A mum and baby have been reunited with the medical team that brought them ‘back from the dead’ – after she lost 80 per cent of her blood during childbirth.
Grateful Jennifer Bowerman, 28, was 35 weeks’ pregnant when she collapsed at home and managed to call 999 whilst drifting in and out of consciousness.
Jennifer’s husband Matt was on the school run collecting the couple’s three-year-old son Max.
Remarkably she lost four litres – almost 80 per cent – of her blood after initially thinking her waters had broken.
The ambulance teams responded quickly and were able to treat her and get her to Torbay hospital in time for the baby to be saved and delivered by emergency C-section.
Now fully recovered from her trauma, Jennifer has met up with the crew in Torquay and brought them presents to thank them for their efforts and introduce them to six week old Frederick – who she describes as her ‘little miracle.’
Jennifer, of Churston, Devon, said “Their fast response and quick thinking actions that afternoon resulted in the safe delivery of my baby at 35 weeks pregnant.
“I suffered a catastrophic four litre blood loss, I didn’t think the baby would make it and woke up four hours later not sure what had happened.
“I wanted to thank them in person and show them my little miracle, who I’m certain is only alive today thanks to this team.”
Her baby slept peacefully throughout the reunion at Torquay ambulance station.
Jennifer said she and Matt had had ‘quite a struggle’ having Frederick, having endured three lost pregnancies since having their other son.
She added: “I thought my waters had gone. I didn’t see the blood at first.
“It was the closest thing to having a baby brought back from the dead. I thought there was no way he was coming out alive.
“I could hear everything that was going on around me, but I wasn’t really in the room.
“If they hadn’t got to me as quickly as they did, we might have had a very different outcome.
“The quick actions of the team helped me and my little miracle to survive.
“I knew it was bad, but I didn’t know quite how bad it was. Luckily these guys were on hand very close by.”
Jennifer, who works at Galmpton Primary School, was rushed to hospital and Frederick was born by emergency Caesarian section half an hour later.
Doctors described Jennifer’s placental abruption as a ‘catastrophic’ event, which lowered her own blood pressure to dangerous levels and put her unborn baby’s life at serious risk.
Her 999 call on the afternoon of July 27 was taken by Emergency Medical Dispatcher Scott Cartlidge, who calmly took her details and sent paramedics Aaron Bushnell and Paul Hodge to the scene.
Dr Alex Rowe of the emergency medical care charity Basics Devon was also called to the Bowermans’ home.
“This was catastrophic,” said Dr Rowe. “It was as bad as it gets.”
Paramedic Paul Hodge said Jennifer, who at one time worked in the police control room, had been the ‘epitome of calm’ during her ordeal.
He added: “She was the perfect patient.
“When I arrived on scene Jennifer was in a bad way, she had collapsed from so much blood loss, she was very weak and lethargic, very low blood pressure and had life threatening complications.
“We gave her fluids and took her onto Torbay Hospital but we really didn’t know if either the mother or baby would survive.
“It is always great to get such positive feedback after attending such an incident and we are all thrilled to meet Jennifer and her new baby and see them looking so well.”
