Mum of twins saved by Special Care Unit to take on Skydive

Jaime-Leigh Winstanley from St Helens had a normal pregnancy with her sons until 24 weeks pregnant.

Later, at 28 weeks, she was admitted to Whiston Hospital to give birth to her sons – which she was at first reluctant to do despite having contractions.

The boys when they were born (Image: Jaime)

She said: “I have a four year old daughter with autism and I didn’t just want to leave her, but as the contractions got worse I had to call family to have her and I went in.

“I was 6cm dilated and though I could have delivered one twin naturally, the other was breech so I said for a c-section for both.”

Max and Harry McKernan were born weighing 2lb 5oz and 2lb 3oz, but Harry didn’t breathe for two minutes after his birth and both boys were taken to the Special Care Baby Unit in Whiston Hospital.

Heidi meeting her brothers at four weeks old (Image: Heidi meeting her brothers at four weeks old)

Jaime, 26, who now lives in Prescot, said: “I didn’t see the boys until they were six hours old. We got told so many scary things that they were at risk of so many things and then Max at two days old stopped breathing and was taken to Liverpool Women’s Hospital and I couldn’t be with him due to surgery.

“It was so hard, thankfully my partner is the absolute best father in the world and split himself between our daughter Heidi, Max and Harry and me and then Max was brought back to Whiston for eight weeks in total.

The boys were finally big enough to go home (Image: The boys were finally big enough to go home)

“If I had had the boys at home, they would have died, the Special Care Baby Unit made sure we didn’t miss a moment, from first baths, sleeping between both incubators, they saved their lives.

The boys celebrated their first birthday and visited the SCBU staff (Image: The boys celebrated their first birthday and visited the SCBU staff)

“They just celebrated their first birthday in May and I wanted to do something to thank the hospital.

The family all together (Image: The family all together)

“I contacted them and they said others were doing a Skydive – I’ve always wanted to do one so I’m doing it.

“I hope people can donate because these staff literally help the tiniest people in the hospital and are amazing.”

The boys with some of the nursing staff who helped save them, at their christening (Image: The boys with some of the nursing staff who helped save them, at their christening)

The boys on their first birthday in May (Image: The boys on their first birthday in May)

To donate, go to https://mwlnhscharity.enthuse.com/pf/jaimesscbufundraiser?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3e1hfP7_TDpZlJHUkDTPNU7ukjGgHhHUxpZmgAOS-6yw-6pWtzbxt-eOw_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw