My babies just seem to choose when they want to arrive...
Helena Vesty meets the mum who has had three premature babies – the latest weighing less than 3lbs
WHEN Rebecca Asquith went into hospital with backache, she never expected to give birth. But on May 15, within minutes of arriving at hospital, Rebecca ‘spontaneously’ went into labour.
Rebecca knew she was pregnant – but Luca arrived ten weeks prematurely. He weighed just 2lbs 8oz.
It’s the third time Rebecca has had a premature baby. But each tiny child has pulled through, and now grateful Rebecca – who is still in the Royal Bolton Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and will be for a few weeks yet – is raising money for the staff who saved her little ones.
From the ward, Rebecca told the M.E.N: “My babies just seem to choose to come out whenever they want.
“I have had every test going and doctors do everything they possibly can – but I just go into labour spontaneously, there is no reason behind it.
“I have had two babies full-term so when I was early the first time, it was really scary. I had no idea my little girl was going to come so early. Even when I was in labour with her I didn’t believe it was happening.
“She was born at 31 weeks and her lungs were stuck together. I was in hospital for five weeks and three days with her.
“Two years later I had another little girl born at 35 weeks and she was in the hospital for five days. She had respiratory problems too.
“Then I gave birth again three weeks ago and I’m still currently in hospital with my little boy, Luca.
“I just left the house to go get checked after a bit of backache and two hours later I had to phone his dad to say his son was here! I never thought that would happen.”
Each time Rebecca has found herself in the NICU, it has been another traumatic ordeal.
“Until you experience it, you just don’t believe it. It’s such a scary world in the NICU, it’s completely different in here,” said Rebecca.
“There’s babies here that have been born at 23 weeks that they have saved.
“I feel like I’m using all my chances up when I have an early baby, somehow they just pull through. I think they’re just getting earlier and earlier. I’m not having any more now, it’s not worth the risk.
“This time has been the hardest, definitely, because Luca was born 10 weeks early and I had to watch him be ventilated.
“Luca is currently stable and doing things as he should but he does have quite severe brain damage that will affect him quite a lot, obviously this is a hard pill to swallow but he’s here and breathing and that’s all that matters to me and his dad.”
With the help of hospital staff, the amazing tot is fighting on and his mum is hopeful he will be able meet his special siblings soon.
Isabella, who was born weighing 3lbs 6oz at 31 weeks, is now fighting fit at four years old, and Lola, born 5lbs 6oz at 35 weeks, is now a ‘little handful’ at two-years-old.
Rebecca, from Leigh, looks forward to seeing Luca settle into his busy home, along with his other sisters Ava, five, and one-year-old Eliza.
The mum is hoping to raise money for the NICU for the lifesaving work they do every day.
Rebecca, 25, said: “You build up friendships with these nurses because it’s so personal – they’re looking after your baby 24/7 after all. You form an instant connection with them because you’ve got to trust them with the most precious thing you have. I want to help them if they need absolutely anything, they deserve a reward so much they’ve saved my babies’ lives.”
● If you want to donate to Rebecca’s fundraising effort, go to her GoFundMe page.