'They saved their lives': Brave Leeds mum raises appeal for premature twins delivered 9 weeks early

A brave Leeds mum has hailed the life saving actions of doctors and nurses as she starts a fundraising appeal for the hospitals that saved her premature twins.
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Samantha Armitage's twins, Elijah and Zendaya, were born nine weeks premature following an emergency C-Section.

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The decision was made with Elijah at risk of being still born, as he hadn’t grown for over a month.

Since their birth three weeks ago the twins have been in intensive care while Samantha and her partner Ryan went through every parents worst nightmare.Since their birth three weeks ago the twins have been in intensive care while Samantha and her partner Ryan went through every parents worst nightmare.
Since their birth three weeks ago the twins have been in intensive care while Samantha and her partner Ryan went through every parents worst nightmare.
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There was an evident issue with blood flow from his cord thus depriving Elijah of sufficient amounts of blood, oxygen & nutrients.

Speaking exclusively to YEP, Samantha explained how grateful she was to NHS staff.

"I think we take for granted how lucky we are to have such good pre-natal units, I know I certainly did but they deserve so much more recognition." she said.

"They are short staffed, they do look rushed off their feet, they don't stop but they still find that compassion and empathy in their job."

Elijah and Zendaya, were born nine weeks premature following an emergency C-Section.Elijah and Zendaya, were born nine weeks premature following an emergency C-Section.
Elijah and Zendaya, were born nine weeks premature following an emergency C-Section.
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Since their birth three weeks ago the twins have been in intensive care while Samantha and her partner Ryan went through every parents worst nightmare.

As the couple were forced to put full faith into the doctors, nurses and midwives, the uncertainty left Samantha with crippling anxiety.

"Basically I had no idea I was going to have my babies. They told me I had to stay until I stopped going into labour then I could go home." she explained.

"On the fourth day I went for a growth scan and that's when they told me Elijah was at significant risk of being still born and I just had a panic attack."

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Samantha, who came down badly with Covid-19 last year, has struggled with her anxiety ever since with the threat to her unborn twins proving too much.

"I had anxiety since the start of the pregnancy but this just tipped me over the edge. I was shaking, I was so upset and I have suffered with flashbacks ever since.

"Having the C-Section, not being able to hold my twins, they got taken away from me and I didn't get to see what they looked like or even hear them cry.

"I have since been able to go down with little bits of breast milk and even though I am powerless and unable to help them it gave me that sense of still being a mother."

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Samantha and Ryan have now raised over £500 through their GoFundMe page with proceeds going to Stockport's Stepping Hill NICU and Calderdale's NICU in Halifax.

For young Elijah and Zendaya, Samantha confirmed that while they aren't yet out the woods they are making steady progress all the time.

"We're so ready for them to come home." she said.

"It's going to be another couple of months yet, they have told us that, but we've got that confidence now."

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