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I HAVE now experienced first-hand the major problems with maternity services moving to Stoke Mandeville.

After having a premature baby in 2004, we had excellent care at Wycombe Special Care Baby Unit for 11 weeks. I was able to room in when the baby was very poorly or when I felt the need to establish feeds before the baby was due home.

But having a 32-week premature birth in March 2008 was a distressing time.

After suffering bleeding and with a history of placental abruption, I was taken to the labour ward.

The staff were fantastic. Unfortunately, the Wycombe SCBU was full. So, as Stoke Mandeville only had two babies in its SCBU, I had to be transferred there.

Eight hours after an ambulance transfer was requested, the paramedics arrived!

It was 2.30am. The ambulance wasn't that old but was a bone shaker. I was contracting with a midwife who was trying to listen to the baby's heartbeat. It was a 40-minute drive of hell. The movement was such that she struggled to find the heartbeat.

If I had haemorrhaged, my little girl would have died. It was very distressing.

I had an emergency c-section the next day at Stoke Mandeville.

If I hadn't had this c-section I would have been sent home after a couple of days - having to leave my tiny baby.

Establishing breastfeeding would be impossible due to the 40-minute drive from home.

The stress on our other children was terrible.

At six days, our daughter was transferred to Wycombe SCBU where we were able to establish breastfeeding and room in with her for the last two days of her stay to get used to each other and have staff on hand.

The staff at both SCBUs are amazing and very good at their jobs.

The health trust needs to look at the bigger picture.

I feel the health costs are far further reaching: postnatal depression from separating mums from babies, death on transferring babies, less breastfeeding etc etc.

I am one of the lucky ones but how long will it be till a baby dies en route to Stoke Mandeville?

Jill Hallas, Green Close, High Wycombe

8:24pm Thursday 15th May 2008

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