In 2016 I discovered I was pregnant with my second child, Isla. I suffered with a blood problem throughout my pregnancy due to having sensitised blood, which meant I had various types of antibodies which in simple terms attacked the unborn baby. The blood sensitisation was through no fault of my own and there was nothing that could be done to stop it or prevent it and was merely a case of monitoring me and the baby. I attended Ipswich hospital antenatal clinic weekly for scans and blood tests. Dr Deole was a truly amazing consultant and the only person skilled enough to do the scans we required which measured the anaemia levels in our unborn baby. We were sent to addenbrookes for scans as well and equally received amazing care from them. 

At 33 weeks after a steady increase in anaemia levels in our unborn daughter my scan revealed she was past the threshold that is safe and they needed to get her delivered. This was the 12/09/2016. I still remember the day as if it was yesterday. My scan was midday and by 1.30pm i was gowned up awaiting my c-section. Everybody involved in the process from the anaethetist to the nurses and doctors were amazing, professional and made me relaxed. I whole heartedly trusted them. By 4.45pm our baby girl was delivered, she never cried and was immediately being worked on. The doctors were helping her breathe and needed to get her immediate medical care and she was whisked away without me seeing her or holding her. 

The staff in the Deben ward were sensitive to my situation placing me in a seperate room to the other mothers who had their babies with them. At 1am a consultant came to see me to tell me despite the UV lamps and a blood transfusion our baby girl was not responding to any treatment and they wanted to perform a blood exchange where they replace her contaminated blood with fresh healthy blood. There were numerous risks associated with the procedure, I had to sign a disclaimer consenting to the treatment understanding the potential fatal side effects but i knew without it her life was at risk anyway. A few hours later the consultant came up to say they had stop the procedure as Isla's body went into distress and they would try to resume the treatment in a few hours. 

It was 15 hours after Isla's birth before I was able and fit enough to go down to the framlingham ward to see my baby girl. As I was being wheeled in she was in the corner cubicle surrounding entirely by uv lamps. She lit the entire room up. There lay this tiny vulnerable baby, she was extremely jaundice with an eye mask covering her eyes and wires coming from everywhere. Machines beeping and pinging away. I was unable to hold her for a week and could only stroke her between the wires and lamps, when she cried i was unable to comfort her and i was unable to feed her. She slowly got stronger and better and after 15 days on the Framlingham ward she was able to come home. Weighing 4lb 5ozs she came home with a feeding tube and under the care of the outreach team from the Framlingham ward. 

Isla was the first baby in 6 years to have received a blood exchange at Ipswich hospital. 

Throughout our time on the Framlingham Ward all the staff from admin to consultants were fantastic. They were open, honest, understanding and compassionate. Without their intense work our baby girl would not have survived. 

The Framlingham ward receives very little by way of funding from the NHS and relies on the Ipswich Hospital Charity to helps provide equipment, refurbishments and support to staff and patients. Money raised goes towards simple things from comfortable high back chairs for the mothers on vigil for hours next to their babies, breast pumps for mothers who need to express milk for their babies who are tube fed as they are simply not strong enough to drink from the breast or a bottle, toys and books for older siblings of the babies in the unit to keep them occupied whilst they visit and also vital hi-tech equipment like incubators and monitors which keep sick babies alive. 

I am extremely passionate about this cause because quite  simply without this unit and all the staff and equipment in it Isla would not have survived. It is that simple. 

I have always pledged to donate money to this ward to help them help other babies, I would be so grateful if you could  please help me to do this by donating on my just giving page. In May I am taking part in the Ipswich hospital charity zip wire off the maternity block... I am petrified of heights but figure it wouldnt be a challenge if I wasnt scared. Every penny counts so any donation is gratefully received and goes in full to the Framlingham Ward at Ipswich Hospital.

Thank you.