Mother knew best to save her unborn baby

The 27-year-old today spoke of how she was convinced there were problems with her pregnancy.

Having enjoyed a stress-free pregnancy, she noticed her baby was less active than usual. Her family and friends reassured her it was simply because her unborn son Theo had grown and so had less room to kick.

But unable to shake off the feeling something was wrong, she went to hospital where she refused to leave until doctors agreed to give her an ultrasound scan.

Doctors said the baby's heartbeat was normal and there was nothing to be concerned about.

After an ultrasound, however, it was revealed the amniotic fluid that protects an unborn child had drained away, and he risked brain damage if he wasn't delivered immediately. She was was rushed for an emergency C-section to save his life and now both she and Theo are fighting fit.

Mrs Clemison, from Llanfyllin, Powys, said: "It was my natural mother's intuition that made me sure something wasn't right and kept me at the hospital, even after I'd been reassured everything was fine.

"Now I want to let all mums-to-be know that noticing changes in your baby's movement and trusting your instinct can save a baby's life."

The amniotic sac is filled with clear, pale straw-coloured fluid, in which the unborn baby floats and moves.

It helps to cushion the baby from bumps and injury, as well as providing them with the nutrients to grow.

Low levels of fluid can be dangerous as it can cause a miscarriage an can also cause the baby to die in the womb, known as intrauterine foetal death.

Mrs Clemison said: "I'd had the most amazing pregnancy. I only started showing at about six months. But then towards the end I just knew it didn't feel right.

"Theo had been really bouncy up until that point. Then over the weekend he just slowed down and was barely kicking at all.

"When I mentioned I had felt my baby moving around less, everyone said it was simply a case of him getting so big that he had less room to kick.

"It was a motherly instinct – I knew something was wrong."

After an examination at Wrexham Maelor Hospital on September 29, medics told Mrs Clemison her baby wasn't in trouble.

She said: "I was hooked up to a monitor, and they were measuring baby's heart rate and everything appeared normal.

"They said everything was fine and suggested I just went home to wait for labour to start naturally."

But Mrs Clemison could not shake the feeling that something was wrong, and she asked for another examination.

She said: "I still felt something wasn't right so I said I wasn't leaving because something was definitely wrong with my baby."

She was sent to the maternity ward, where after another examination she was once again told everything was fine. But she still had a nagging feeling there was a problem with her son, and eventually doctors agreed to give her an ultrasound scan the next day.

When she returned to the hospital and was scanned, Mrs Clemison said the nurse suddenly went quiet.

She then revealed the shocking news that Theo was not being protected in the womb by the barrier of fluid.

Most babies have a 4cm thick layer of amniotic fluid, but Theo's was only 1cm at its very deepest and needed to be delivered immediately.

They rushed her straight to the maternity ward and gave her steroid injections to help Theo's lungs develop. He was born by C-section two days later on October 2, weighing 6lbs 14oz.

He went to special care unit for a morning and spent two more days in hospital before finally returning to his new home.

Mrs Clemison was told by doctors that if he hadn't been delivered immediately, the consequences could have been much worse.

Now Mrs Clemison and her partner Mike Bebb are supporting the charity Count the Kicks, which encourages mothers-to-be to be aware of their baby's movements so they notice any change.

She is doing a skydive on September 5 to raise money for the charity.

To donate visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/bethcleminson