- Alannah was 32 weeks pregnant with her third child when she woke up one night with stomach pains
- When she realised her pajama bottoms were covered with blood, her husband Josn immediately called an ambulance
- Alannah, a theatre nurse, suspected a placental abruption – a dangerous medical condition needing urgent attention if her baby was to survive
Here Alannah Lees, 36, Bannockburn, VIC, tells her own story in her own words.
Pointing to the monitor, I said to my son Hugh, then five, ‘That’s your baby brother or sister on the screen. And do you know what that noise is?’
‘That’s the baby’s heartbeat,’ he grinned.
‘That’s right,’ I smiled.
It was July 2024, and at 32 weeks pregnant, I was having a fetal doppler ultrasound.
‘Apart from the baby being breech, everything looks fine,’ my obstetrician confirmed.
Our other son, Hudson, then two, had been breech, so it wasn’t a surprise.
We already had a C-section scheduled for August 23.
Back home, my husband Josh, 37, was waiting with Hudson.
‘The baby’s fine!’ I beamed.
‘That’s wonderful,’ he replied.
But that night, around 11pm, I woke thinking I’d wet myself and with what felt like indigestion.
I ran to the bathroom but, turning on the light, my heart stopped.
My pyjama bottoms were saturated in blood.
‘Josh!’ I screamed, ‘I’m haemorrhaging,’
Rushing in, his face paled.
‘Oh my god,’ he muttered, grabbing his phone and dialling emergency.
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A theatre nurse, I suspected what was happening.
‘I think it’s a placental abruption,’ I cried.
I knew how dangerous this was.
It meant the placenta had separated from the wall of the uterus.
It could mean the baby not receiving enough oxygen, and me bleeding to death.
The hospital was 25 minutes away.
‘I can’t feel the baby moving!’ I cried out, terrified we were too late.
Back in bed, I lay on my left side to take pressure off the artery feeding into the uterus while Josh brought towels to mop up the blood.
But then, a miracle happened.
An ambulance that’d been called to our area then cancelled was still nearby.
Within minutes, paramedics Nicholas and Andrew arrived.
They didn’t waste a second, recognising the life-threatening situation.
They raced me to Geelong University Hospital, lights flashing, sirens blaring.
Josh rang my parents, Sylvia and Russell, who made the 35 minute drive to our home to stay with Hudson and Hugh.
Then Josh rushed to join me.
At hospital, my obstetrician was waiting to help deliver our baby and save my life.
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As I went under, I prayed that we’d both survive.
When I opened my eyes, Josh was there.
‘You both made it,’ he smiled tearfully, adding that we’d had a boy.
‘He’s doing fine,’ Josh said.
Weighing 1.8 kg, he’d been delivered just in time.
I wept with relief.
Our beautiful son, who we named Archie, was lying covered in tubes in a special transport cot.
‘We made it,’ I said tearfully, holding his tiny hand in mine before he was rushed off to Melbourne’s Mercy Hospital for Women for specialised care.
It was five weeks before we could finally bring him home, where his adoring big brothers were waiting.
I will never forget how close we came to losing Archie.
I owe everything to those paramedics, Nicholas Lyon and Andrew Buller.
This year they’ll be guests of honour at Archie’s first birthday.
Without them, we wouldn’t be here.
What is placental abruption?
Placental abruption happens when the placenta partially or completely separates from the wall of the uterus during pregnancy
Symptoms include pain and heavy bleeding.
Placental abruption can be dangerous because it cuts off the baby’s vital oxygen and nutrient supply.
Placental abruption is a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment.
If you are experiencing severe pain or bleeding call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance.
Always make sure if you experience any vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, you see your doctor or midwife as soon as possible.
