'Our lives were turned upside down in a matter of seconds'

A Derry couple has issued an emotional plea for parents to be aware of the dangers of Group B strep.

Paul Smith and his partner Alicia suffered a tortuous ordeal with their three month daughter as they almost lost a couple of weeks ago. 

Streptococcal bacteria is very common in both men and women and is usually harmless but can become a problem in pregnant women, those who are older or already ill and in young babies. 

Alicia has written her story to warn other parents about the signs. 

She said: “A few weeks of hell that we never would want to go through again, or any other family.

“We will be forever in debt to the staff, consultants, nurses and doctors in Altnagelvin hospital.

“There NEEDS to be more awareness, help, advice, plans put in place around GBS!

“Given that strepB, in many cases shows no signs or symptoms, we need to make people more aware in whichever way we can, and I hope my story can do this in a way.”

A few weeks ago our lives were turned upside down in a matter of seconds, when our baby went from a very seemingly healthy happy, well, baby, to just moments away from the unthinkable.

“A wee miracle” we’ve been told.

Outside of pregnancy I was told I was a carrier of strep “just in case any plans of future pregnancies”. Just like that, It wasn’t a big deal, I wasn’t explained to what it was, what the dangers were or how SERIOUS this can be.  

I fell pregnant with my 3rd child a year or so later, and had always remembered reading previous articles or hearing stories of how strep b is not tested for during pregnancy, and in many cases people raising awareness of the dangers and why it should be made compulsory that pregnant women are tested for it.  

I spent my pregnancy worrying and stressing, and always asking every midwife/dr etc about it, the dangers of it, the effects of it and what can be done to prevent my newborn baby from getting it.

If I’m honest, anyone I ever really asked never had much to say about it, it was more less just swept under the carpet. I had been told I would get antibiotics when in labour and baby, when born, and all would be fine. 

Fast forward a few months, and our beautiful baby Molly-Joan decided she would arrive almost 5 weeks early. Of course, I went into a panic as I always remember reading that GBS can be more dangerous if the baby is born before the 37 week mark. Again, In hospital I questioned 

And questioned every consultant or dr I spoke to about being a carrier of step and what will happen to the baby, especially that she was now going to be so early. And, again, I was told not to worry. I will get antibiotics when in labour and the baby will be put on antibiotics when born.

Baby Molly was born, and amazingly, was very capable on her own for a premature baby, we no longer needed neonatal, no intervention, no incubator, she could breathe on her own, she had ten little fingers and ten little toes and everything was as perfect as could be. I had my antibiotic in labour and baby Molly had been given hers at birth, and I was content that we were both covered and free from StrepB. 

We spent some days in antenatal where Molly had been monitored, taken daily bloods etc to make sure everything was as it should be, and it was, past all her checks with flying colours! The relief and joy I felt of no longer having to worry about strepB! It was a huge weight off my shoulders! We had a perfectly healthy daughter. We eventually got home to enjoy life with our new baby daughter and to join her two crazy big sisters. 

Molly had been coming on leaps and bounds each and every day, we were just delighted with her. 

14 weeks down the line, the dreaded unimaginable!

I put Molly down to sleep as normal that night, she was her usual self, smiley, in great form, nothing different. 

She began to stir and move around a little around 2am, me being me had one eye opened, anxiously watching on anyway. She then began to make a strange “grunting” noise, whilst still asleep. As I watched on I thought, no there’s something not right here, picked her up and watched her breathe to see if she was struggling in any way, looking around her lungs and ribs for signs that she may be struggling to breathe, I didn’t notice anything abnormal at all. I woke my partner Paul and said I think I’m going to ring out of hours, she’s been making this noise for a few minutes now and I just don’t think it’s right. Now, in general, he would tend to tell me I’m being dramatic. She's fine, if we think she’s not in the morning we will have her checked out. But for some reason, he didn’t, he said “if you feel that’s right, go ahead”  I went ahead and spoke to a girl who took Molly's details and said someone will ring strait back, but for some reason as soon as I hung the phone up I rang 999 straight away, to this day I don’t know why, or what made me do it, but I did, and thankfully I did.

The ambulance (which was fantastic) arrived within 3, 4 minutes and checked her over in an ambulance, took details etc and went through with examining her whilst rushing her to Altnagelvin. We arrived, the staff had checked her over, everything seemed fine and “normal” until they checked her heart, we were immediately taken to resuscitation, where 5,6 drs/nurses awaited her. They worked with her in attempt to bring her heart rate down, which we were later told was beating at 247, and the normal for a baby is anything between 110 and 140. They had completed a few test to attempt bringing it down, all failed. Dr Mackintosh, who had just begun her shift at the time, was straight on the ball, and started her on antibiotics, thinking, in her words “what have we to lose” while we get to the bottom of the problem. (Mollys life saver) The course of antibiotics were 48 hours. We nervously watched on those long first hours, not having a clue what what going on. Originally, we had imagined the problem was her heart, as they advised us they were dealing with cardiology in Belfast, and had her hooked up on machines monitoring her heart, and trying to keep it maintained. She had previously had bloods taken, so we also anxiously awaited those results.

On day 2 we had a nurse advise us, her bloods needed repeated as they think they have spotted a bug. Again, we anxiously waited these results. When they came back, a consultant had come to our room and asked if we had heard of GBS, my heart sank as I immediately ran through in my head, everything I'd previously feared, read and watched throughout pregnancy, DEATH obviously being the main fear. Molly didn’t have it at birth, therefore, I never imagined in a million years that she would have it now, 14 weeks down the line. He went on to explain her blood was contaminated and. She had what’s known as “strepB sepsis” .. I knew this didn't sound good as tears streamed down mine and Paul’s face. He explained that molly was critical and very Ill, we needed to be with her at all times. He asked how we got to the hospital 2 nights previous and we advised we rang an ambulance, he looked at us and blatantly told us that if we didn’t do that, at that time, she would never have made it. We had been told that over again by many other doctors and consultants, Our hearts were broken. No one would ever have known, she showed no signs, no symptoms, she was fit and well and her usual wee self. No one could prepare us for the following long days and nights ahead, worryingly watching our poor tiny baby go through all this! Would she make it, wouldn’t she, will she have long term effects if she does, won’t she. Meningitis also being part of the process, i worried then more so how this was going to affect her going forward. There was nothing at all we could do, but sit by her side each day in hope and pray. The pain of watching, as they repeatedly took bloods, as they inserted a line through her head to her heart, as they daily topped up her IV antibiotics and hourly checked her stats.

Day after day, Molly somehow seemed to get stronger and brighter, and we, as well as the staff, doctors/nurses/consultants were just amazed! We had been told each and every day by every consultant that had come to examine her, that she is nothing short of a miracle and they were all speechless and stunned at how she had been fighting this and seemingly coming through the other end. We have been repeatedly told that we are so blessed and so lucky. And how we were seconds away from a completely different scenario and outcome. 

There NEEDS to be more awareness, help, advice, plans put in place around GBS! This NEEDS to be made compulsory that it is tested for as part of routine prenatal care throughout pregnancy in every woman and a plan put in place going forward for birth. Given that strepB, in many cases shows no signs or symptoms, we need to make people more aware in whichever way we can, and I hope my story can do this on a way, first red flag (which I didn’t know) “grunting” in a baby, is never ok! We would never ever want any other family to have to go through this, and my sincere thoughts, prayers and empathy are with those who have a different story to tell. 

Anyone that knows us, knows our girls are our entire world and more! They come before everything and anything, our sticking plasters, as we tell them.  

A few weeks of hell that we never would want to go through again, or any other family.

We will be forever in debt to the staff, consultants, nurses and doctors in Altnagelvin hospital, recuse and ward 6, to the lovely priests who have visited and blessed baby molly, for the gift of padre pio’s mitt, for lit candles, for the endless calls, messages, help and support from our family and loved ones, and beyond. We are truly blessed, we will be forever grateful! 

Molly-Joan, our wee fighter from day 1, was named after her 2 great grandmothers, and now we know why. Her forever guardian angels, Molly & Joan, who I am certain got her and us through this horrific time! 

Always remember a “mothers instinct” is nothing short of incredible. That “strange wee noise” that may have been nothing to someone, was a major Alarm to me. Never hesitate.