THE parents of a three-year-old girl who forgets to breathe in her sleep have spoken of the terror of almost losing her seven times.

Now doctors are set to observe Bolton youngster Liberty Rose Parker in a week long sleep study in Leicester to find out more about her condition.

Every bedtime, Amy and Paul Parker have to take it in turns to watch over little Liberty Rose in case she slips into unconsciousness.

Since she was born in 2010, the couple have witnessed their daughter almost die seven times and have had to resuscitate her in four traumatic ordeals.

Doctors believe her breathing problems are linked to her irregular heartbeat and low haemoglobin levels but are yet to find a cure.

Mum-of-five Mrs Parker said: “In the three short years Liberty Rose has been with us, we have almost lost her seven times. When something like that happens, it really makes you appreciate how precious your children are.

“We just have take every day as it comes and enjoy every moment.

“She’s fine day-to-day and is always full of energy. It’s almost like she forgets how to breathe when she sleeps.

“We can tell when it happens because she takes a deep breath. We then have to nudge her gently and she remembers to breathe.

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“I’m starting a new job working nights which means Paul will have to sleep with one eye open.

“We don’t get very much sleep any more.

“She’s adorable though and we would do anything for her.”

Liberty Rose’s health problems started when she was just one week old and developed bronchiolitis.

She spent her first few weeks in the high dependency unit at the Royal Bolton Hospital and had to be resuscitated four times.

The youngster went on to make a healthy recovery and for two years grew up like any other toddler.

But when the family were on holiday in Turkey last year, Mrs Parker, aged 33, awoke to find Liberty Rose had stopped breathing again — and rushed to resuscitate her.

After flying home, the family took the youngster to hospital where, after a number of tests, doctors found Liberty’s heartbeat to be extremely irregular, with very low haemoglobin levels.

Mrs Parker, of Aldercroft Avenue in Breightmet, added: “It was really worrying when she stopped breathing in Turkey.

“We thought it was all over after she was a baby. It was really scary because we had to resuscitate her and we were so far from home.

“We think it was because she was tired from swimming in the pool.”