A MOTHER told Lucy Letby she was “so pleased” she was caring for her baby girl on a shift when the nurse allegedly tried twice to kill her, a court has heard.

The youngster vomited on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital when Letby, 32, is said to have deliberately overfed her with milk on the morning of September 21, 2015.

Later that afternoon, the defendant is said to have switched off a monitor attached to the infant, known as Child G, during a collapse.

The Crown say the two incidents followed a first attempt to murder Child G when Letby is accused of giving her excess milk, and probably air, via a nasogastric tube (NGT) in the early hours of September 7.

That sudden deterioration took place as Letby earlier helped make a banner to mark the 100th day of life for Child G, who was born extremely premature and weighed just more than one pound.

Child G was subsequently transferred to Wirral’s Arrowe Park Hospital and she improved with specialist care before she was moved back to the Countess of Chester on September 16.

Five days later – when Child G was originally due to be born – Letby recorded that she gave her a feed of breast milk through the NGT. The infant was asleep at the time at about 9am and was due to receive immunisations later that day, jurors at Manchester Crown Court were told.

She went on to note at 10.15am there were “two large projectile milky vomits” before Child G stopped breathing, her oxygen levels plummeted and she lost colour.

Child G’s mother had arrived at the unit shortly after 10am and was later updated about her daughter’s deterioration and recovery.

Following completion of her shift Letby messaged a colleague in the evening to say: “(Child G) poorly again.

“Due date today!”

Her colleague, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, responded: “Oh she likes to ‘celebrate’ the big ones in style (sadface).”

Letby replied: Due imms (immunisations) today too. I got her screened this morning after she vomited.”

Her colleague said: “Was she still in (nursery) 4 then?”

Letby said: “Yup and had NN (nursery nurse) all weekend … looked rubbish when I took over this morning, then she vomited at 9 and I got her screened.”

The colleague said “See. It really worries me. I wasn’t on when she was moved but wouldn’t have done it myself.”

Letby replied: “I personally felt it was a big jump considering how sick she was just a week ago. Being in 4 is bad enough and then having NN that just doesn’t always know what to look for/act on. Mum said she hasn’t been herself for a couple of days.”

The colleague said: “F***. I wish she’d told a registered nurse.”

Letby said: “It’s hard isn’t it. When mum came in today she was like oh I’m so pleased you’ve got her which I thought was a little strange as I don’t know her that well but wonder if she just felt reassured to have a nurse.”

Letby, originally from Hereford, denies murdering seven babies and trying to murder 10 others between June 2015 and June 2016.

The trial continues on Wednesday.