A mother-of-three has revealed she was unconscious during both of her daughters’ births.
Sharon Deacon delivered her first child as doctors tried to restart her heart and for the second she was under general anaesthetic.
Due for a Caesarean section on January 8 2015 while pregnant with her daughter Jamie-Leigh, now three, Ms Deacon’s heart suddenly stopped, causing her to slip into unconsciousness.
Doctors advised Ms Decon, 42, from Keighley, near Leeds, not to another another child, however, desperate to give her daughter a younger sibling, she went against their advice and became pregnant again in late 2016.
As she prepared to undergo another c-section, doctors were forced to administer a general anaesthetic after the local failed, causing Ms Decon to be unconscious during her child’s birth for a second time.
Waking an hour later, doctors told Ms Decon her newborn daughter Ellie-Marie suffered from the rare disorder Pierre Robin Sequence and nearly died without her mother ever having the chance to meet her.
After spending three months in intensive care undergoing multiple surgeries, Ellie-Marie was allowed home in time for Christmas, but suffered another setback last January when her surgical breathing tube became dislodged.
Now stable, Ellie-Marie’s family are speaking out to raise awareness of the charity Sick Children’s Trust who provided them with accommodation near the hospital while the youngster was treated.
Sharon Deacon (pictured with her youngest Ellie-Marie) gave birth to both of her daughters unconscious. In Ellie-Marie’s case, Ms Decon had to put under a general anaesthetic
While giving birth to her eldest daughter Jamie-Leigh (pictured with her father Darren), now three, Ms Decon’s heart suddenly stopped pumping and she slipped into unconsciousness
Ellie-Marie was born with serious complications and spent three months in intensive care
‘I delivered both my girls unconscious’
Speaking of Jamie-Leigh’s birth, Ms Decon, who has a son Joshua, now 14, from a previous relationship, said: ‘As one team of doctors battled to resuscitate me, another team delivered my baby girl, Jaime-Leigh.
‘We were both fine, which was amazing.’
Ms Deacon, who suffered from gestational diabetes during both of her later pregnancies, said: ‘I’ve delivered both my girls unconscious.’
While Ellie-Marie was in hospital, her family were supported by the Sick Children’s Trust who provided accommodation away from home.
Ms Decon, who’s partner Darren, 47, works at B&Q, said: ‘They were amazing. We stayed in a room near the hospital nearly the whole time.’
Ellie-Marie had to have surgery at two and 18 days old due to her being unable to breathe
Ellie-Marie nearly died while Ms Decon was unconscious, meaning the pair almost never met
She went against advise not to become pregnant as she wanted a little sibling for Jamie-Leigh
‘I didn’t wake for two days. When I did I had a daughter’
As well as gestational diabetes, Ms Decon suffered from pre-eclampsia, which caused her to suffer dangerously high blood pressure while pregnant with Jamie-Leigh.
As a result, she was told, at just 35 weeks, she would need to have a Caesarean the following day.
Ms Decon said: ‘I was then taken to theatre for an arterial line to be fitted.
‘I had a nebuliser on my face, but wasn’t unconscious.
‘But, suddenly, I felt my chest tighten… that’s all I remember.’
Doctors at Airedale General Hospital managed to resuscitate her and delivered her baby.
Jaime-Leigh weighed 6lb 6oz and, while she was taken to neo-natal intensive care as a precaution, was healthy.
Ms Decon said: ‘I didn’t wake up for two days. When I did I had a daughter.’
She was too unwell to visit Jaime-Leigh in neo-natal intensive care for more than a week, which made their first meeting even more emotional.
A month later, while back at home, Ms Decon was told the cardiac arrest had triggered her chest pain.
Although doctors advised Ms Decon not to become pregnant again, she said: ‘I wanted a sibling of the same age for Jaime; so, I disobeyed the doctors’ advice.’
Although home for Christmas, Ellie-Marie’s breathing tube became dislodged in the new year
Now stable, Ellie-Marie’s parents are speaking out to raise awareness of a charity that helped
Ms Decon is delighted to have Ellie-Marie home and says she is treasured by her family
‘It was me who was meant to be at risk, not my baby’
During her second pregnancy, Ms Decon once again developed gestational diabetes.
She said: ‘This time the doctors were more prepared. I was under very specialist care at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) and a Caesarean was planned for July, 2017.’
Yet, as if the local anaesthetic failing and Ms Decon being put under was not enough, Ellie-Maire was born seriously ill.
When the umbilical cord was cut, the youngster was unable to breathe and nearly died.
Ms Decon said: ‘It took the doctors more than 45 minutes to establish an airway and all that time Darren watched on helplessly, fearing I might never meet get to meet our new daughter, because I was unconscious.
‘Finally, they managed to incubate her – inserting a tube so she could breathe – but it was a huge struggle.’
Waking an hour later, Ms Decon listened in horror, as doctors explained what had happened to her baby.
She said: ‘It was me who was meant to be the one at risk, not my baby.
‘I had to wait a few hours before doctors would allow me to see Ellie-Marie.
‘Darren and a nurse took me to see her in a wheelchair – in a room on her own, with a nurse watching over her, hooked up to a ventilator with tubes and wires all over her tiny body.
‘My heart broke. I felt helpless, I couldn’t even hold her.’
Ellie-Marie needed surgery at just two days old and then again 16 days later. The operation involved creating an opening at the front of her neck to insert a tube into her windpipe that allowed her to breathe.
The youngster spent three months in hospital, before eventually being released in time for Christmas.
Although home, Ellie-Marie’s health issues were not over as earlier this year, her breathing tube became dislodged, leaving her unable to breathe.
Ms Decon said: ‘Thankfully, she was saved again. Now, she is back at home and we treasure her and her siblings.’
Pictured: Ellie-Marie being held by her brother Joshua, now 14
Ms Decon had Joshua in a past relationship and also suffered gestational diabetes with him
‘Everything, initially, seemed to be going well’
Always wanting to expand her family Ms Decon was delighted when she became pregnant with her first daughter in the summer of 2014.
She said: ‘Darren and I were over-the-moon. We wanted a baby and everything, initially, seemed to be going well.’
The couple were told they were having a girl at their 20-week scan at Airedale General Hospital, and began excitedly preparing the nursery and discussing names.
Yet, following blood tests at 20 weeks, Ms Decon was diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
Although her condition was initially controlled via diet and then medication, by week eight she had developed pre-eclampsia.
Ms Decon said: ‘I wasn’t initially worried. I’d suffered from it with Joshua, so he was delivered six weeks early, and weighed 3Ilbs 14oz. But now he’s strapping – more than 6ft.’
Despite her relaxed attitude, doctors admitted Ms Decon to hospital, where they ordered bedrest.
While being monitored, her blood pressure started to rise within days of being admitted.
Find more information on the Sick Children’s Trust here.