Mum-of-five to raise cash for Sheffield maternity unit

A big-hearted mum-of-five is urging other parents to don superhero costumes and join her to raise vital funds for the city's maternity unit.
Super mum-of-five Jennifer HyattSuper mum-of-five Jennifer Hyatt
Super mum-of-five Jennifer Hyatt

Jennifer Hyatt, 33, from Lowedges, is the first sign-up for Sheffield Hospitals Charity’s Jessops Superheroes 2017, as a thank you to Sheffield baby unit where she gave birth to all her children.

Superheroes 2017 is a sponsored 2.5k or 4k family walk, buggy push, toddle or trike to help raise funds for the city’s tiniest patients.

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Jennifer said: “All five of my babies were delivered successfully at the Jessop Wing – Finley aged 13, Lydia aged 12, John aged seven and my twin boys Liam and Vinnie, aged five. Some of the pregnancy and births were straightforward, others traumatic, but we are all fine and healthy now.

“By far the hardest pregnancy and birth were the twins. I’d had a miscarriage before falling pregnant with them, my third in total over the years and when I had a scan at six weeks, I thought we’d had another.

“There was a lot of concentration on the screen. The nurse placed her hand on my leg and turned to me, but she was breaking the news that there were two heart beats not just the one.

“We were so happy, but it wasn’t an easy pregnancy from the start, I was in and out of hospital with general niggles. Then at twenty four weeks I started having contractions and went into labour. To stop them I had steroid injections, and I was around 3cm dilated for about a month.

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“In my head I realised how serious the situation was, but I just tried to think positive - at twenty four weeks they were both viable. In reality, if they were born they might not survive, especially as boys are often born weaker than girls.

“At thirty two weeks I was admitted to the Jessop Wing, which was hard but the staff made it easier for me. My youngest boy was two at the time and this was the first time I had been away from him. I wasn’t able to see him for a month. I was lonely and scared but it was okay as the midwives made things positive for me.”

Jessops Superheroes (formally Jessops Buggy Push) takes place on Sunday May 21 at Graves Park at 10.30am. There is a £15 minimum sponsorship for all who take part. For more information, or to register, visit www.sheffieldhospitalscharity.org.uk/superheroes or call 0114 271 1351.