I had a hideous pregnancy, a difficult induction for hyperemesis, and then my daughter and I were kept in hospital because of her infection and then jaundice. By the third night of our hospital stay in the postnatal ward, I was broken. Claire was a complete lifesaver, she didn’t patronize me but helped me to talk through how awful hyperemesis had been, got us into a side room which was a godsend when the little one was on her jaundice lamp, found the adaptor to double pump to feed her when she wouldn’t latch, let me go outside briefly to breathe while Claire watched little one and checked on me through the night as I tried to comfort my sick daughter.

Our hospital stay felt like one problem after another but Claire kept me sane. She helped us to get discharged very early in the morning once the little one was given the all-clear and she didn’t need to do that. On our final night in hospital, Claire knew how much I hated the hat that baby had been wearing the whole time she was poorly and that I didn’t have any hats small enough for her. Before Claire's final night shift caring for us, she knitted my daughter a new hat without the bad memories, plus another for her to grow into. I was so overwhelmed that after a 12+ hour shift she cared enough to go home and do that; we still put her in that hat every day because it reminds us of Claire’s kindness. This isn’t the most eloquent explanation, but her compassion made all the difference in the world and I’m forever grateful for her skill and kindness. I hope Claire knows how special she is and what a difference she has made.