This Christmas, Stephanie Davidson, mum of prematurely born Sebastian, says he is probably going to be “spoilt rotten”.
When the Aberdeen physiatrist and her husband Steven first celebrated the long-awaited pregnancy, she thought they had done the hard part.
However, in week 24 of her pregnancy, her blood pressure was high.
A week later, it had not gone down and she became a “revolving door patient” as she went for multiple checks.
The Inverurie resident started to develop signs of pre-eclampsia and at 28 weeks pregnant was booked in for a blood pressure check.
She said: “When the signs of pre-eclampsia were confirmed, it was like a one-way ticket to the hospital.”
Her body started to swell from a build-up of fluid, making her look like “Jabba the Hut”.
In danger of developing HELLP syndrome (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes and Low Platelets) – a life-threatening complication considered to be a variant of pre-eclampsia – Stephanie was told she could not continue with the pregnancy.
Sebastian was delivered through a planned emergency section at 28 weeks and a day on April 17 and weighed 1.2kg.
He had to be taken straight to the Neonatal Unit and was there for 10 weeks.
‘Terrified’ at first Sebastian would die in his sleep
“We were very lucky actually,” said Stephanie. “Apart from being super-duper early medically speaking… there was nothing long-lasting that was going to be problematic.
“We were warned the whole journey in the Neonatal Unit, especially for a prem baby, is long. It’s a rollercoaster.”
When people started messaging congratulations to the couple, Stephanie said she struggled.
At the time, she said: “I don’t want it because I don’t know how this is going to end, was basically my feeling.”
Sebastian had a few scares, but after 10 weeks was able to come home.
Smiling as she bounced her son, Stephanie said: “He’s seven months now but he should only be four months.
“He’s doing really, really well. I was terrified when I first took him home, I was just so terrified he was going to die in his sleep because he was so young.
“I never thought this time last year that would be the experience we had, but here we are, and things are good after a very, very bumpy start.”
‘We can’t thank the staff and Archie Foundation enough’
Stephanie said the rollercoaster was a lot easier with the support offered in the unit.
From the on-site counsellors to the outreach team that provided support once Sebastian was discharged, and the Our Journey journal from the Archie Foundation, Stephanie said it helped keep them going.
She said: “The Neonatal Unit and the Archie Foundation, it’s an amazing place with amazing people working in it and we can’t thank them enough really.
“You never know about it until you need it.”
To find out more information about The Archie Foundation or to seek support, visit the website or call 01224 559559.
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