so that I could see them at all times. This helped with bonding and initiating expressing breast milk for them. I wish all hospitals could offer this service. As soon as they were weaned off life support the NICU team supported me with skin to skin and kangaroo care and I sat on that NICU ward for 24 hours a day growing them on my chest on the outside as I wasn’t able to keep them on the inside. It was now the turn of the NICU team and our consultant Dr Ojha to become my family and support me emotionally and physically.

When Tate developed sepsis at five weeks old and nearly died they again acted promptly and effectively, saving his life once again. Their comfort and support during that time can not be expressed in words.

Unless you have had premature babies, it’s hard to explain that the journey doesn’t end when they are eventually discharged home with you, but is an ongoing process of appointments, reviews, physiotherapy, consultations and milestone assessments. Dr Ojha has been there every step of the way with both of the babies. She’s been at the end of an email or a phone call whenever I’ve had the slightest concern with their development.

I can’t thank those teams enough for the support they have given me in both of my high risk pregnancies, deliveries and neonatal care. I will be forever grateful for the care and support they gave not only to me, but also to my husband and other children. In particular Miss Raouf, Kate James and Dr Ojha deserve special recognition and they will always be remembered for being such a huge part of our journey.