72 days in neonatal care: A North East mam's campaign to bring the law forward
A North East Mam's campaign to get a the Neonatal bill brought in sooner after her daughter spent 72 days in hospital
Last updated 10th Jul 2023
Anna was just 26 weeks pregnant when she had her emergency C-Section at Sunderland Hospital. She had been suffering haemorrhages and was classed as a high risk pregnancy. She had to be put under general anaesthetic and with her health deteriorating, her partner was told to leave the theatre and warned that Anna may not wake up, and their baby may not survive either.
Baby Millie was born weighing 2lb, put straight on a ventilator, and faced a string of health problems including a collapsed lung and twisted bowel, whilst Anna began recovering.
Between Sunderland, Newcastle and Darlington hospitals, Millie spent 72 days in Neonatal care.
Millie's Dad, Michael, couldn't be there the whole time. Because of how the law currently stands, he wasn't allowed leave from work for neonatal care. Anna told us how serious this time was:
"Michael told his work he wasn’t going back until Millie was more stable, but they said they would terminate his employment. He went back but within two days Millie took another turn for the worst, needing to be transferred back to the RVI yet again, where we stayed for three weeks. During this time Millie was operated on and we got told she might not make it."
"Michael struggled more with his mental health than I did, as he not only had to watch us nearly die but also had the stress of commuting between the RVI and Stockton for work, to avoid his employment being terminated."
The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Bill has been backed by Government, but won't be in law until April 2025. It means parents with babies admitted to neonatal care will have up to 12 weeks of leave and pay. But until then, many are left in the same situation as Michael and Anna.
According to charity Bliss, there'll be 120,000 parents of babies needing neonatal care in the UK from now until April 2025.
Anna tells us she'll keep campaigning to get the Bill brought forward. "It's vital both parents get to be with their child. You don't know if they're going to make the next day"
Baby Millie is now nearly 2 years old and living a happy life at home. She has cerebral palsy on her left hand side. Mum Anna says "nothing stops her, she is a born fighter and such a strong little girl."