First-Time Mum Elliza Shares Her Unexpected Birth Journey from Llanharan to Prince Charles Hospital

A new mum was left with no choice but to spend £1,000 on a stay in a Travelodge after being discharged from hospital just a day after undergoing an emergency Caesarean section.

Elliza Hill, 23, had hoped to breastfeed her newborn son, Arlo, who was placed in special care, but was informed that the only available option was to stay in a chair next to her baby’s bed. As a result, Elliza and her partner, Aaron Jones, decided to pay for a stay at a nearby Travelodge in Merthyr Tydfil, close to the Prince Charles Hospital.

The couple had to spend more than £1,000 for the hotel room to avoid a two-hour round trip to visit Arlo, while also ensuring that Elliza could rest and recover from her emergency C-section, reported by the Mirror.

Elliza, a first-time mum from Llanharan, had initially planned to give birth at the Tirion Birth Centre in Llantrisant. However, due to complications in her labour, she was transferred to the maternity unit at Prince Charles Hospital.

Recalling the painful journey, Elliza said, “I was in agony during the one-hour car ride to the hospital.” During her labour, Arlo’s heart rate began to drop, and an emergency C-section was performed.

Unfortunately, Elliza’s waters broke before the surgery could be carried out, and the doctors discovered meconium—her baby’s first stool—was present in the amniotic fluid. This led to Arlo being diagnosed with an infection, which Elliza believes was caused by “drinking his own poop.”

Sharing her traumatic experience, Elliza said: “After they got him out, and they were stitching me up, I felt a sharp pain. Then, suddenly, they put a mask on me, and I was out cold. I woke up really confused, and it was absolutely horrific.”

Elliza and Aaron’s experience highlights the struggles many new mothers face when it comes to hospital policies and the lack of proper accommodation. Despite the emotional and financial strain, they remain focused on supporting their son and moving forward with their family’s journey.