Baby Leighton

rainbow-spring-fullIt was New Year’s Day 2013. We had everything to live for and look forward to. We were expecting twins – a boy and a girl! Our family would be complete.

Later that day, after a lazy day watching films, my waters broke. I was 17 weeks pregnant to the day.

After calling the hospital to explain what had happened, my husband Kevin and I headed to St Mary’s Maternity Hospital, Poole. When we arrived we were taken to a side room where we waited for a short while. I was then examined and we were told there and then that my cervix was opening and that it was likely we were losing our babies. All sorts of thoughts were going through our minds. Kev was there for me throughout. He was my rock and did not leave my side, yet there was nothing he could do for me. Of course, like me, he was heartbroken.

The staff at the hospital advised us we would have to wait and see what happens. We stayed in the SPRING suite which was lovely. It had a lounge area, bedroom and bathroom and was nice and private so our families could come in and see us.

We called our families to let them know what was happening. My mum, sister, and Kev’s mum came straight away. Kev and his mum went out for some fresh air and my mum and sister stayed with me, reassuring me that everything would be okay and that miracles can happen, but deep down we all knew.

I was hoping and praying everything would be ok. That entire night we didn’t get any sleep, just rest when we could, but mainly we watched television trying to think of anything else other than what was happening to us.

The next day Kev went home to get us a bag of things we would need during our time in hospital. Meanwhile, I had tea and toast in bed, followed by the urge to go to the toilet, and as I did I could feel something moving so I called for a nurse.

The nurse arrived and there she was – our beautiful little baby girl, so small she fitted in the size of my hand perfectly. She was so completely formed – all of her fingers, toes and features. She was so perfect and so pink.

On 2nd January 2013 at 10.25am Kayleigh Rose was born sleeping. The nurse wrapped her up and placed her in a moses basket. I sat quietly, just starring at her. She was just so perfect.

I called Kev and he was just on his way back to the hospital. He walked in and there we both were, his beautiful first child and I. I will always remember his face as he came in and sat down with us.

Our families came down shortly afterwards to be with us. Later that day we had a scan to check on our little boy. Everything was fine. His heartbeat and movement all seemed ok. As the day continued I became very unwell. I can vaguely remember  nurses, doctors and consultants coming in to the room, talking to me about what was happening, but it was all too much to take in. Luckily I had Kev and my mum there to explain everything. I was really quite out of it.

We were moved to the High Dependency Unit where we had a discussion with the consultants. We were advised that as I was so poorly, it would not have been safe for me to continue with the pregnancy.

So there it began. For hours I was in labour and then at 03.08am on 3rd January 2013, Dylan Kevin was born sleeping. He was also tiny and pink and perfectly formed.

The midwife took Dylan away and soon returned with photographs and hand and foot prints of our little angels and constructed a wonderful little book for us to keep. She then brought in our perfect and precious little angels for us to spend some time with them.

A bit later we were taken back up to the SPRING suite so we could continue to spend time with our babies. There were wrapped in beautiful knitted pink and blue cocoons donated to the unit.

Over the next few days we stayed in the SPRING suite so I could be looked after medically. We had people coming in to give us support and advice and also had lovely family photographs taken for us to have as a keepsake. The hospital Chaplain also came to bless our babies.

Leaving the hospital without our babies was without question the worst experience of our lives, but we had each other and our families and friends that gave us great support going forward.

Kayleigh and Dylan were sent off for a post-mortem. Then, at the end of January, we had a funeral for our little angels. Our lives at this point were so empty. Our feelings were of loss and anger, and all the questioning – What if? Why had this happened to us?

Later that year we had appointments with consultants to go through all the reports and test results. They showed that I was ok and that there was nothing wrong with our babies. This was nice to know – it was just not their time to be on earth with us, but we will always have our babies looking over us and they will always be in our hearts and our thoughts. Kayleigh and Dylan will never be forgotten.

A year on and we bought them balloons for their birthdays which we released in their memories, with our families and puppy, Lucian. We will do this every year in remembrance.

A few days after their birthdays.on 6th January 2014, I did a pregnancy test and to my delight a positive result appeared! I ran down the stairs before Kev went off to work and presented him with it. We were buzzing with joy!

We told our family and friends and everyone was so happy and excited for us.

Throughout the pregnancy the consultants kept a close eye on us. We had regular scans and thankfully every time everything was fine –our baby was fine. We refrained from finding out the sex as we wanted to wait this time. It was obviously a worrying time, especially as the pregnancy progressed and we reached the 17th week, but that soon passed and everything was good.

At 41 weeks, on 19th September 2014 our perfect little man was born at 6.24pm weighing in at 7lbs 12oz. He was just so perfect and so incredibly precious. We had waited a long time for Leighton Dylan – our beautiful rainbow baby.

Seeing Kev hold our baby for the first time was the loveliest sight ever. Leaving the hospital was and coming home with him was the most fantastic feeling. We were on top of the world.

And so all the fun and games were to start, and we cherish very single moment with Leighton – even the crying in the small hours, and now we are looking forward to expanding our families with more babies.

Leighton really is a lucky boy. He has the best family and they adore and dote on him. Our friends love him too. Over the months he has been spoilt rotten with presents for his arrival, first Christmas and little gifts ‘just because’.

Leighton really is the best present that we could have ever wished for and he is all ours. As I write this he has just woken up and and given me the loveliest smile. He is now 5 months old and is a right little cracker with a great personality coming through. Our hearts, lives and house are now full of joy.

There is always hope.

Kayleigh, Dylan and all angel babies – always remembered, never forgotten xxx