After 24 hours of labour at home, Georgina and her partner Shaun arrived at Lions Gate Hospital excited about the imminent birth of their baby girl. Things were going exactly as planned. The couple had prepared for this big moment in their lives through prenatal education at Coast Midwifery – which prepped them for the many outcomes of birth. When Georgina prepared to push at the end of a normal and healthy labour, she had no idea things were about to take a turn for the worst.
Georgina and Shaun were only at the hospital for a couple of hours before their daughter Holland entered this world. “She was a champ, with no epidural or anything, and delivered Holland so smoothly and natural. The baby went right to her chest after she was born. The first few minutes were picture perfect,” recalls Shaun.
These moments of joy ended abruptly as the successful birth was followed by a medical emergency that threatened Georgina’s life. As the placenta was delivered, she began to hemorrhage and she lost four litres of blood and was rushed into the OR.
“It was the most traumatic experience of my life, but I was put at ease by the seamless care Georgina received in the moment she needed it the most,” says Shaun. “The labour and delivery nurses and our midwifery team worked together so well that I was able to focus on holding my baby and keeping it together. Georgina was screaming out my name as she was rushed into the OR, and lost consciousness right when she went in. We came within a minute of losing her had the team of care providers not worked together so effectively to get her the care she needed, when she needed it.”
Georgina was in surgery for five hours and the surgeons not only saved her life, but kept her uterus intact too; giving the couple the option to have more children in the future.
We’re so happy to share that Georgina is recovering on the maternity ward. Thanks to the support of donors, the hospital had the expertise and technology to give Georgina the speedy care she needed.
Every day, new patients like Georgina arrive at Lions Gate Hospital in need of specialized care. Donors provide the hospital with much needed resources to provide this extra support, leading to more happy outcomes for the whole family.
Georgina and Shaun were so touched by the quality of care they received, that they made a donation in Holland’s name on the A Star is Born commemorative wall at the entrance to the labour/delivery and special care units at the hospital.