Pregnancy and baby charity Tommy's supports Wrexham family

Hayley Koumas and her husband Jack were heartbroken when they lost their first baby, Gabriel, to a miscarriage shortly after they married in 2014.

They went on to have a healthy baby boy, Andreas, in 2016. But after conceiving for a third time, Hayley suffered serious pregnancy-related health complications and the shattering loss of baby Elias, who was stillborn at 26 weeks in 2019.

Although they longed to give Andreas a sibling, doctors said it would not be safe because of Hayley's dangerously high blood pressure during previous pregnancies.

The couple turned to Tommy's, the pregnancy and baby charity, and found their 'saviours' at one of its specialist clinics for families hoping to have a baby after a previous loss.

Andonis, Andreas and Theadora Koumas.

Thanks to expert treatment and monitoring, they went on to have another son, Andonis - born a year to the day after Elias died - and a daughter, Theadora, now six-months-old.

Charity project manager Hayley, 38, said: "I know if it wasn't for Tommy's and the work they do, Andreas would be an only child and we would not have the beautiful family we have today."

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She has shared her experience in Tommy's annual Impact Report, highlighting the difference the charity is making through its research and support services.

Hayley said: "What I would say to others experiencing a similar experience to myself is, there is hope. You don't have to move mountains daily - you just have to keep moving. It takes one step at time but you can complete your journey."

She said she would never forget the babies she had lost.

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"They have shaped who I am today and made me a better mum, because I know how fragile life is and appreciate every second with my children."

Recalling the impact of losing her first baby, Gabriel, to a miscarriage, Hayley said: "All I could think of was having another baby. I resented other pregnant women. I would sob walking into a supermarket passing the baby aisle."

Baby Theadora Koumas.

When she and Jack conceived again, Hayley spent much of her pregnancy fearing another loss. Even after their son Andreas was born safely, she continued to struggle.

"I thought that if I had a baby, it would ease some of the pain but it was not the 'fix-it' I thought it would be," she said.

She was eventually diagnosed with postnatal depression, contributing to the couple's uncertainty over whether to have another child. However, in 2019, Hayley and Jack - who owns and runs the Everland Fish Bar in Wrexham - decided they felt 'brave enough' to try to give Andreas a sibling.

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"I felt confident that lightning would not strike twice," Hayley said.

But as her pregnancy progressed, her blood pressure began to rise steeply, and a scan at 20 weeks showed Elias was much smaller than he should have been. Hayley spent the next six weeks moving between home and hospital.

"It was a fight for each extra day as my blood pressure was getting out of control and my baby was getting more sick," she said.

Devastatingly, at 26 weeks, Elias died because of a problem with the flow of blood through the umbilical cord. Two days later, Hayley delivered her tiny son, weighing just 1lb.

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The family spent three precious days in the bereavement suite with Elias. "We took photos, hand and footprints, said hello and goodbye to our perfect baby boy," Hayley said.

Following tests to find out why Elias had died, Hayley was given a stark warning.

"I was advised not to consider future pregnancies for my safety, and as the outcome would not be favourable. Despite being able to conceive, it was now out of my reach."

Hayley suspected her high blood pressure had been a symptom of pre-eclampsia - a condition that affects between one and five in every 100 pregnant women in the UK - although her medical team insisted that wasn't the case.

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She sought advice from the Tommy's community. "It became a lifeline," she said. "Without this support I don't think I would have made it through."

When she became pregnant unintentionally during the first Covid lockdown, Hayley was 'petrified'. She reached out to Tommy's Maternal and Fetal Research Centre in Manchester and was offered treatment at its clinic for women known to be at risk from high blood pressure in pregnancy, under the care of Prof Jenny Myers.

Hayley said: "The team there became my saviours. They treated me with such care and reassurance. For the first time since my baby loss, I felt safe and felt that my baby inside me was also safe.

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"I felt supported with additional screening and appointments, telephone calls from the nurses, at home blood pressure monitoring and close management and alterations to my medication."

Prof Myers also confirmed that Hayley's previous loss had been the result of early-onset pre-eclampsia.

Hayley reached 32 weeks of pregnancy before her medical team decided her baby should be delivered by Caesarean section, for her own safety as well as his.

"My rainbow Andonis was born exactly a year to the day after we lost his big brother. I saw this as a sign from his angel big brother that he was going to be ok and we would get to take him home.

"We were able to take Andonis home four weeks later, on New Year's Day 2021."

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Prof Myers told Hayley and Jack that if they ever wanted to try for another baby, Tommy's would help make sure everyone stayed safe - an offer they took up in 2023.

"We conceived in October last year and Tommy's were there from the start.

"I had early scans and screening which indicated we were in for another long haul and likely early delivery. I again developed pre-eclampsia and I was quite poorly, spending time in the high dependency unit before my emergency C-section at a little over 32 weeks.

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"Our daughter Theadora was born weighing 3lbs 6oz and a fighter.

"We were fortunate enough to take her home after four weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit and we are now a proud family of five."

Since the birth of her rainbow babies, Hayley has taken part in Tommy's research and fundraising challenges, as well as asking family and friends to donate instead of buying presents for her children.

She said: "I am also determined to share my experience and support others in online forums and spread the word of the work Tommy's does."

• For more information about Tommy's, visit: tommys.org