It was in my 40s that I was able to start piecing some of my cerebral palsy together. My parents were reluctant to talk about it, so I am having to piece everything together myself. It’s not ideal, but it’s something. It would take years and my mother’s terminal illness for her to open up for the first time, telling me about my birth.
It is usual for any new mum to give birth through the National Health Service, which is hugely experienced and well equipped. I now know that in my case through a multiple birth, cerebral palsy could have been prevented if I had been delivered by a midwife and not a consultant.
I find it incomprehensible and sad that society seems to be complacent about the fact that so many babies are born with the condition, rather than trying to find ways to reduce that number.
At the age of 46 when I found out I had cerebral palsy, my neurologist explained that the incidence of babies born with the condition is the same as when I was born. I find that staggering. Surely the medical profession should be improving its practices. We cannot afford to be complacent.
