A young mum who was offered an abortion 14 times has finally been able to bring her daughter home.
Kiera Meldrum found out her unborn child was ill following her 21-week scan, which showed she had severe bowel problems.
Doctors saw her baby’s stomach was filling with fluid and realised she had Grade 3 severe ascites to the bowel – a build up of fluid between the two layers that line the stomach.
It caused complications, but Kiera – who had suffered four previous miscarriages – refused to abort her daughter.
She went into labour at 34 weeks and was terrified of losing daughter Lillee-Rose as she was whisked away for emergency surgery minutes after birth.
But after multiple life-saving operations and eight long weeks in hospital, Kiera was finally able to take her baby home.
Six months on, Lillee-Rose is home and happy, and while she has a delicate bowel, doctors don’t anticipate any problems in the future.
Kiera, from York, said: ‘I refused to terminate Lillee-Rose every time they told me to, and I’m so happy I listened to my heart instead of the doctors.
‘I always had a feeling that she’d be okay, and seeing her grow up healthy and strong just goes to show that a mother always knows best.’
She was delighted when she found out that she was pregnant again in July 2018 having suffered four miscarriages over a two year period.
The 12 week scan at Leeds Hospital confirmed all was well, but the first signs of trouble appeared eight weeks later.
She said: ‘There was no way I was terminating my pregnancy – I’d waited so long to become a mum and I was determined to do all I could to protect my baby.’
Kiera went for a scan every week for the rest of her pregnancy and her heart shattered each time when doctors told her to terminate.
At her 28 week scan, doctors informed Kiera that her baby’s bowel had ruptured and offered her a termination again.
Doctors advised Kiera to have her stomach drained as amniotic fluid was building up, but she was too scared of endangering Lillee-Rose’s life and refused.
Kiera said: ‘My stomach swelled up enormously, and it felt like I was carrying a giant painful water balloon against my tummy.
‘Doctors said that draining the fluid could hurt my baby, and after being told how poorly she already was, I knew I couldn’t do anything risky.
‘I was in constant pain, but I had to do everything I could to protect my baby or I’d never forgive myself.’
Kiera struggled with the fluid build-up for the rest of her pregnancy, unable to move properly and in horrendous pain.
The fulltime mum went into labour six weeks early on February 26.
Just half an hour after arriving at York Hospital, Kiera gave birth to Lillee-Rose after a natural and quick labour.
But when no cry filled the room, the heartbroken mum feared the worst.
She said: ‘Finally, this little scream erupted and I felt this huge wave of relief and emotion wash over me.
‘They handed me Lillee-Rose and she was just the most beautiful baby I’d ever seen in my whole life. She was perfect.’
She weighed a tiny 4lb 3oz, and after a few precious minutes with her mum, she was whisked away for lifesaving surgery.
Transferring her to Leeds Hospital, doctors had to act fast to save her life, opening her stomach up to find her bowel had split completely in half, with one side wrapped dangerously around a blood vessel.
They connected the two halves together with nasal tubes and fitted a stoma bag, and doctors monitored Lillee-Rose for eight weeks inside an incubator.
Kiera said: ‘I knew it was the best place for her but I just wanted to hold my baby girl.
‘I’d been waiting for months to meet her and now I couldn’t even hold her in my arms. It was devastating.’
Lillee-Rose underwent surgery for a second time at six weeks old so doctors could check the first operation had been successful, and remove the stoma bag.
With Lillee-Rose’s bowel fused back together, Kiera was finally able to take her baby girl home.
Dr Kelly Cohen, Consultant in Fetal Medicine and Obstetrics & Clinical Director, Women’s CSU at Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, said: ‘We are very happy to hear that Lillee-Rose is doing well and has recovered from her surgery.
”At Leeds our specialists look after thousands of poorly babies every year, and we support parents to make difficult decisions whenever a life-threatening problem is detected, as in this case.
‘It is our responsibility to ensure that all our patients are given accurate information about possible outcomes and the range of options available to them, and the offer of termination could be an option in some cases.’
Lillee-Rose is now being monitored every three months because the bottom part of her bowel is still very fragile, but as she grows older her bowel grows stronger.
Kiera said: ‘My baby girl never stopped fighting and finally having her home with me is a blessing. She’s my little miracle.’
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