Chantelle Ali, 33, from Gloucester, was enjoying the last day of her holiday with her partner Ben when she started experiencing contractions at just 35 weeks. After being rushed to hospital by hotel staff and spending a full day in labour, she gave birth to her son Rico at 7.08pm on July 12.
Struggle to return home
Almost two weeks later, Chantelle and Rico are still unable to get home as they go through a lengthy process to get an emergency travel document for their baby. The mum says she has been living out of a carrier bag in an apartment in Playa de las Américas ever since, as her suitcase is stranded at the airport.
"It has been a highly emotional and mentally draining experience. Not just to have a baby prematurely but in a foreign country is very scary," she told SWNS. "Google Translate saves me basically. There are a few nurses who can speak English but there are obviously a lot that can't. It is always worrying because you don't know if you are getting all the correct information."
Labour and birth
Chantelle says her water started leaking two days before the birth but, with such a short time left of the trip, she planned to go to hospital when she got home. They had been out on a boat trip and, once they got back to the hotel, she started having contractions - which she assumed were Braxton Hicks. When the pain didn't improve, Chantelle went down to reception and asked them to call an ambulance, which took her to Our Lady of Candelaria University Hospital.
Rico, who was named before his birth, was intended to be delivered by C-section in England but was instead delivered with a full day's labour, and now has a Spanish birth certificate. Being five weeks premature, he had some breathing issues and was in the ICU receiving oxygen, where he remains.
Family separation and challenges
Ben had to return to the UK on their flight the next day to sort childcare for their two other children and leave their dog with a family member before returning. Chantelle added: "The contractions were getting stronger and stronger so I ended up taking myself down to reception and telling the poor young Spanish lad behind the reception desk that I was having a baby. It was the worst labour out of all my kids, it was the most painful."
"It was the worst 48 hours ever," she added. "I had just given birth to a premature baby and my partner had to go. I was just left here in a foreign hospital on my own. It was quite scary."
Logistical and financial difficulties
The hospital is far from the tourist stretch, as Chantelle says it is an hour bus ride from where they get their shopping and supplies. The hospital stay is covered by her insurance, but everything else needs to be funded by them such as the £400 a week apartment and transport. Due to fleeing their package holiday hotel a day before they were supposed to go home, Chantelle's suitcase is also currently stuck at the airport, and it will cost £150 to get it back.
This means she is living out of a carrier bag, wearing the same three dresses on repeat. "We are out in the sticks basically, there is nothing English around here," she said. "I am not a big Spanish eater, I like my English food so it is very difficult for me. When I was in hospital I was literally living off bread rolls and bananas."
Paperwork and support
To get Rico home the family have to provide both their passports, birth certificates, MATB1 form, proof of flights, photos of the baby, hospital documents, and proof he was premature. They currently have no date of when this might be. Chantelle said: "It is just crazy that my son has been born here, and he has been born here whilst they have won the World Cup. I still can't believe it. It is a lot of paperwork. When I was first told all of this I was very overwhelmed."
She added: "Each day is a step closer to home that is what I keep thinking." Charity Lia's Wings, which provides hospital air transfers for children, has been supporting the family. Charlotte Young, chief operating officer, said: "We've recently had the privilege of supporting two families whose babies were born prematurely while they were on holiday in Tenerife. We're continuing to support Rico's family. As soon as the necessary documentation is in place, we'll send a medical escort team to help facilitate a safe journey back to the UK and into NHS care."
