I sat waiting in the doctors impatiently for my name to be called. I was waiting on the pregnancy test results, which I had taken the week before. My name was eventually called then I nervously walked into the doctor’s room. This was a big deal for me, I was only 18 at the time half way through my studies in Childcare, what would I do if I was? She sat me down and told me the results were positive, I broke down into tears but I was happy known there was a little life growing away inside me. Once I heard those words I knew immediately I was keeping this little baby.

Weeks passed and I got used to the idea I was going to be a young mother. My first scan date had arrived I was so excited. My midwife told me there was no reason why anything should be wrong, I was a fit and healthy young mother. She was right. The scan couldn’t have gone better everything was fine. Then a few weeks later I had my blood taken for downs syndrome and spina bifida tests. My results never arrived through the post so I often wondered if something was wrong. A week later two midwives from the hospital knocked at my door, I knew in that moment something was up. They sat me down ad told me the results were high for Spina Bifida so I had been booked in for a scan the next day. I cried myself to sleep that night. The next morning I feared the worst, my mum came along with me for support. As the woman did my scan her face looked so calm, she told me the baby did not have Spina Bifida. What a relief I thought to myself but then she told the baby had a condition called Gastroschisis.

She explained as much as she could tell me until I could speak to a specialist in another hospital. I left the hospital in a complete daze. I just did not know what to think. I rang Gary at work and he was really shocked, we just wanted answers. Why was this happening to me? Was it something I done? Will my son be ok? Finally after 4 days we had our appointment at the Royal Victoria Infirmary where they did another scan and told me everything I needed to know. I felt more at ease and a little reassured to know my baby’s condition could be corrected after birth although in small cases things could go wrong too.

Mum...a bit more hot water!

For the rest of my pregnancy I was scanned a lot to make sure there was no dilation in the bowels. 36 weeks into my pregnancy I was given a final scan and my date to be induced for the 2/3.06 (following week). Into that week I was scared of losing my child, I just wanted to know he was strong enough to pull through it but only time could tell-it, was a waiting game.

On the 1/3/06 I was experiencing a great deal of Labor-pain! I was terrified, the time had come and I knew my boy was going to be here soon. The hospital staff told me I was in slow labor and had to try and wait till the following day. Early the next morning I couldn’t wait any longer and was taken in where they put a drip in my arm and broke my waters to speed things up a little. I hadn’t dilated at all in that day and my boy couldn’t wait any longer, I was told he was in distress so they had to proceed with an emergency caesarean section, this was it. Within 10 minutes of being in theatre he was pulled from inside me. I cannot explain what I was feeling at that moment, there were so many doctors rushing around I just cried. I heard him let out a big cry, I tingled inside as Gary held my hand. The surgeons wrapped him in a blanket and showed him to us, he was perfect in my eyes, a beautiful face and his eyes fixed on us. We only had a few moments to look at him before he was rushed away to ward 3 where they performed his operation.

A happy Dylan!

Luckily it only took one operation, although they could not get muscle closure so he now has a small hernia, which is yet to be repaired. Dylan spent a week in ward 3 where he was closely monitored, then moved to ward 4 when he was on the mend. After a day of being transferred to ward 4 Dylan was given his first feed of 2ml formula milk. That’s how it started, from a small amount of milk then gradually increasing his feeds till they were happy everything was passing through his bowels properly. The first time he had a poo was such a delight, I knew he was going to be ok. Dylan spent 3 weeks in ward for then got the ok for home. The feeling of knowing I was aloud to take him home was unexplainable, I was overjoyed, I felt like everything I had being worrying about in the last few months was finally over. Im so lucky Dylan was strong enough to pull through this, I count my blessings everyday.