A PREGNANT mum was left stunned after heading to hospital in premature labour – only to be told there was ‘no room at the Inn’.

Samantha Butcher, 27, went to Ayrshire Maternity Unit in Crosshouse Hospital after experiencing bleeding when she was just 32 weeks pregnant.

But – in a scenario that mirrors the nativity – when the mum-of-four arrived medics told her the ‘ward was closed’ and they had no room for her and her baby, and transferred her to an alternative maternity unit in Wishaw.

Hours later Samantha gave birth to her 4lbs 4oz baby boy Bradley, 50 miles from her family and friends in Irvine.

The Castlepark mum said: “I went to Crosshouse on November 30 with bleeding. I was 32 weeks pregnant so I was worried. They examined me and said it was a show and I was at the beginning of labour, but they said the maternity ward was closed because they had no beds, so they transferred me to Wishaw. Bradley was born the next day, eight weeks before his due date.”

Samantha and partner Johnny Mackie, 31, then began what turned out to be a two-week battle to have her baby boy transferred from Wishaw to Crosshouse.

She said: “When he was a few days old the hospital said he would be transferred to Crosshouse but then they said they didn’t have enough staff. because doctors were off sick. I felt like I was just being passed around and no one really knew what was going on.”

Samantha says two-weeks after his birth, Bradley’s siblings, Joshua, nine, CJ, five and Elizabeth, four, had still not met their baby brother.

She said: “We were in Wishaw for 14 days. I was travelling up and down every day. It was a five hour round trip which took a bus and two trains. All just to see my baby boy. I have three other children and they still haven’t met their brother. It’s just been a nightmare.”

Samantha finally got news that Bradley would be transferred and on Saturday, December 15 the tiny tot was moved to Crosshouse Hospital’s High Dependency Unit

“He is improving every day and finally learning to suckle from the bottle so we are hoping to have him home soon.”

A spokesperson for NHS Ayrshire and Arran said: “Due to patient confidentiality, we are unable to comment on individual cases.

“At times the maternity unit within NHS Ayrshire and Arran will require to transfer women or babies to another Board for specialist neonatal care.

“If this is required, we liaise with other Boards across Scotland to determine which hospitals have neonatal cot availability to support the appropriate transfer of women and babies to another facility.

“During this time there will be ongoing communication between both hospital teams who will agree when it is safe to transfer women or babies back to Ayrshire Maternity Unit. While families will be updated regarding the situation, we recognise that this can be a stressful time and apologise for any distress caused.”