Inspiring story of one mum's determination

A mother rushed to hospital after a serious car crash refused strong painkillers for more than four hours so she could breastfeed her daughter.

Danni Bett was travelling with two-month-old Indi on the outskirts of Christchurch, New Zealand, when she lost control of her vehicle and smashed into a metal fence, ‘totalling’ the car.

The impact of the terrifying crash left Ms Bett in a neck-brace, but with her motherly instincts still fully intact, telling Stuff.co.nz she just wanted to comfort her baby.

‘All I could say was, “Get my baby out, she’s in the car, get my baby”. I was in so much shock,’ Ms Bett said.

Amazingly, Indi slept throughout the crash and only woke when onlookers came to help the pair, before paramedics arrived to take both mother and daughter to Christchurch Hospital.

With the shock of the incident and concern for her child at the top of her initial concerns, it wasn’t until Ms Bett stepped into the ambulance that she noticed a shooting pain down her neck, back and through her hips.

She refused strong pain killers for four hours as she underwent X-Rays, ultrasounds and other tests, just so she could breastfeed her daughter.

Upon being wheeled back to her room she pleaded with the nurse to let her feed Indi, but it was instead suggested the newborn be fed by bottle.

Ms Bett insisted and was eventually allowed to feed her baby on a hospital stretcher.

‘It was instant relief,’ she said.

‘I wanted her, I wanted to calm her. After a traumatic day as it is, to give her that (a bottle) would not be right. (Breastfeeding) is the best for her and I had that.’

A hospital nurse captured the special moment.

She said she hoped the photo would inspire other breastfeeding mothers ‘to feed our babies whenever, wherever’, whether in public or a hospital bed.

What a brave mummy!

Share your comments below.

Image via Stuff.co.nz

15 Comments

- - mom172741 said
  - 25 Jul 2016
    9:44 am
It’s a pity the hospital staff didn’t listen to her from the start and help relieve the stress sooner but glad she stuck to what she knew was right for them and got the support she and her baby needed.

- - june11 said
  - 02 Jul 2016
    1:53 pm
I hope if Danni had enough milk after breastfeeding her baby they were able to help her to express some via pump. I successful it would have given both of them some comfort.

- - BellaB said
  - 30 Jun 2016
    5:07 pm
I bet it was a huge comfort to them both.

- - yoyo70 said
  - 23 Jun 2016
    10:13 am
Wow, what an amazing mum. Very inspiring. I hope she is doing ok now, & didn’t suffer any major injuries.

- - mom19782016 said
  - 21 Jun 2016
    4:07 pm
Mums – we really are the strongest thing on earth hey?!

- - sharna_booth_weinrowski said
  - 31 May 2016
    8:26 pm
I love this story. Determination of a month is endless

- - mom113991 said
  - 31 May 2016
    5:49 pm
I’m glad they are both going to be ok. Mothers determination kicked in, I’m so glad nurses let her breastfeed her beautiful indi. Wonder mummy!

- - june11 said
  - 31 May 2016
    2:53 pm
I hope Danni will be OK. An accident can also cause your muscles to go into spasms and cause severe pain. It also proves the efficiency of a good quality correctly installed babyseat. A friend of ours is a retired Police officer who did mainly motor vehicle accidents. He was sent to one that the car was a complete write-off. He told us he felt sick when he spotted the babyseat and was almost scared to even check the baby as he didn’t see how he/she could possibly have survived. They baby had slept through the crash and was still asleep when they arrived. They could smell petrol so he and his colleague lifted the baby out, still in the carseat in case of injuries and radioed through for an ambulance code 1. They had no idea whether the baby had injuries they couldn’t see or not. The baby woke up just as he/she was being loaded into the ambulance. The baby was rushed to hospital where extensive tests, xrays etc. were done. No medical problems at all – observation for a few hours as precaution then released into the care of the grandparents. Tragically both parents died in the accident.

- - mom81879 said
  - 31 May 2016
    1:16 pm
Wow! Not sure I could have been in do much agony and refused pain relief. In the end,she would have had to accept the pain relief and Indi would have to have a bottle. One more breast feed isn’t going to make that much difference

- - mum4107 said
  - 31 May 2016
    1:13 pm
What a brave wonderful mummy.

- - mom160421 said
  - 31 May 2016
    1:12 pm
Wow, this lady is so strong. I hope she makes a full recovery.

- - mom90758 said
  - 31 May 2016
    12:48 pm
What a lovely mum. You can see how much love she has for her beautiful Indi! 🙂

- - Sam said
  - 31 May 2016
    12:47 pm
So glad they are both ok – this was truly inspirational. A Mothers Love!! <3

- - Nas01 said
  - 31 May 2016
    12:02 pm
This truely is inspirational.

- - mom134803 said
  - 31 May 2016
    11:43 am
What a beautiful devotion !