‘I didn’t really understand what sepsis was and how serious it is – everything was a bit of a blur.’ 

I’m Laura. I’m a 34 year old mum of two from Galashiels and I work for a high school in the Scottish Borders as a receptionist in the office.  

Outside work, I enjoy getting outdoors with the kids and exploring new places and walks. I have recently taken on the challenge of running the 2026 Edinburgh half marathon for Sepsis Research FEAT with my husband of 10 years, Calumn. The training has been intense but I have really enjoyed running and I’ve definitely found a new passion/love for it through my training plan. Living where I do certainly helps as there are so many beautiful routes and places to see. I find myself taking photos mid-run most of the time as I just find the beauty in the land.  

I was diagnosed with sepsis on Saturday 2nd June 2018  

I had gone into hospital the day before – Friday 1st June – as I was overdue with my daughter and the midwife advised that at that stage we should look at inducing her. I was a bit naive and didn’t really understand all that would come with being induced and the possible complications. I was also at the point in my pregnancy that I was eager for my baby to arrive and I was very uncomfortable. When I went in on the Friday, I was already 3cm dilated but my body was not in labour. Because of that and because the labour ward was full at the time, they asked me to stay in a side-room, so that when there was a space I could be admitted to the labour ward to have my waters broken and labour could hopefully then begin naturally. 

Unfortunately the ward remained full all evening so I was unable to go in. Over the course of that day and into the night different midwives came multiple times to examine me and check dilation, and twice to give me a sweep. I explained at some point in the evening that I thought that my waters had broken as I had had a gush but the midwives told me during the examination that that wasn’t the case.  

On the Saturday at 11am, having been in since 2pm on the Friday, it was finally time to go to the labour ward. I had my waters broken then, after an hour of no change, the decision was taken to put me on a hormone drip. That was intense, so at that point I was also given an epidural. Everything felt great after that and seemed to be going really smoothly. Eight and a half hours later, at about 7:30, it was time to push. Everything felt ok initially but the room started to feel hotter and hotter. I just thought that that was normal because I had never experienced labour before. The midwife noticed a dip in my daughter’s heart rate and decided to check my temperature. At that point it all became a bit of a blur but the midwife quickly called a doctor and a surgeon into the room. They explained that my baby was not happy and that I had a temperature and that I needed to go to theatre.  

Once I got to theatre they started to take my bloods. I didn’t know what was going on but the doctor explained that they needed to get the baby out now and that I needed to be put on a drip of antibiotics immediately. At this point they were asking me random questions but I was unable to speak or to give them any kind of answer. My words were jumbled up and nothing was making sense. Somehow, amazingly, after three pushes our daughter Mae arrived.  

For a moment I actually felt normal. When they handed my daughter to me I cried and smiled at her. But almost immediately after that I was wheeled to after-care where I stayed for a few hours whilst they continued to take blood and hooked me up to various machines including a heart-rate monitor, IV drip and catheter. Someone also took my blood hourly to keep an eye on my infection markers. 

This is when I got the feeling of impending doom and I felt like I was going to die. I felt like my body was giving up and I just kept closing my eyes. My husband was holding our daughter and I couldn’t keep my focus on them at all. The next thing I remember after that was being in high dependency (HDU) with someone monitoring me constantly.  

Looking back I was lucky that the amazing midwife I had knew the signs and called for help when she realised my temperature was rising. The doctor explained to me the following morning, whilst I was still in high dependency that the results of my blood cultures had came back and that I had maternal sepsis. I found out later that they had made my husband aware at the time that that was what they suspected.  

Calumn held my hand and stayed calm during it all but he said afterwards that inside he was terrified as he could see my condition worsening just before our daughter was born. I am so glad that Calumn is the person he is – he is really levelheaded in hard situations and was a great support to me. I was so scared and he made me feel safe.  

Calumn called my parents once I was moved to high dependency to tell them the news that our daughter Mae had arrived but that I was unwell. My parents were shocked to hear about my diagnosis as I think they wondered how it could have happened and were obviously worried about me and how I would recover. 

I didn’t really understand what sepsis was and how serious it is – everything was a bit of a blur. I spent the next 4 days in hospital receiving antibiotics through a drip. As a new, first-time mum my focus was on my daughter and getting myself back to normal to be able to get home and look after her. It was only once my family spoke to me about how worried they had been for me that I realised how serious it could have been. I was very lucky that it was caught so quickly – I just needed antibiotics through a drip for 4 days and then orally for a week after that.  

Since I had sepsis I have struggled though, with health anxiety around infections and becoming unwell myself or my children becoming unwell with an infection.  

I found this charity whilst I was searching for information on sepsis. I have found it helpful as it shares information and awareness messaging about sepsis. In 2024 I ran a 10k for Sepsis Research FEAT and I am now running the Edinburgh half marathon on 24th May for them. I am hoping to raise funds for sepsis research and awareness.  

Above all, I want to raise awareness of maternal sepsis – it is something that I don’t feel is very well-publicised. I had not heard of it until after I had it. I really want to make sure that others in my position at the time know the signs and understand that sepsis can progress very quickly.  

Charity Comment 

Laura’s story of maternal sepsis could have ended very differently. She rightly acknowledges in her account that it was the quick thinking and awareness on the part of her midwife that ensured that she got rapid diagnosis and treatment, potentially saving not just her life but that of her unborn child. 

 
What Laura also quite rightly points out is the fact that awareness of the dangers of sepsis amongst pregnant women and new mums – whose immune system is suppressed – is greater than it might otherwise be for women generally. Being well informed about the potential for infection and sepsis is an important way for women and their families to safeguard the health and well-being of both mothers and babies; particularly at such a critical time when attention is understandably more focused on the health of the newborn and a first time mother may be confused as to what is ‘normal’. 
 
Sepsis Research FEAT is delighted to have Laura and Calumn running the 2026 Edinburgh half marathon to raise funds for sepsis research and awareness. We are so grateful to them for their fundraising and for sharing their account of what happened to their family here as part of Sepsis Research FEAT’s maternal sepsis awareness campaign. We wish them all the very best for the future.