Maternity role praised

A couple whose baby was born at Newark Hospital have praised staff for their effort, skill and care.

McKenzie Crangle, the son of Miss Natalie Tebb (22) and Mr Danny Crangle (23) of Beacon Hill Road, Newark, was delivered safely in the hospital’s accident and emergency department.

It is at least three years since the last baby was born at the hospital.

The couple have called for the return of a maternity unit.

Miss Tebb started to have contractions on the morning the baby was due and, after seeing a midwife at Lombard Street Surgery, the couple set off for Nottingham City Hospital.

At the London Road and Bowbridge Road traffic lights Miss Tebb told Mr Crangle to go to Newark Hospital so they could get an ambulance to take her to Nottingham.

When they reached Newark Hospital she was told there was no time for them to get to Nottingham.

They arrived at the hospital at 4.05pm; Miss Tebb’s waters broke at 4.55pm and McKenzie was born at 5.05pm weighing a healthy 7lbs 12oz. They were back home again with their daughter, Caitlin (2) by 7pm.

Miss Tebb said: “I panicked when we got there. I said that I wasn’t having the baby in accident and emergency because Caitlin’s birth was so traumatic.”

Miss Tebb was in labour for 191/2 hours with Caitlin at Nottingham City Hospital.

Two nurses in the accident and emergency department, Liz Martin and Carol Carter, helped with McKenzie’s birth.

Community midwife Linda Samme, part of the Newark community midwifery team, who was in the hospital’s Sherwood Centre also helped and has since provided postnatal support.

“I was thrilled to have been personally involved in this exciting event and ensure the safe delivery of Natalie’s baby,” she said.

“I knew they weren’t prepared for babies but when I got there they all looked after me really well,” said Miss Tebb.

“I was glad I had him there because I couldn’t have been better looked after. They were all brilliant.”

She said it would be great to have a maternity unit at Newark Hospital again.

Mr Crangle said: “It turned out to be better than going to the city.

“They should bring the maternity unit back. The journey either way to Lincoln or Nottingham is too long.

“People who have got their baby on the way like that are just not going to make it.”

He said that because it was so unusual for a baby to be born at Newark Hospital, everybody there fussed over Miss Tebb and their new arrival.

Word spread around the hospital and doctors and nurses from other departments visited to pass on congratulations.

There are nine community midwives in the Newark team.

A spokesman for Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust said: “It is not appropriate to have a birthing unit at Newark Hospital due to the fact that there are no neonatal/special care facilities or paediatricians on site should a mother or baby experience problems during or after the birth.

“The community midwifery team does, however, undertake an increasing number of home births for local women who request to give birth at home and are assessed as medically suitable to do so.”