Baby born early to meet dying relative

 An 18-year-old woman had her baby induced early so her dying mother could spend her last days with her first grandchild.

Georgia Wilkins described it as a “parting gift” to Alzheimer’s victim Mandy Wilkins, who cried as she cradled the baby boy. Mrs Wilkins, who died a week later aged 43, would never have seen Theo Wilkins-hanley if her daughter had gone to her due date.

Mrs Wilkins, a mother of three, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s aged 37, had told her daughter she “couldn’t wait to be a nan”. Doctors said she would not live to see the birth, so Ms Wilkins and her 19-year-old partner, Sean Hanley, agreed to an induced birth two weeks before the due date of Oct 7.

The midwife warned the risk was high, but a senior consultant gave the go-ahead. Theo was born on Sept 23 at a hospital in Grimsby.

“I always wanted my mum to be a big part of Theo’s life,” Ms Wilkins said. “It was really important to me that they got the chance to meet. This was my parting gift to mum.”