Sophia Schmidt

Sophia is a mum of two girls, Ivy (10) and Macy (8). Both pregnancies and births were eventful and unique.

After giving birth to my eldest daughter, Ivy, at 39 weeks, everything seemed perfect. Little did we know that things were about to change dramatically. Ivy unexpectedly began aspirating without any clear explanation. I still remember her being rushed to the nursery at Ashford Hospital while we had no idea what was happening.

For six days, doctors and nurses worked tirelessly, conducting tests, and searching for answers. Ivy was then transferred to the Women's and Children's Hospital, where we learned she had an H-type tracheoesophageal fistula (H-TOF), a rare birth defect where the trachea and oesophagus are abnormally connected.

At just seven days old, Ivy underwent surgery to repair the fistula. She spent another two weeks between the Special Care Nursery, PICU and Rose Ward before finally coming home.

When we decided to grow our family, Macy came into our lives. During the pregnancy, I developed preeclampsia after several hospital admissions, and Macy was born at 34 weeks.
She spent her first month at Ashford Hospital’s Special Care Nursery, learning to feed, breathe independently and gain weight before she was well enough to come home.
Both experiences were incredibly stressful and, at times, isolating.

At the time, I wasn’t aware of support services like Miracle Babies Foundation, but I often wished I had known where to turn for support.

These experiences inspired me to help others facing similar challenges. Today, I am grateful to be able to give back and support families navigating their own journeys.

Today, Ivy and Macy are thriving, happy girls who keep their parents busy and constantly on their toes.