A CAERPHILLY mum who lost her baby four weeks after learning she was pregnant has spoken of the value of the support she was offered through her ordeal.

Paige Thomas, 23 from Blackwood, was already 22 weeks pregnant when she learned she was expecting in January this year. 

She learned she was having a girl - who she named Amelia May Thomas-Morris - and was told everything was "normal and healthy".

But a few weeks later, on February 3, Ms Thomas became concerned that she wasn't feeling Amelia moving, and went to the Grange University Hospital, where doctors found her blood pressure was dangerously high.

It was also found the level of protein in her urine was 913 - a count of 15 is considered high and requires treatment - and was diagnosed with severe pre-eclampsia, a common condition in pregnant women.

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"I got rushed down to the High Dependency Unit where I had a scan and Amelia was thankfully ok at this point," she said. "I could see her heart beating on the ultrasound.

"However, by the time I was put on a magnesium drip and everything else to bring down my blood pressure, and they started monitoring Amelia, her heart had stopped beating."

Sadly, Amelia died the same day - but this wasn't the end of Ms Thomas' ordeal, as she had to give birth to her daughter five days later, on February 8.

"She measured 36cm and weighed a perfect 1.49lbs," said Ms Thomas. "The birth was so easy as she was so tiny but afterwards, it wasn't."

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Ms Thomas said the experience took an emotional toll on her.

"I still feel like I'm in this whirlwind - a beautiful nightmare - because I love the fact that I'm a mam but then some days I think, well am I a mam," she said.

"The answer is yes. I have a mam's body without the baby - I have the stretch marks, my breastmilk came in, I had all your typical postpartum body but there was no baby.

"I'm very proud of my body and what it was able to do, even though Amelia wasn't there. At times, it felt like my body was punishing me in a way, because it was still acting like I had a baby to care for."

 

Thankfully, charity Sands, which supports families affected by neonatal death and stillbirth, was on hand to support her.

 

Ms Thomas said: "After I had given birth to Amelia, I was given a little memory box from Sands UK

"The box contained different ways in which I could create memories with Amelia that I never thought that I was able to.

"It enabled me to have her hand and footprints done, and include duplicate items so that I could keep one, and Amelia could keep the other."

As a way of giving back to the charity, Ms Thomas, along with 10 colleagues at Lloyds Banking Group, are doing a half marathon walk for Amelia on November 6. The bank has also agreed to match every £500 the team raises.

"We're starting at Fourteen Locks in Newport and walking the route until we have completed the half marathon," said Ms Thomas. "We're doing it as a way of fundraising for SANDS UK, who have been a main charity for me throughout this time."

Ms Thomas has also set up a blog to bring awareness about how common miscarriages and stillbirths are, and said she often hears from other parents or family members who have had similar experiences.

"I think that's amazing," she said, "It just goes to show that even one person opening up about baby loss can create a domino affect for the better, and encourage other people to have that conversation too."

You can see more on Paige Thomas's fundraising page here.

Sands is here to support anyone affected by the death of a baby. Sands' free Helpline is available on 0808 164 3332 10am to 3pm Monday to Friday and 6-9pm Tuesday and Thursday evenings. You can also email helpline@sands.org.uk for support.

Do you have an experience you would like to share? You can contact our reporter Rachel Nurse or contact the Argus direct.