Experienced mum left 'terrified' after baby daughter born early weighing just 1lb 9oz

WHEN her blood pressure soared, Mel Hughes-Simpson feared for her unborn daughter Jessicah's life.

The 34-year-old was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, and Jessicah was born 13 weeks early on March 13 last year.

Mel, who lives in Briarswood, Biddulph, with partner Paul Simpson, 38, and their children Joshua, aged 10, and James, 15, says: "My first two weren't premature. In fact, they were late.

"Everything was brilliant with Jessicah up until I was about 23 weeks, which was when I started feeling strange.

"My skin was cracking on my ankles, feet and fingers, and I thought I was suffering from morning sickness. Then I started having blinding headaches and I felt the baby's movements were laboured."

Following advice from her midwife, Mel went to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, where they discovered that the baby's heartbeat was fine, but Mel's blood pressure was too high.

"I had protein in my waters," she recalls, "and was told I was being kept in which made me panic, because I was only 27 weeks. It was too early for Jessicah to be born.

"I was upset and frightened for the baby, but I was in the right place.

"The nurses tried to reassure me by saying that if the baby was born now at least she'd have a fighting chance."

Jessicah was born by emergency Caesarean section, weighing just 1lb 9oz.

"It was terrifying," she says. "I didn't see her immediately after she was born, though Paul did.

"She was so poorly she had to be put on a ventilator as quickly as possible. She couldn't breathe on her own."

Everything hit home when Mel was discharged from hospital a week after her daughter's birth.

"I felt like I was leaving her," she says.

Jessicah spent 12 weeks in the neo-natal unit and had seven blood transfusions. On top of that she was found to have chronic lung disease.

"Bringing her home was very scary," Mel says, "even though I'd had experience of looking after babies."

Now 10 months old, Jessicah weighs 17lb 8oz and Mel says she's "absolutely no trouble".

"Everything at the minute is spot on," says Mel, who is taking a year out from reading psychology at Staffordshire University to care for Jessicah.

"I feel sorry that Jessicah had to be brought out into the world to struggle, But I can't thank the hospital staff and Paul enough, as he coped very well and looked after the two boys and me."