I was told to abort my baby at 14 weeks as his intestines grew on the outside but he’s defied odds & is now healthy
A MUM has hailed her 19-week-old son as her ‘miracle baby’ after he was born with his intestines on the outside of his body, but defied the odds and is now a healthy little boy.
Sami Jo Quinn, 34, was advised by doctors at 14 weeks pregnant to consider an abortion, after her baby was diagnosed with the rare condition, called gastroschisis.
Sami and her partner, Luke Robinson, 36, were warned their baby might not survive, and the condition also meant there was at greater risk of developing heart defects which wouldn’t be picked up until 28 weeks - when it was too late for a termination.
But Sami, from North Wales, says: “Me and Luke were called into a room by a doctor and midwife, who told me the baby had gastroschisis.
"They told us the baby was at a high risk of complications in labour.
“They told us to consider aborting the baby because it might not survive. I felt crushed. I considered the advice, but I couldn't bear the thought of what if.
“When we found out about the condition, we were worried he wouldn't survive. But we wanted to give our baby a chance.”
Sami, a mum-of-three, continued with her pregnancy, which had been troubled from the start.
At her 12-week scan doctors identified a gap where her baby’s umbilical cord should have been, and four weeks later she was rushed back to hospital after suffering a heavy bleed.
She says: “During the ultrasound they couldn’t find a heartbeat.
"They said sometimes it's normal, and assured me the baby was fine, but I was sick with worry.”
A few months later, Sami went on holiday Luke, a mechanical engineer, and her two sons, Ellis, 8, and Max, 7, from a previous partner, and Luke’s sons, George, 9 and Charlie, 5.
Sami, a hairdresser, recalled: “During the trip, I was still bleeding lightly. I tried to put on a brave face, but my mind was in overdrive.
“I wanted to know what was wrong with my baby.”
At 14 weeks they received the devastating news, but Sami was determined to keep her child.
A month later, at her 20-week-scan, Sami found out her body had tried to terminate the pregnancy, but failed.
She said: “At my 20-week scan, the sonographer found a hematoma above my cervix that explained my earlier bleeding.
“They told me that my body had tried to miscarry but failed. I was determined to keep the baby, but I was terrified.
“On every scan, we could see our baby’s intestines growing until they were the same size as him.”
But the couple finally got some good news, as at 24 weeks they discovered their baby didn’t have any heart defects.
Sami was due to be induced on Boxing Day last year, but a week before the baby stopped moving.
She said: “He stopped kicking. I was due to go for a routine checkup on the same day.
“Doctors told me his heart rate was erratic, so they gave me fluids and an IV
“I was only 35 weeks along. But by midnight, the midwife was convinced something wasn’t right.”
She was taken for an emergency c-section, and as soon as her son, weighing 4lbs 9oz, was born he was whisked away and put in an incubator.
Sami said: “The baby was delivered crying, which was the biggest relief.”
It was a few hours before Sami could see her son, and she wasn’t prepared for the sight.
“I was horrified when I saw him", she said.
“His intestines were wrapped in clingfilm and he had tubes attached everywhere.”
Sami’s son was blue-lighted to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, where he had an emergency operation at 10 hours old to put his intestines back inside his body.
Sami said: “I was heartbroken I couldn’t be with him. I didn’t see him for 36 hours.
“I hadn’t even been able to hold him.”
The day after she was finally able to hold her baby son, who she called Jesse, adding: "He has no belly button and a large scar, but it gets fainter every day.”
But the lad’s struggles weren’t over yet, as he was then taken into intensive care as he couldn’t breathe on his own.
Four weeks and another operation later, Jesse was finally allowed home in January this year, but he was rushed back to hospital just three days later after he started throwing up blood and faecal matter.
Sami said: “We took him to A&E who sent us to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, where his tummy was drained.
“After everything, I thought I was going to lose him. He was in ICU for 1 week, fighting for his life. But he pulled through.”
Sami took him home, but they were back in hospital a fortnight later after he turned pale.
She recalled: “He was white as a sheet, so we took him straight to A&E. He had a severe internal bleed and needed a blood transfusion.
“He was in hospital for nine days but, thankfully, he was stable and we could take him home.”
Jesse is now back at home and is a happy 19-week-old, with Sami saying: “He’s my miracle baby and I’m so glad he survived.”
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