Paige Liddle was born in August 1996. For her parents, what should have been a joyful day became an unimaginable tragedy that continues to affect them decades later. A few days before Paige was born, her mother noticed a small trickle of fluid while doing household chores.
“I thought it was urine,” she recalls. At the time, the midwife Paige’s mother visited did not think it was significant. Three days later, she went into labour.
During the birth, concerns arose when Paige’s heart rate began to drop. When Paige was born, she was blue and floppy, and was immediately taken away by the medical team. Her parents were told that there may be a problem with her heart.
For almost 90 minutes, they waited anxiously for news. Then Paige was brought back to her mother. Realising how serious the situation was, Paige was baptised in her mother’s arms. A short time later, she died.
The devastation was overwhelming. Only afterwards did Paige’s parents learn that she had suffered a group B Strep infection.
At the time of Paige’s birth, her mother had never heard of group B Strep. She had not been offered testing during pregnancy and was unaware that carrying the bacteria could put a baby at risk of developing a serious infection. The loss had a profound and lasting impact on the entire family.
“It affected my husband and me for many years. Our daughter dying in my arms was the most traumatic thing we have ever experienced. We will never get over losing Paige; we’ve just learned to live with it.”
Today, Paige’s story serves as a powerful reminder of the devastating consequences that group B Strep infection can have for families. By sharing her experience, Paige’s mother Sharon hopes to raise awareness so that expectant parents are better informed and able to ask questions about group B Strep during pregnancy.
Although thirty years have passed, Paige remains deeply loved and remembered.
