Wellbeing Wallet a great support during Rainbow Pregnancy

Published on: 02/05/2019

Here at MAMA we love receiving feedback about our Wellbeing Wallets, and the hearing positive impact they have on your pregnancies. Expecting a baby is an exciting but anxious time for any parent, but the journey will be more intense for someone who is carrying a a rainbow baby.

The term ‘Rainbow Baby’ is used to describe a baby that has been conceived after the loss of the previous baby, due to either a miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal death. The rainbow symbolises the beautiful image of light and colour that you see at the end of a storm, which for many bereaved parents is the perfect way to describe their experience of being gifted a child after the loss of a much wanted baby.

A mother that understands this all too well is Hailey Grimes who has very kindly gave us permission to share her story. Hailey and her partner had struggled with their pregnancies between 2015 and 2018, with them tragically ending early on as miscarriages. Despite their heartache, they bravely decided to try again for a baby that was longed for and became pregnant again in January 2018.

Hailey was closely monitored from the start, but unfortunately at her 10 week scan her dreams were shattered again, and she was asked to decide how she wanted to manage the miscarriage. She decided to take a tablet to start off the process which is when things became even more horrific for Hailey, as she went on to haemorrhage and lose a lot of blood requiring an emergency blood transfusion. She was rushed off to have surgery to remove the pregnancy, this is a procedure known as D&C.

Around Four weeks later Hailey and her partner received a phone call to explain the pregnancy had been a partial Molar Pregnancy, and she would need to start taking birth control straight away as she was being referred to Charing Cross Hospital to a specialist team. Hailey was fully checked over to make sure her pregnancy had not caused any further unknown damage, which was a mentally challenging time, but thankfully she was cleared and discharged in May 2018.

What is a Molar Pregnancy?

A Molar Pregnancy is the term used for when a baby doesn’t form properly in the womb and doesn’t develop, a lump of abnormal cells grows in the womb instead. A Molar Pregnancy can usually be treated with a simple procedure to remove the growth of cells from the womb.

Symptoms to look out for are:

. Vaginal bleeding or a dark discharge from the vagina in early pregnancy
. Severe morning sickness
. An unusual swollen tummy

Although these symptoms can also be common pregnancy symptoms, and do not automatically mean there is something wrong with your baby. Most Molar Pregnancies show no signs at all and are only picked up on your ultrasound scan at around 8-14 weeks gestation. 

After everything they had been through, Hailey and her partner were not actively trying to become pregnant, but were blessed to conceive again in August 2018. Hailey immediately began to panic as she expected the worst to happen, but luckily her midwife was able to detect that Hailey would require some extra help and support during this pregnancy. The midwife made the decision to give Hailey a Wellbeing Wallet instead of a normal maternity wallet, and explained how this wallet would keep her better informed about pregnancy symptoms.

Hailey says this made her feel more empowered about her pregnancy and that she is “eternally grateful” to receive her Wellbeing Wallet. Her rainbow pregnancy wasn’t without complications, but thanks to her Wellbeing Wallet she knew exactly when to call if she was ever in doubt about her pregnancy or experiencing symptoms. Her midwives were always supportive, reassuring her that she had done the right thing whenever she made the call.

I am so happy to announce that after a long, hard 39 weeks, Hailey delivered a healthy baby girl on the 10th April 2019 weighing an impressive 9lb 7oz. The team at MAMA wish you and your family all the best, enjoy having your baby girl in your arms and thank you for allowing us to share your story of pain and hope.

Further Information and Support:

If you would like further advice on Molar Pregnancy then you can click HERE to see the NHS guidance. If you are worried about your own pregnancy then please contact your midwife or health professional.

If you have experienced a Molar Pregnancy and would like support or aftercare then take a look at My Molar Pregnancy where you can find support groups and stories from other women with the condition.

To purchase your own Wellbeing Wallet then visit our online SHOP to order yours or even one for a friend!