Available now…
In Their Hands
A Fight For Life At One Minute Old
As they enter the labour ward, Emma and Jamie have no idea that their unborn baby is critically ill. Expecting soon to be cuddling their longed for first child, the couple instead find themselves in the middle of a grave medical emergency. They watch their daughter try, and fail, to take a first breath, witness her being resuscitated, sit beside her as she fights for her life in intensive care, listen to doctors telling them she’ll probably die and even begin planning her funeral.
In Their Hands is the gripping and intensely moving true story of the battle to save Sophie’s life. It is full of love and hope and celebrates the gift of life as well as the touching kindness of strangers.
(All proceeds from the sale of this book go to Early Lives, the charity of the University College London Hospital’s neonatal unit.)
Order the book now from Waterstones by clicking here or from Amazon by clicking here.
Testimonials
“This book captured my heart. Full of love, kindness and strength – a true letter of gratitude to those who take on the challenging job of caring for others in their time of need. We can often find ourselves worrying about the unimportant, but Sophie’s story is a reminder to stop sweating the small stuff, and to be thankful for the here and now.”
— Giovanna Fletcher, Sunday Times No. One Bestselling Author and founder of Happy Mum, Happy Baby
“Having just finished In Their Hands I am somewhat lost for words. What we do is an immense privilege. We ask of you the most impossible thing; to put the life of your child, your most precious gift, into our hands. We ask you to place your complete trust in us; strangers who live in a world most people never know exists.
“I find your account both humbling and educational. To ‘listen’ to the parent’s perspective of a situation that I, in some small part, shared with you is immensely powerful on a personal level. You brought tears to my eyes, a smile to my face and I am left in awe of your compassion, and bravery.
“I think this book feels such an open and honest account of your experiences, I have no doubt it will be of benefit to past and present NICU families as well as educating us as medical professionals, helping us to hear and feel the parent’s perspective.
“As I often say on my ward round – babies are cool! And none more than Sophie.”
— Dr Giles Kendall, Consultant Neonatologist, University College London Hospital
“In Their Hands is an immensely moving account of one baby’s traumatic birth followed by her time in intensive care. When Sophie was born, the chances of her surviving seemed low, and this book tells the story of how expert care by NHS nurses and doctors helped her win the battle to stay alive. Emma Innes does a wonderful job of conveying the emotional intensity of the experience as she and her husband Jamie veer between fearing that Sophie will die and hoping that she will live. The whole book is both a tribute to the achievements of modern medicine and a testament to a mother and father’s overwhelming love for their child.”
— The Birth Trauma Association
“Wowser…It’s a cracking book!”
— My Mum
“In Their Hands was an emotional read that brought back many memories, thoughts and feelings from my own months as a UCLH NICU mother. It’s a thoughtful tribute to the extraordinary care of the neonatal staff at UCLH, and explains just how much that care means to families.”
— Olivia Gordon, author of The First Breath
“As a doctor who has worked in a NICU, this book got me into the mind of a parent and some of the many things that they go through. Beautifully written, a must read for all paediatricians and paediatric nurses.”
— Dr Ursula Moore
Emma Innes 