Premature twins reunite with ambulance crew for first birthday celebration
20.12.24
A PAIR of Cynon Valley twins have been reunited with the ambulance crew who supported their premature birth, one year on.
Mum Catherine Johnson was just 29 weeks pregnant when she went into labour unexpectedly at her Mountain Ash home.
Welsh Ambulance Service crews arrived to take the 36-year-old to hospital, but twins Carreg and Aneira had other plans which meant Catherine had to give birth in her bedroom.
Paramedics and technicians used specialist training which had just been introduced by the Trust to care for and safely transport the newborns to hospital in challenging circumstances.
Earlier today, Catherine and the twins had an emotional reunion with the crew to mark the twins’ first birthday.
Catherine said: “It was unreal to see the crew again, especially when I think back to this time last year and how traumatic it was for everyone, least of all the babies.
“I get emotional when I think about how far the twins have come, and to see the progress that the ambulance service has made as far as training is amazing too.
“The crew and everyone on the special care baby unit went above and beyond that day, and the fact they keep in touch to see how we’re doing just goes to show how compassionate they are.
“We weren’t just another ‘job’ or another ‘shift’ – we really mattered to them.
“Seeing them again for the twins’ birthday is a full-circle moment, and I just want to say a huge thanks again for everything they did to take care of us.”
Catherine, who is also mum to Megan, 18, Dylan, 16, Ava-Marie, 11, and Cadwyn, two, was expecting an early delivery based on her previous births, but did not anticipate it would be that swift.
Cwmbran call handler Annmarie Childs took the 999 call, while a team of paramedics and technicians supported by MEDSERVE Wales, as organised by dispatcher Louisa Ansell, arrived at the home to deliver life-saving care to Carreg and Aneira, who weighed 3lb and 2lb 12oz respectively.
Bethan Jones, the Welsh Ambulance Service’s Local Safety Champion for Maternity and Neonatal Care, said: “The most important thing we can do for newborn babies is to keep them warm, as premature babies in particular lose heat very quickly.
“In fact, every 1° drop in body temperature below 36.5°C will increase the risk of mortality in newborn babies by 28 per cent.
“Our clinicians recognised the seriousness of the situation and used the knowledge and skills from their recent thermoregulation training to ensure both twins received the highest level of care.
“This is important for all babies, especially pre-term babies, as it helps with the transition from life inside mum to life following birth.
“Without that additional training, it could have been a very different story.
“It’s been amazing to see Carreg and Aneira again on this milestone birthday.”
Bethan has been seconded to the Welsh Ambulance Service as part of Welsh Government’s Maternity and Neonatal Safety Support Programme to improve the safety, experience and outcomes for mothers and babies in Wales.
Among the new initiatives introduced by the Trust is the ‘red phone’ initiative, which enables ambulance crews to forewarn maternity units about time-critical obstetric emergencies so that receiving teams are prepared for the patient’s arrival.
The clinician-to-clinician conversations via a dedicated phone line are designed to streamline communication between ambulance crews and hospital staff and further improve the patient’s care.
In addition, every ambulance response vehicle now has additional equipment to support clinicians to keep babies warm.
The polyethylene occlusive suit, which babies are placed into immediately after birth, is designed to prevent hypothermia of newborns.