A mum gave birth early so that her husband could meet their daughter – and it turned out she was just in time, as he sadly died two days later.
Beccy Flint said partner Jamie Hunter had always wanted to be a father, but sadly he has not been around to see their daughter Harper-May grow up.
However, she was thrilled that 38-year-old Jamie had at least been able to meet his child before he passed away from kidney cancer.
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Beccy gave birth to Harper-May early back in May 2020 so that Jamie could meet their daughter, with a poignant photo showing him also getting the chance to hold her.
She said being a dad was ‘all he ever wanted’, so, when she was eight months pregnant, Beccy made it her goal to make sure he could see the birth.
After delivering the baby a month early, teacher and football coach Jamie was able to say hello to his daughter, before sadly dying two days later.
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While Beccy is glad they both got to cuddle Harper-May, it has now taken two years and thousands of pounds to get her partner’s name on their daughter’s birth certificate.
"It’s been hell, it makes me so mad that we had to go through this," said Beccy, from Sutton Coldfield.
"If we had been married, they would have just taken it as gospel that he was the dad."
The grieving new mum even had to go to solicitors and arrange for DNA samples to be collected from her deceased partner and her newborn baby.
She continued: "I had to arrange for a company from London to get a DNA sample from Jamie.
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“It meant I wasn’t allowed to go and see him at the funeral home for weeks in case I contaminated the body."
Beccy was also interviewed by social services, which she found difficult as they probed her ability as a mother.
"They wanted to know whether Jamie wanted to be a dad and I had to prove that I was a fit mother,” Beccy said.
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“I don’t know what difference that made but this was all about consent.
"When an unmarried couple register a birth, they go to the registry office together and that way the dad gives his consent to be named on the birth certificate. The difficulty here was that Jamie was not here to prove his consent."
According to the Family Law Company, both parents need to be present at the registration of the birth if they are not married.
If the father of the baby is deceased, the mother has to apply for a Declaration of Parentage.
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"This is a court order that confirms whether or not someone is the parent of the child in question," said a spokesman on the Family Law Company website.
"Applicants need to prove that they have a ‘sufficient personal interest.’
"Following the application, there will be a court hearing where the court will almost undoubtedly seek to prove who the other parent is. This will normally be through a DNA test.
"Once it has been proved that the other person is the biological parent, the court will make a Declaration of Parentage confirming this."
Beccy said Jamie had given her a ring, but there simply hadn’t been time to arrange a wedding.
“There just wasn’t time to sort a wedding out, I was eight months pregnant and our focus was on getting him there to see Harper born,” she said.
Prior to Jamie’s death, a JustGiving appeal was launched by friends to help Beccy and her daughter after he passed.
After being shared by footballer Jack Grealish, generous donors raised more than £75,000.
Beccy added: "The last couple of years have been tough. I talk to Harper about her dad all the time and we go to the cemetery. There are photos all around, she’s very aware of him.
“I also have a scrapbook of memories we look through together and I’ve made bears with clothes from his old clothes.
"Harper is an amazing little girl. She’s definitely what’s kept us going."
Jess Hardiman