We didn’t think our baby would see his first birthday after being born three months premature
WITH his rosy cheeks and chubby hands full of birthday cake, little Oscar Atkins is a picture of happiness.
But just a year ago the outlook was bleak for the toddler after he was born more than three months premature and weighing just 1lb 6oz — with tiny hands smaller than a fingernail.
His mum had contracted deadly sepsis in pregnancy so the tot was delivered when she was only 25 weeks into her term.
But Oscar has amazed medics with a clean bill of health in time to celebrate his first birthday.
Proud Stacey says: “Being a family is wonderful. Every milestone from the first smile to a full-blown laugh is a joy. We feel lucky to have Oscar every day.”
When Stacey, 30, and fiancé Dean, 32, started their journey to becoming parents, they had no idea of the difficulties in store.
Operations manager Stacey, from Bromsgrove, Worcs, says: “After being together for three years we decided, in 2016, to try to fulfil our dream of starting a family.
“But it didn’t go smoothly, and later that year we went to the doctors and discovered I had a bicornuate uterus — which means my womb is an usual shape.
“This can sometimes cause pre-term labour, usually in the second trimester of a pregnancy.
“For some it doesn’t cause any problems with fertility, but I was told I would need IVF.
‘WE BEGGED DOCTORS TO SAVE HIS LIFE’
“I had a round of NHS-funded treatment. Sadly, our first round failed and we were heartbroken.
“After six months we tried again, in October 2017, and it was our last chance of having our dream family, as in our area there are only two rounds of free IVF on the NHS
“Seven weeks after starting, we were over the moon when doctors confirmed a heartbeat. Our baby was due on July 21, 2018.”
Stacey enjoyed her pregnancy and was excited when the 20-week scan revealed they were expecting a little boy. But on April 7 that year, Stacey suddenly knew something was very wrong.
What is sepsis?
SEPSIS, also referred to as blood poisoning or septicaemia, is a reaction to an infection that causes the body to damage its own organs and tissues.
The body’s immune system goes into overdrive.
If not spotted and treated quickly, it can lead to shock, multiple organ failure and death.
It can strike after chest or water infections, problems in the abdomen such as burst ulcers or simple skin injuries including cuts or bites.
Survivors might suffer serious health problems after the illness, including swollen limbs, lethargy, hair loss, insomnia, flashbacks, depression and repeated infections.
Some patients, like Tom, have to undergo amputations.
The condition kills more people in the UK each year than bowel, breast and prostate cancer combined.
With 150,000 cases diagnosed in Britain annually, sepsis costs the NHS £2.93billion each year and almost 35 per cent of patients will die.
Each year around the world there are 18million cases of sepsis, resulting in eight million deaths.
The UK Sepsis Trust estimates earlier identification and treatment could save 14,000 lives a year.
She recalls: “I was feeling really uncomfortable. I started to get a pain that worsened, coming and going every five minutes. Dean and I rushed to the Worcester Royal Hospital and were scared when medics informed me I was already 4cm dilated.
“It was still so early in my pregnancy, and we wanted the baby so badly. The thought of losing him was gut-wrenching. I was put on a mixture of medications to ensure Oscar would be strong enough to survive outside of the womb.
“I tried to hold off the labour as long as I could in the hope the medicine had the chance to do its work in time, then spent two hours in labour scared to death that our baby wouldn’t make it.
“We begged doctors to save our newborn son — babies born at less than 25 weeks are often considered unable to be saved and Oscar was only just over that time bracket.”
Oscar was born on April 8 last year weighing just 1lb 6oz — less than a bag of sugar.
Stacey says: “Oscar didn’t cry when he was born which made my heart hit the floor as I thought he hadn’t made it. Soon after, the doctor confirmed he was wriggling and I felt like I could breathe again.”
A blood test confirmed Stacey and Oscar had sepsis, blood poisoning that can be fatal. She says: “At four hours old, Oscar was transferred to Birmingham Women’s Hospital to be looked after.
“I stayed at Worcester Royal Hospital for two more days. I’d only managed to see him for half an hour before he left — it was the longest 48 hours of my life.
Symptoms to look out for in adults
IT is vital sepsis is spotted as quickly as possible. Here are the symptoms to look out for:
It is vital sepsis is spotted as quickly as possible. Here are the symptoms to look out for:
- Slurred speech which is triggered by a lack of blood supply to brain.
- Mottled or discoloured skin can appear anywhere on the body.
- Extreme shivering or muscle pain due to a lack of oxygen.
- Passing no urine over the course of 24 hours as kidneys fail.
- Severe breathlessness when body senses there is not enough oxygen getting to the brain. The illness increases the “drive” to breathe to increase it. May also lead to fast breathing or a fast heartbeat.
- A high temperature.
- Chronic tiredness.
- Change in mental state such as confusion or disorientation.
- Swelling of affected area.
“I finally got to properly see my beautiful newborn two days after giving birth. It was crazy how small Oscar was — this tiny little dot with tubes and wires coming out of him.
“Holding him, it felt like he wasn’t real at all — his teeny hand was the size of my fingernail.
“I started to express breast milk into a syringe for Oscar at first but he was too weak to take it, and was fed by tube. His size zero nappies and they were so big, they had to be folded over twice to fit.
“He only had a 50 per cent chance of survival, and doctors were so concerned about his breathing.”
‘WEIGHED LESS THAN BAG OF SUGAR’
After three weeks, Oscar was transferred to Worcester Royal Hospital for another ten weeks while his parents stayed at home.
Stacey and Oscar’s sepsis cleared four weeks after the birth.
She says: “It was so difficult for Dean and I not being able to take our baby home where he belonged.
“But after 13 weeks, on July 9, we were could bring him home — it was the most wonderful feeling. We were also nervous, as Oscar was still on oxygen so the equipment was being moved to our house.”
MOST READ IN FABULOUS
Despite medics’ fears for the tiny baby, a year later he has a clean bill of health.
Stacey says: “Oscar celebrated his first birthday last month, it was a lovely day. He is a fantastic little boy and still amazes me every day.
“We’re so lucky to have him, he is truly a little fighter.”
Dean says: “It was a terrible time, and I’m so proud of how strong Stacey is. We couldn’t be happier to finally be a family of three.”