The mum of a woman who died shortly after giving birth has shared the heartbreaking last words she said before her death.
Amber Pendlebury died after suffering two heart attacks on February 1, before she got the chance to meet her newborn son, Maxwell Lee.
The 41-year-old, who gave birth under general anaesthetic at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, was put on life support but did not regain consciousness, Yorkshire Live reports.
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Her mum, Vida Pendlebury-Atherton, 71, said she has been living through a “nightmare” following the tragic news of her daughter's death.
Vida said that, days before her death, Amber had been very positive about her pregnancy and had “prepared everything” for the arrival of her third child.
But just after tiny Maxwell Lee was born, Amber cried out “I can’t breathe, my chest is on fire,” and collapsed, before medics frantically whisked her away for emergency treatment.
Hundreds of tributes have now flooded in to Amber on social media as ECHO readers shared their condolences with her family.
Maureen Martin said: "So very sad RIP darling and may God bless your beautiful baby and family."
Joannah Thelwell said: "Absolutely devastating. My heart goes out to Amber's family."
Eleanor Jones said: "This broke me. RIP beautiful lady thoughts with the family."
Gillian Mccabe said: "God love her how very sad. Thoughts are with the family R. I. P Amber."
Maria Rashleigh said: "So, so sorry. So sad RIP Amber, sleep tight sweetheart. Our love and thoughts are with your family and your precious little baby boy."
Steph Frances said: "Rest in paradise, thinking of her family. No one should have to go through this xx."
Amber was admitted to Pinderfields Hospital for the birth on January 25.
Mum Vida said: “She was supposed to go in for a C-section in the morning, and when she got there, she decided she wanted to do a natural birth.
“So they induced her, but she’d been on the drip for the inducement for at least 10 hours, and she was only 4cm dilated, which is not good.
“They later said they’d have to do a Caesarean section, but said they’d have to put her to sleep while they did it.”
Vida said doctors were bringing the mum round when she had a series of sudden heart attacks and never caught a glimpse of her baby before she collapsed.
She said: “Doctors delivered the little baby, who was 6 pounds, 2 ounces. But she never saw him, as when she woke up, she said, ‘I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe! My chest is on fire, my chest is on fire!”
“That’s all her partner heard her say, and then she was whisked away.”
Vida was the last person to leave her daughter’s bedside before medics switched off her life support machine a few days later.
She said: “There was only one day where we weren’t able to go because of Covid, but we saw her every day apart from that, and I was the last to leave her.
“I couldn’t stay and watch the machine be switched off. I just couldn’t do it, and it was so hard to leave her”.
An inquest has been launched following Amber's death, with a post-mortem investigation due to reveal the reason why the healthy mum passed away.
It's understood Pinderfields Hospital, where Amber was treated, is also conducting its own investigation.
Now Vida is raising money, with the hope of reaching £3,000, so that Amber can be buried in a cemetery close to where she lives.
Those who wish to donate can do so here.
