Worthing woman's hospital dash nightmare
A PANIC-STRICKEN pregnant mum was forced to spend Christmas 60 miles from home because staff at Worthing Hospital said she was in labour.
Mum-of-two Stacey Hunt, 30, of Blackdown Road, Salvington, was rushed to Worthing Hospital on Christmas Eve after her waters broke at 31 weeks.
After two hours of waiting, she was told by staff they would not be able to deliver the baby as it was too premature and she would have to go to Winchester Hospital.
It was only after she had been in Winchester for two days she was told there was no chance she was actually going to give birth and she should go home.
Confused
The ordeal has left Stacey and her partner Darren Childs, 43, exhausted, confused and angry.
Stacey said: "It was really scary.
"One moment we were being told this baby was going to be delivered and they sent us a peadiatrician doctor to tell us what to expect with the breathing tubes and feeding tubes so it was not a shock for us when we had the baby.
"Then they sent us up by blue and twos."
Nothing happening
Darren added: "Worthing told Winchester she was contracting when she was not. She had just broken her waters.
"The doctor at Winchester said there was no way the baby was going to be delivered.
"So all in all we were shipped off to Winchester for something that was never going to happen at all because Worthing hospital didn't have a clue what was happening."
High risk
The pregnancy has been a high risk one from the beginning as Stacey is unable to progress in labour.
Now with the added complication of an infection due to the waters breaking early, she feels Worthing Hospital should be doing more to keep an eye on her, including regular check-ups – something that is not happening.
She has now been told she may be able to deliver her baby on Wednesday if there is a spare bed.
Unfortunately, the Herald was unable to get a comment from Worthing Hospital at the time of going to print.
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Weather for Worthing
Tuesday 14 February 2012
Today
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Temperature: 4 C to 8 C
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