It was in October 2005 that our unborn son Luis was diagnosed with Gastroschisis of the small bowl at the Liverpool Women's Hospital. We were shocked, distraught and worried as to the outcome that we could expect for Luis. However, the doctors were fantastic in their assistance of helping us to understand the condition.

We were advised that I would not be allowed to continue the pregnancy passed 34 weeks gestation and that labour would be induced. The baby was scanned at regular intervals of about 3 or 4 weeks. It was at one of these scans that the doctors from Alder Hey Childrens hospital came to meet us and advise of what would happen to Luis after his birth.

At a scan when I was 33 weeks that doctor was unconcerned that the Gastroschisis had progressed any further or would damage the bowel any further, so we were told that I would not be induced until 38 weeks, which was fantastic for Luis as he would not have the difficultly of also fighting being premature.

So on the 1st March 2006 I was admitted to the Liverpool Women's Hospital and after 24 hours Luis arrived at 9.16am on the 2nd March 2006 weighing 7lb 3oz, I was able to hold him for about 2 minutes before he was taken to Alder Hey (about 3 miles away) for his surgery. My partner followed the ambulance to the hospital in order to be with Luis and my sister stayed with me.

That afternoon he was operated on and the doctors did not think that they would be able to put all the small bowel back in. After 2 hours they emerged and had managed to achieve closure of the abdominal wall. Luis was then in ICU for the next 24 hours.

I was discharged from hospital the next morning and went straight to see our new son, seeing him lying there was one of the most emotional and traumatic things I have ever seen. When you are pregnant your instinct is to protect your child but having a baby with this condition you have to hand your baby's care over to the professionals.

Luis was taken of the ventilator on 3rd March 2006. He was nil by mouth and on TPN until he was five days old when they started to introduce milk at 5mls each feed. Each day the doctors where going to introduce more milk by 5mls. However on Thursday Luis decided he didn't want to be fed via a tube any more and pulled his TPN line out. The doctors decided to up his milk faster and his rectal washouts each day were stimulating his bowel work.

I am proud to say the Luis was 12 days old when he was allowed home to us as his bowels were opening on their own. His feeds were up and he was tolerating his milk. Luis is now 2 and half months old and he is a pleasure and a joy to be with. I found this website in October 2005 and it helped me to stay hopeful reading about children and parents who had gone through this. There are days when you think that you will never get through this but stay strong and take each day as it comes.