A mum desperately needs to raise thousands of pounds to bring her baby back to the UK after she was born two months prematurely in Turkey.
Kaielle Thompson, 23, from Greater Manchester, was celebrating her birthday on holiday when she gave birth to baby Kaiah on May 17. She had to be delivered by emergency caesarean section in Fethiye where Kaiah was rushed straight to another hospital three hours away and admitted to a newborn intensive care unit, Manchester Evening News reported.
Kaielle and her partner had to move to a hotel near the hospital after she had recovered from the birth and are having to pay hundreds of pounds to extend their stay. The couple has also been billed at least £27,000 for Kaiah's hospital care and were 'hounded' about paying the bill.
However, after speaking to a Turkish lawyer, they hope these costs will be waivered as it is classed as 'emergency treatment'. Mum and dad are planning to get Kaiah back home to Failsworth as soon as she is able enough to travel. A fundraising page has been set up to help cover the cost of their flights back, as well as to help pay for the ongoing costs of having to stay in Turkey and register the baby.
The 23-year-old recalled how she only started to feel pains on around the fifth day of her holiday. Kaielle said: "They felt similar to when she was growing and my bump was getting bigger so I assumed it was just growing pains. We went for dinner and then down to watch the entertainment and the pain got stronger but I still thought nothing of it.
"We went to bed a little earlier than usual due to how I was feeling and I couldn't get to sleep. I text my mum and she said it sounded like I was in labour. We went to reception and said I was having pains and they called the medical team who sent an ambulance."
Kaielle was rushed to a private hospital, where medics told her the baby would need to be delivered by an emergency caesarean section.
She added: "It was a shock because she wasn't due for another two months and she actually came on my birthday. Kaiah was born and taken straight to another hospital three hours away. I didn't get to meet her for two days.
"The hospital told us we needed to pay £10,000 but my partner spoke to the British embassy who gave us a Turkish solicitors number where we found out that an emergency treatment in Turkey is free so we didn’t have to pay. Our insurance didn’t cover the treatment so this was a relief."
Baby Kaiah was relocated to a different hospital in Antalya where her parents have also moved to be closer to her. The family haven't been given a discharge date for her yet and have not yet been able to hold her.
She said: "Myself and my partner are self-employed so it's been a really stressful experience. We're lucky we have people around us who can support us but they can only support so much hence my friend setting up a Go Fund Me account.
"It’s broken my heart seeing her in an incubator and I just want to hold her. I’ve been so excited for this moment of her being born and it’s just not been as expected. I just want to be back in England enjoying our baby girl."
Kaielle said the family have been liaising with the British Embassy in Turkey. If you're able to donate you can visit their Go Fund Me Page here.
