5 years of helping families – Wickford clinic’s first baby, Bear, helps to celebrate milestone
07 Dec 2023
Bear, aged 4, was the first baby to be born following treatment at the new purpose-built clinic in Wickford. He joined other IVF babies for each of the years that Bourn Hall’s Essex clinic has been open to celebrate the clinic’s 5th anniversary with the world’s first test-tube baby, Louise Brown.
Bear’s parents, Leonie and Chris, had been trying to conceive for four years and got pregnant on the first attempt at IVF. Leonie couldn’t believe her first-ever positive result and immediately went to Tesco in her pyjamas to buy more tests.
Leonie says: “It’s hard to put into words how I felt when Bear was born. It was something that we’d wanted for so long, that to actually have him arrive was just surreal. I think it took a couple of days for me to actually believe that he was here and not keep thinking it was a dream!”
For Leonie, who had an operation on her ovaries when she was 15, having children was always on the radar. “We started trying for a baby as soon as we got married but I had a feeling that I might struggle to conceive,” she says.
After years of trying to conceive the couple got advice from the GP and were prescribed Clomid to boost Leonie’s egg production. When this was unsuccessful the couple were told that they were eligible for NHS-funded IVF and chose to go to Bourn Hall just as the new full service fertility centre was just opening close to where they live.
“It’s safe to say that being a mum is the best thing that I’ve ever experienced. Time has gone so fast, it doesn’t feel that long ago we were having our first appointment.”
Chris is an only child and the couple always knew that ideally they would like to expand their family so it was a lovely surprise when Leonie found out two years ago that she had conceived naturally and in 2022 Bear’s little sister Cecilia was born.
Meet Becky Green, Lead Fertility Midwife at Bourn Hall Essex
Becky heads up our nursing team in Essex, based at the clinic in Wickford.
Before joining Bourn Hall, she coordinated the delivery suite at Basildon and Thurrock University Hospital. She has extensive experience in women’s health and of working in both hospital and community roles. She is a qualified prescriber and ALS practitioner.
Becky was delighted to move into fertility medicine and to help people at an earlier stage of their journey. She says: “Midwifery is similar to fertility nursing, both involve direct contact, patient care and empathy with people at what is a very personal and emotional time in their lives.
“While a midwife I met many couples who shared their stories of infertility before pregnancy, and I have two close friends who had successful IVF treatment at Bourn Hall. So, fertility has always been of interest to me.”
Becky studied at Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford and completed her midwifery training at Basildon and Thurrock University Hospital, qualifying in 2010.
Becky joined Bourn Hall Essex a year ago and her NHS background and knowledge of local services is invaluable in helping patients to navigate the onward pathway once they have had successful treatment.
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“We went to an open evening at Bourn Hall Wickford and came away feeling really positive about the place. The staff were really friendly and the presentation was clear about the statistics regarding success rates and live birth rates; their data was very transparent. We came away feeling like we would really be looked after.”
Katy and Leigh are parents to Charlie after IVF
Patient 2023
“We chose to make an appointment at Bourn Hall Wickford because of the favourable reviews. When we got there and met the staff they were just so lovely, making us feel welcome and explaining to us what tests would need to be done and what our options were; we just thought ‘yes, let’s get the ball rolling!”
Jess and Fran are mums to Nathan after IVF with donor sperm
Patient 2023