‘ Our new baby is healing our heartbreak’

Hayley Jackson’s six-day-old son Kaiden tragically passed away on TV’S One Born Every Minute. Now she’s a mum again

radling her baby C Noah, Hayley Jackson is overwhelmed by love for her three-week-old son – but she’s also reminded of her firstborn, Kaiden, who lived for only six days.

Courageously, Hayley allowed her agonising loss to be broadcast on Channel 4’s One Born Every Minute , to raise awareness of the condition that killed him – congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).

DEVASTATING NEWS

Hayley, who lives in Scunthorpe with fiancé Pete Heseltine, 28, a welder, says: “The grief of losing Kaiden was unbearable, but I felt honoured to have had even those few precious days.

“Going on One Born Every Minute was a difficult decision, but it meant Kaiden’s memory lived on.”

Hayley had been with Pete for a year and was thrilled when she fell pregnant in December 2011.

However, at the 20-week scan, they received devastating news. Hayley recalls: “We were told our baby had a condition called CDH – his diaphragm didn’t develop properly. There was a chance they could operate once he was born, but he only had a 50 per cent chance of surviving. I burst into tears. We’d just been looking at prams, then I was told my baby

migh t not survive and was offered a termination. But while there was hope, I couldn’t give up.

“I did some research and read stories of babies born with the condition surviving, so we tried to remain hopeful.”

During a scan at Leeds Hospital the One Born Every Minute team approached the couple. Hayley says: “They asked if we’d consider going on the show. We thought about it and decided we wanted to raise awareness.”

At 38 weeks Hayley was induced, and on 26 July 2012, she gave birth to 7lbs 10oz Kaiden.

She says: “I didn’t even notice the cameras. He was whisked away to intensive care. Seeing him lying in an incubator fighting for his life was agonising.”

AGONISING LOSS

Hayley and Pete spent every moment with Kaiden. Hayley says: “We couldn’t hold him, but we stroked him so he knew we were there. He was beautiful, with blue eyes and a butto n nose. On the fifth day, doctors told us he was getting weaker and wouldn’t survive an operation. We were devastated.”

On 1 August, Kaiden died in Hayley’s arms. She says: “Going home without him was so hard and the funeral was horrific. I needed a year off work to try to cope with our loss.”

When One Born Every Minut e was aired in March 2013, Hayley was overwhelmed by the positive response. She says: “Other bereaved parents reached out to us – and knowing we were raising awareness of CDH helped.”

After nearly three years of trying, in May 2015, Hayley discovered she was pregnant again. She says: “I felt a mix of emotions. While CDH isn’t genetic, I didn’t prepare the nursery until the 24-week scan, just in case.”

Happily, the pregnancy passed without any problems and last month, Hayley gave birth to 9lbs 10oz Noah, by Caesarean. She says: “Only when I held Noah for the first time did I allow myself to believe I had a healthy baby.”

Two days later, Hayley took her son home. She says: “I’m so happy to have Noah – he’s helping to heal our heartbreak – but I’ll never forget Kaiden.”