A MUM is calling for changes to hospital guidelines so no other family has to watch their newborn baby struggle alone.

Carlie Underhill, 23, gave birth to Kian-John at Hereford County Hospital at 22 weeks and was left in disbelief when staff would not intervene to give him a chance of survival.

During labour, medics told her the baby would be treated as a miscarriage because the birth came before 24 weeks gestation.

However, Kian-John was born fully formed and breathing – and lived for 44 minutes without any medical support.

Mrs Underhill, from Portfields in Hereford, pleaded with hospital staff to help her son but to no avail.

“A midwife stayed in the room to wait to record his time of death but that was it,” she said.

“It was horrific. They were all just so cold-hearted about the whole situation and referring to my baby as a miscarriage – there was no compassion.”

Mrs Underhill, who had been pregnant twice before, said she knew her baby was alive during labour.

“I could hear his heart beat and feel him move,” she said.

“And when he was born, he was alive and you could see everyone was gobsmacked.”

However, Kian-John – who weighed 210grams and was 27cm long – died 44 minutes later.

Mrs Underhill said the fact that a baby survived having been born in the United States in 2006 at 21 weeks has left her with an horrendous feeling of not knowing what could have happened had attempts been made to help Kian- John.

“There are so many what-ifs,” she said.

“Even if they had helped and he didn’t make it, it would have been closure on the situation.

“He was small. He was premature. But I have got to live the rest of my life with not knowing and just thinking ‘what if?’”

Mrs Underhill, who is married to John, 26, and has two other children, Olivia, four and Michael, three, added: “I think any baby born should be given that chance, especially if they are born alive.

Every baby deserves a chance.”

Kian-John was born in June and his mum says it has taken until now to find the strength to talk publicly about what happened.

“I don’t want other families to have to go through what we have been through,” she said.

“I would understand if he was born asleep or, after a couple of minutes, passed away but Kian- John was a real fighter. I really think he had a chance.”

A Wye Valley NHS Trust spokesman said: “A premature birth is a traumatic moment for any parent. The trust understands this and has maternity staff trained to support parents and their families when these events occur.

“As with other NHS trusts, Wye Valley NHS Trust abides by the framework for clinical practice laid down by the British Association of Perinatal Medicine (BAPM) which covers procedures when babies are born at less than 26 weeks of gestation.

“Although some premature babies born at 24 weeks do survive, only in extremely rare cases have babies born at 22 weeks survived because their lungs and other vital organs are not developed enough.

“The BAPM guidelines state that in the best interests of the baby, standard practice is for resuscitation not to be carried out.

“In these situations most families want to spend the short time that their baby may be alive holding the baby - this is usually what is offered.

“During this obviously sensitive, yet important time, maternity staff remain attentive and available to support the parents and their family.

“The trust is keen to hear from parents who have experienced such premature births to help it better understand their needs and is open to their suggestions of ways to improve the service, and particularly the fleeting moments they have with their baby.”