Harry Mercer
On Friday 2nd February 2007, at 42 weeks pregnant (2 weeks overdue!) I was finally induced at Milton Keynes Hospital. I had a trouble free pregnancy with no complications, exactly the same as with my first child Charlie who was born 6 years previously. I was told towards the end of my pregnancy that I was carrying a very healthy size baby and that there were no causes for concern. I was planning to have a home birth because of my trouble free and quick and easy labour with Charlie and my straight forward 2nd pregnancy, but because of needing to be induced I had to be admitted to the hospital.
After being induced at 2.30pm, the rest of the day was spent walking round the hospital with absolutely no signs of labour.
At 10.30pm with still no signs, my partner Jay went home after being told that nothing was likely to happen that evening and to return first thing in the morning.
At about 11pm I started to get very strong contractions and Jay was called and asked to return to the hospital. By the time Jay returned at about 11.30pm I had been moved to a staff room because there was no room on the labour ward and I was, by this time in established labour. I was given some gas and air but was told that I was too far gone for any additional type of pain relief, as this could make the baby drowsy.
At 12.22 am on 3rd February, Harry James Mercer was born weighing a very big 8lb 6 1/2oz! Harry was born with out a heartbeat, despite one being detected all the way through the very quick labour. A resuss team where called to the room where the staff began to try and resuscitate him. After about 20 mins Harry was moved to the Special Care Baby Unit where they continued to work on him.
After what seemed like ages we were finally allowed to go and see Harry but before we were allowed in we were told by the nurses that Harry was very poorly and not to expect too much. We were given a picture of him while we waited to see him.
The staff in the Special Care Unit took control of everything as we just didn’t know what to do. They explained that lots of babies are born ‘flat’ (without a heartbeat) but most are able to be resuscitated straight away, Unfortunately Harry was not responding to any of the medication given to him and he was only breathing with the help of a machine and was by then in an incubator.
The nurses explained that they have family rooms for parents to stay in so they can be close to their baby at such a difficult time. We were shown to a room called ‘The Stephen Searle Room’. My partner Jay was a very close friend of Stephens and we have supported a number of charity events that his Mum Sandy has organised over the years since Stephen died. These events raise money for the Special Care Baby Unit. It was events like these that enable the unit to be able have a family room for parents like us.
The room was very comfortable and made things just that little bit easier. We were able to spend some time with Harry in there and both our families came to meet him. We are very grateful that there was somewhere for us to go and that our families all had a chance to meet and hold him.
Harry died at 12.05pm on Sat 3rd February 2007 at just 11hrs 43 mins old.
We were absolutely devastated. The nurses and doctors on SCBU were excellent. They supported us all and helped us through the hardest time of our lives.
We have always supported ‘The Stephen Searle Remembrance Fund’ but this has just made it that little bit more important for us to help in anyway we can, which is why we have decided to help Sandy in her aim to raise £20,000 this year to purchase a much needed piece of equipment for the unit (details of which are on this site)
This really is an amazing and worthwhile charity and if anyone wishes to donate money, raffle prizes or anything else, it would be greatly appreciated.
Kerry and Jay (Harry’ parents)
June 2007
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