A woman who tragically lost eight babies after suffering six miscarriages and two premature deaths have given birth to a ‘little miracle’ at Tameside Hospital.
Proud parents Rachel Hales and Andrew McLean both 25 were delighted at the birth of their baby Harley McLean now eight-months-old.
The couple called their consultant ‘a guardian angel’ after mum Rachel bled heavily throughout her pregnancy, leading to fears she could miscarry at any time.
Rachel said: “Harley is our little miracle and my consultant Dr Beth Hammersley is our guardian angel. I put all the faith I had into Beth because there was nothing else I could do.
“I would walk over hot coals for her. I truly believe if it wasn’t for her and her actions that we wouldn’t be here now.”
Rachel underwent an emergency caesarian section after hemorrhaging and going into premature labor and at only 28 weeks.
Harley was on life support after contracting several infections but was discharged at 11-weeks old.
Rachel’s earlier pregnancy went smoothly but after little Dylan was born at 26 weeks Rachel and her then partner had to make the heartbreaking decision to turn off his life support after eight days.
Rachel then fell pregnant with little girl Kacey who was born at 22 weeks old and who lived for just four hours.
She said: “After my little girl I had a really bad nervous breakdown and I don’t know how I carried on.
“It was horrendous. They were my children, my little babies.”
When Rachel fell pregnant with Harley she feared she had miscarried but her baby was found to be healthy after a 12-week scan.
It is thought that Rachel’s sticky blood may be damaging her placenta leading to her troubled pregnancies.
In the 16th week of her pregnancy she was admitted to hospital with Rachel describing the time as ‘depressing’.
“It was dragging me down and wearing me thin. I was going stir crazy but the nurses were amazing. They have become like a second family. They did everything they could to try to make it better for me,” she said.
Dr Beth Hammersley, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, said: “I met Rachel and Andrew for the first time in this pregnancy and we have been through something of a roller-coaster ride together.
“I first scanned Harley when he was a tiny six week embryo and was in theatre when he delivered, small but very loud.
“This was a real Tameside team effort with obstetricians, midwives and the neo-natal unit coming together and this time getting the right result with a lovely little boy to complete Rachel and Andrew’s family.”
Rachel added: “I feel so lucky to have him, he’s our golden boy. The care we have received from Tameside Hospital, all the medical team, the midwives and everyone in NICU has been amazing. I couldn’t fault them.”
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