Our Miracle Babies

35 weeks - Joshua

 

 

Joshua with mum & dad

Joshua with mum

Joshua with dad

Joshua was our third time lucky pregnancy. After two miscarriages we felt so blessed to finally be given the chance to be parents. I did not have a great pregnancy and started developing headaches, nausea and a sharp pain in my upper right abdomen at around 25 weeks. At my next doctors appointment I mentioned this and we put it down to the babies position and didn't think much more of it.

As the weeks went by the pain got worse and I was in constant pain. At my next appointment I was sent off for an ultrasound to see if I had developed Gall Stones. My next appointment was at 34 weeks and I was armed with my ultrasound results, however, everything looked alright according to the scan. Looking for answers my doctor then sent me off for a blood test that day to check my liver function. My doctors office called me the next day at work urgently requesting me to come in - so naturally in a state of panic I rushed off. When I got there my doctor informed me that my liver function was dangerously abnormal and that he was admitting straight to hospital.

It was amazing how quickly things had changed in 24 hours. The previous day my blood pressure and protein levels had checked out perfect, however, when my doctor checked me before I was admitted to hospital my blood pressure was high and I was testing positive for protein in the urine. I rushed home to grab my hospital bag, which luckily I had packed on the weekend beforehand, then rushed back to the hospital for admission. I called my husband and he came to the hospital straight from work.

I sat in hospital for 1 week while my doctor and other specialists tried to figure out what was wrong with me. It was a very difficult and frightening time. I was subjected to tests galore and then finally the NUM gave me an indication of what they were thinking was wrong and some much needed reassurance. My doctor came in the next day and told me that they had concluded that I had the HELLP Syndrome.

I had never heard of HELLP Syndrome before but I was told that it was a much more rare and dangerous variant of Pre-eclampsia. Basically your red blood cells start to break down, you have elevated liver enzymes which cause your liver to become engorged and you have a low platelet count which effects your body's ability to clot your blood.

Once HELLP Syndrome is diagnosed, which is often difficult as it has similar symptoms to that of Pre-eclampsia, the only cure for HELLP is the immediate delivery of the baby regardless of its gestational age. If left untreated the mother is at risk of having her liver rupture, causing death. Most people who suffer with HELLP haemorrhage during or after delivery. I was lucky to not have this complication, however, my liver function was dangerously abnormal and I was at risk of it rupturing.

At 35 weeks, once I had been diagnosed, my labour was immediately induced. The gel was inserted and 6hrs later my waters broke naturally then I was taken to the delivery suite where 3hrs later and relatively easily, our son Joshua Luke was born weighing 2.29kg (5lb 1oz).

He was our precious little boy, he spent 3 days in Level 2 care requiring oxygen, he then spent 2 days under phototherapy lights for Jaundice and then he graduated to Level 1. Thankfully his lungs were developed enough and he progressed well and after only 8 days in hospital we were able to take our beautiful little boy home.