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| This is the NHS: a day in the life of the UK's busiest maternity centre | This is the NHS: a day in the life of the UK's busiest maternity centre |
| (25 days later) | |
| 6.41pm GMT | 6.41pm GMT |
| 18:41 | 18:41 |
| 'I cried when she came out, a blubbering mess' | 'I cried when she came out, a blubbering mess' |
| Jessica Elgot | Jessica Elgot |
| Fast asleep in bed 24 in maternity base ward is the newborn daughter of Nicola Murphy and James Iball, who were on the live blog this morning before their elective caesarean. | Fast asleep in bed 24 in maternity base ward is the newborn daughter of Nicola Murphy and James Iball, who were on the live blog this morning before their elective caesarean. |
| “She is the absolute image of her sister,” said Murphy. “I keep wanting to call her Molly, which is her sister’s name.” The baby doesn’t have an official name yet, though the couple seem to have one in mind. | “She is the absolute image of her sister,” said Murphy. “I keep wanting to call her Molly, which is her sister’s name.” The baby doesn’t have an official name yet, though the couple seem to have one in mind. |
| Like her sister, she is a big baby - 9lbs 11 - which Iball guessed exactly right in a bet with midwives. She is blonde like him. “I’m not a cryer but I cried when she came out, a blubbering mess,” he said. | Like her sister, she is a big baby - 9lbs 11 - which Iball guessed exactly right in a bet with midwives. She is blonde like him. “I’m not a cryer but I cried when she came out, a blubbering mess,” he said. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.53pm GMT | at 6.53pm GMT |
| 6.36pm GMT | 6.36pm GMT |
| 18:36 | 18:36 |
| Karen Schnauffer, consultant embyrologist | Karen Schnauffer, consultant embyrologist |
| Jessica Elgot | Jessica Elgot |
| The Hewitt fertility centre is full of silver tanks of liquid nitrogen containing intricate, colour-coded sticks painstakingly labelled for individual patients. Around 6,000 embryos are stored, alongside the frozen sperm of 2,000 men. A 14-year-old boy who might be rendered infertile by cancer treatment can have his sperm stored here until he is 55. | The Hewitt fertility centre is full of silver tanks of liquid nitrogen containing intricate, colour-coded sticks painstakingly labelled for individual patients. Around 6,000 embryos are stored, alongside the frozen sperm of 2,000 men. A 14-year-old boy who might be rendered infertile by cancer treatment can have his sperm stored here until he is 55. |
| It is one of the most hi-tech units in the country, says consultant embryologist Karen Schnauffer. Both NHS and private patients are offered detailed time-lapse technology that photographs the embryos every 10 minutes, providing a detailed picture of how they are developing and helping embryologists select the one with the highest chance of becoming a viable pregnancy. | It is one of the most hi-tech units in the country, says consultant embryologist Karen Schnauffer. Both NHS and private patients are offered detailed time-lapse technology that photographs the embryos every 10 minutes, providing a detailed picture of how they are developing and helping embryologists select the one with the highest chance of becoming a viable pregnancy. |
| When I started more than 20 years ago, we had a success rate of 18 to 22% and that was seen was good. Now, with women under 30, we are more successful than not. It’s a huge advance. | When I started more than 20 years ago, we had a success rate of 18 to 22% and that was seen was good. Now, with women under 30, we are more successful than not. It’s a huge advance. |
| Mothers are definitely getting older, with Schnauffer having an enquiry this week from a 46-year-old hoping to get pregnant. | Mothers are definitely getting older, with Schnauffer having an enquiry this week from a 46-year-old hoping to get pregnant. |
| It is unlikely. I do think people can believe they are fit and healthy - they might have good genes that makes them not have any health problems or the privilege so they can really make themselves look younger- but the reality is those are still 44-year-old eggs, with all the complications that can entail. | It is unlikely. I do think people can believe they are fit and healthy - they might have good genes that makes them not have any health problems or the privilege so they can really make themselves look younger- but the reality is those are still 44-year-old eggs, with all the complications that can entail. |
| Schnauffer believes fertility education should start earlier. “Teenagers are taught a lot about contraception, but I don’t think it is tackled in sex education - the other side of the coin that you might find it hard to get pregnant.” | Schnauffer believes fertility education should start earlier. “Teenagers are taught a lot about contraception, but I don’t think it is tackled in sex education - the other side of the coin that you might find it hard to get pregnant.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 11.08am GMT | at 11.08am GMT |
| 6.27pm GMT | 6.27pm GMT |
| 18:27 | 18:27 |
| 'Toby came out screaming, which is a good sign' | 'Toby came out screaming, which is a good sign' |
| Jessica Elgot | Jessica Elgot |
| Rebecca Elms, 35, travelled from near Stafford to have her baby at Liverpool Women’s hospital, more than an hour and a half’s drive away. | Rebecca Elms, 35, travelled from near Stafford to have her baby at Liverpool Women’s hospital, more than an hour and a half’s drive away. |
| Toby Kenneth Elms is a week old, born at 31 weeks because of complications she had with her previous pregnancies. Rebecca is hoping to take Toby home on Friday to meet his brother, 23-month-old Arthur, who was also born early at 34 weeks. | Toby Kenneth Elms is a week old, born at 31 weeks because of complications she had with her previous pregnancies. Rebecca is hoping to take Toby home on Friday to meet his brother, 23-month-old Arthur, who was also born early at 34 weeks. |
| I was worried Toby would be even earlier, but he came out screaming, which is always a good sign. He’s 4lbs 10 now, which is good, but when you compare him to full term babies, he’s so tiny. | I was worried Toby would be even earlier, but he came out screaming, which is always a good sign. He’s 4lbs 10 now, which is good, but when you compare him to full term babies, he’s so tiny. |
| He’s been in the incubator with jaundice, but he’s recovering well, feeding a lot. I wanted to come here because of the experiences we had here. You do worry about it, but I travelled so far to come here because of the neonatal team. | He’s been in the incubator with jaundice, but he’s recovering well, feeding a lot. I wanted to come here because of the experiences we had here. You do worry about it, but I travelled so far to come here because of the neonatal team. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.57pm GMT | at 6.57pm GMT |
| 6.18pm GMT | 6.18pm GMT |
| 18:18 | 18:18 |
| 'It's so unreal that we made her' | 'It's so unreal that we made her' |
| Jessica Elgot | Jessica Elgot |
| Marnie Edwards and Blaine Tierney, both 26, are packing up their hospital bags at Jeffcoate ward, preparing to take their 18-hour-old daughter home. | Marnie Edwards and Blaine Tierney, both 26, are packing up their hospital bags at Jeffcoate ward, preparing to take their 18-hour-old daughter home. |
| Edwards was induced on Tuesday, and Teddie was born after a long labour: | Edwards was induced on Tuesday, and Teddie was born after a long labour: |
| It just feels unreal. At the end of labour, it’s just so tiring, and then they put a sheet on your chest and say ‘that’s where baby is going to go’, and it’s just amazing. She came out and she wasn’t crying, the cord was wrapped around her neck and I was so, so worried, but she was fine. Then they said: ‘It’s a girl.’ | It just feels unreal. At the end of labour, it’s just so tiring, and then they put a sheet on your chest and say ‘that’s where baby is going to go’, and it’s just amazing. She came out and she wasn’t crying, the cord was wrapped around her neck and I was so, so worried, but she was fine. Then they said: ‘It’s a girl.’ |
| The couple have spent the day adjusting to being parents. | The couple have spent the day adjusting to being parents. |
| I said to Blaine: ‘Do you feel like we’re babysitting?’ It’s so unreal that we made her.” | I said to Blaine: ‘Do you feel like we’re babysitting?’ It’s so unreal that we made her.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.21pm GMT | at 6.21pm GMT |
| 3.22pm GMT | 3.22pm GMT |
| 15:22 | 15:22 |
| Jessica Elgot | Jessica Elgot |
| There have been 13 births since we started the live blog this morning. Five of the newborns came into the world in the maternity suite, and another three in the maternity-led unit; there have been two emergency caesareans, and three elective C-sections. | There have been 13 births since we started the live blog this morning. Five of the newborns came into the world in the maternity suite, and another three in the maternity-led unit; there have been two emergency caesareans, and three elective C-sections. |
| All of the mothers and babies are doing fine, according to ward manager Sarah McGrath. | All of the mothers and babies are doing fine, according to ward manager Sarah McGrath. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.44pm GMT | at 6.44pm GMT |
| 3.02pm GMT | 3.02pm GMT |
| 15:02 | 15:02 |
| Honeysuckle bereavement team | Honeysuckle bereavement team |
| Jessica Elgot | Jessica Elgot |
| For a woman to walk out of a maternity hospital without a baby in her arms is an incredibly emotional experience. | For a woman to walk out of a maternity hospital without a baby in her arms is an incredibly emotional experience. |
| The bereavement team at Liverpool Women’s hospital – named Honeysuckle – have devised a number of ways for parents suffering a miscarriage or the death of a baby to take away memories that are not just of the trauma. | The bereavement team at Liverpool Women’s hospital – named Honeysuckle – have devised a number of ways for parents suffering a miscarriage or the death of a baby to take away memories that are not just of the trauma. |
| The method for dealing with miscarriage and stillbirth has been transformed in the past few decades. Professional photographers will come and take pictures as keepsakes, and there is a library of books to explain miscarriage and stillbirth to siblings. Parents are given memory boxes, and tiny knitted cribs for early miscarriages, and are able to spend time with their baby in a small room with a crib hung with fairy lights. | The method for dealing with miscarriage and stillbirth has been transformed in the past few decades. Professional photographers will come and take pictures as keepsakes, and there is a library of books to explain miscarriage and stillbirth to siblings. Parents are given memory boxes, and tiny knitted cribs for early miscarriages, and are able to spend time with their baby in a small room with a crib hung with fairy lights. |
| “One dad came in here after his baby died and he told us he had always imagined having a pint with his son,” recalls bereavement support midwife Pauline McBurnie. “So we brought him a beer in here so he could.” | “One dad came in here after his baby died and he told us he had always imagined having a pint with his son,” recalls bereavement support midwife Pauline McBurnie. “So we brought him a beer in here so he could.” |
| Sarah Martin, a bereavement support officer, had a phone call recently from a man whose baby died in 1962 and who never saw his baby’s body. “I managed to track down where the baby was buried,” she said. “That has changed so much now, we want people to have the best experience of care they can in a really difficult time.” | Sarah Martin, a bereavement support officer, had a phone call recently from a man whose baby died in 1962 and who never saw his baby’s body. “I managed to track down where the baby was buried,” she said. “That has changed so much now, we want people to have the best experience of care they can in a really difficult time.” |
| The team also has to deal with women who have travelled – often from Northern Ireland – for terminations of foetuses with abnormalities. Martin recalls: | The team also has to deal with women who have travelled – often from Northern Ireland – for terminations of foetuses with abnormalities. Martin recalls: |
| There was one family I will always remember who came from Ireland for a termination, where the dad stayed for days after. The family sent us thanks afterwards and brought their daughter here too; they said they’d always have Liverpool in their hearts. | There was one family I will always remember who came from Ireland for a termination, where the dad stayed for days after. The family sent us thanks afterwards and brought their daughter here too; they said they’d always have Liverpool in their hearts. |
| Gillian Walker, manager of the Honeysuckle team, has been a midwife for 30 years but says she can remember the first baby she delivered stillborn. “I can still see that room, that family, I remember it so clearly. I worked with a very progressive midwife then, and that made a big impression on me. As a team, that’s what we are empowered to do, treat each family as individual.” | Gillian Walker, manager of the Honeysuckle team, has been a midwife for 30 years but says she can remember the first baby she delivered stillborn. “I can still see that room, that family, I remember it so clearly. I worked with a very progressive midwife then, and that made a big impression on me. As a team, that’s what we are empowered to do, treat each family as individual.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.33pm GMT | at 3.33pm GMT |
| 2.49pm GMT | 2.49pm GMT |
| 14:49 | 14:49 |
| Zarko Alfirevic, professor of foetal medicine | Zarko Alfirevic, professor of foetal medicine |
| Jessica Elgot | Jessica Elgot |
| Zarko Alfirevic is the doctor pregnant women hope not to see. The professor of foetal medicine concentrates on those whose lifestyle, existing health condition or their baby’s condition put them at high risk. | Zarko Alfirevic is the doctor pregnant women hope not to see. The professor of foetal medicine concentrates on those whose lifestyle, existing health condition or their baby’s condition put them at high risk. |
| Pregnant women are put through the most phenomenal amount of tests, most of which they just accept unconditionally, possibly without even understanding the majority of them, and all they need is to be constantly reassured that it is going to be OK. | Pregnant women are put through the most phenomenal amount of tests, most of which they just accept unconditionally, possibly without even understanding the majority of them, and all they need is to be constantly reassured that it is going to be OK. |
| Unfortunately, for some it will not be, and you have that lightning moment where their life changes, and everything goes from being a beautiful, happy time, to being extremely stressful. That is much worse if there is something wrong with the baby. If the problem is with the mother, you interact very much like a normal patient-doctor relationship, but with a third person in the equation it becomes very difficult. | Unfortunately, for some it will not be, and you have that lightning moment where their life changes, and everything goes from being a beautiful, happy time, to being extremely stressful. That is much worse if there is something wrong with the baby. If the problem is with the mother, you interact very much like a normal patient-doctor relationship, but with a third person in the equation it becomes very difficult. |
| Obesity is a major problem for expectant mums, though Alfirevic says doctors would never apportion blame for an issue in pregnancy. | Obesity is a major problem for expectant mums, though Alfirevic says doctors would never apportion blame for an issue in pregnancy. |
| It is often the deprived population which it affects, with people who might be hard to reach. But you can see both extremes. Significantly older women are also a challenge: they may have other complex health problems like diabetes or hypertension. They come from all social strata, but probably more so from well-off backgrounds where women may have children later in life.” | It is often the deprived population which it affects, with people who might be hard to reach. But you can see both extremes. Significantly older women are also a challenge: they may have other complex health problems like diabetes or hypertension. They come from all social strata, but probably more so from well-off backgrounds where women may have children later in life.” |
| Alfirevic feels there should be a major public health campaign on pre-pregnancy health, to try to echo the success of the drink-driving and seatbelt campaigns. | Alfirevic feels there should be a major public health campaign on pre-pregnancy health, to try to echo the success of the drink-driving and seatbelt campaigns. |
| We can’t tackle those pre-existing health problems well, if women are presenting to the NHS at 12 weeks pregnant already. When I was in my 20s I would have laughed at wearing a seatbelt, but it is natural for my children. It’s unacceptable not to. It is a hard campaign, to tell young women and men in their 20s to eat healthily and not binge-drink because they are more likely to have healthy children. But there are clever people, I’m sure, who could deliver this message. | We can’t tackle those pre-existing health problems well, if women are presenting to the NHS at 12 weeks pregnant already. When I was in my 20s I would have laughed at wearing a seatbelt, but it is natural for my children. It’s unacceptable not to. It is a hard campaign, to tell young women and men in their 20s to eat healthily and not binge-drink because they are more likely to have healthy children. But there are clever people, I’m sure, who could deliver this message. |
| If we want to save the NHS, it has to be more about personal responsibility. We can’t continue with this notion that you pay national insurance, and then turn up at hospital and say ‘I abused my body for decades and now sort me out’. | If we want to save the NHS, it has to be more about personal responsibility. We can’t continue with this notion that you pay national insurance, and then turn up at hospital and say ‘I abused my body for decades and now sort me out’. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.05pm GMT | at 3.05pm GMT |
| 2.40pm GMT | 2.40pm GMT |
| 14:40 | 14:40 |
| 'I lost four litres of blood and spent three nights on the high dependency unit' | 'I lost four litres of blood and spent three nights on the high dependency unit' |
| A reader has shared this experience of serious complications during childbirth via GuardianWitness. Thankfully, it has a happy ending. | A reader has shared this experience of serious complications during childbirth via GuardianWitness. Thankfully, it has a happy ending. |
| 1.53pm GMT | 1.53pm GMT |
| 13:53 | 13:53 |
| 'I have big babies' | 'I have big babies' |
| Jessica Elgot | Jessica Elgot |
| Nicola Murphy and James Iball are having their baby at lunchtime today, their second planned C-section after their daughter Molly’s birth 22 months ago. | Nicola Murphy and James Iball are having their baby at lunchtime today, their second planned C-section after their daughter Molly’s birth 22 months ago. |
| Though the birth is planned, everything else is a surprise. The couple do not know the sex of the baby, and they are curious to know which of them their child will look like. | Though the birth is planned, everything else is a surprise. The couple do not know the sex of the baby, and they are curious to know which of them their child will look like. |
| “I have long straight dark hair. James as a baby was blonde, and when Molly came out, for some reason I was expecting a dark-haired boy and she’s blonde with curly hair.” | “I have long straight dark hair. James as a baby was blonde, and when Molly came out, for some reason I was expecting a dark-haired boy and she’s blonde with curly hair.” |
| One person does know the baby’s sex – their next-door neighbour. The couple paid for non-invasive pre-natal testing (NIPT), which looks for abnormalities and reveals the sex, which the couple asked to be scrubbed out. | One person does know the baby’s sex – their next-door neighbour. The couple paid for non-invasive pre-natal testing (NIPT), which looks for abnormalities and reveals the sex, which the couple asked to be scrubbed out. |
| When we got the letter it was covered by a felt pen but you could definitely see the writing underneath so I quickly put it down and gave it to my next door neighbour. She knows, but she hasn’t even told her husband. | When we got the letter it was covered by a felt pen but you could definitely see the writing underneath so I quickly put it down and gave it to my next door neighbour. She knows, but she hasn’t even told her husband. |
| Molly was delivered by caesarean because she ended up in the breech position and weighed 10.2lbs. Murphy’s consultant recommended she have a C-section this time around too, because the baby was already 8.9lbs after 37 weeks. “I have big babies,” Murphy said. | Molly was delivered by caesarean because she ended up in the breech position and weighed 10.2lbs. Murphy’s consultant recommended she have a C-section this time around too, because the baby was already 8.9lbs after 37 weeks. “I have big babies,” Murphy said. |
| A second baby is really different, says Iball: | A second baby is really different, says Iball: |
| I’ve been so busy at work for the last three weeks and you never get time to stop with a little one. We’d barely packed Nicola’s bag before we came in. I think we had Molly’s ready after about five months, with her nursery all ready. | I’ve been so busy at work for the last three weeks and you never get time to stop with a little one. We’d barely packed Nicola’s bag before we came in. I think we had Molly’s ready after about five months, with her nursery all ready. |
| Murphy is nervous, but says she can’t wait to see her baby. She doesn’t have a name yet. “It depends on my hormones. Sometimes I think of very traditional names, other times very hippy names. We want to see what they look like first.” | Murphy is nervous, but says she can’t wait to see her baby. She doesn’t have a name yet. “It depends on my hormones. Sometimes I think of very traditional names, other times very hippy names. We want to see what they look like first.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.24pm GMT | at 2.24pm GMT |
| 1.04pm GMT | 1.04pm GMT |
| 13:04 | 13:04 |
| How do we improve the NHS? Just give it EU average funding – and a pinch of dynamite, Polly Toynbee writes in an opinion piece. | How do we improve the NHS? Just give it EU average funding – and a pinch of dynamite, Polly Toynbee writes in an opinion piece. |
| If NHS spending simply level-pegged with our GDP, it would have £16bn more. We have fallen to 13th out of the original 15 EU states. But had we stayed at their average level, the NHS would be getting £43bn more, according to the King’s Fund’s chief economist, Professor John Appleby. Once sums get that big, it can be hard to grasp how transformative that would be. | If NHS spending simply level-pegged with our GDP, it would have £16bn more. We have fallen to 13th out of the original 15 EU states. But had we stayed at their average level, the NHS would be getting £43bn more, according to the King’s Fund’s chief economist, Professor John Appleby. Once sums get that big, it can be hard to grasp how transformative that would be. |
| Related: What does the NHS need? Just EU average funding – and a pinch of dynamite | Polly Toynbee | Related: What does the NHS need? Just EU average funding – and a pinch of dynamite | Polly Toynbee |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.09pm GMT | at 1.09pm GMT |