Rob, Madison’s former partner’s 12-year-old father, and Poppy, Katie’s 7-year-old daughter. They were expecting their second child together in February 2021, it was subsequently learned. But only a few weeks into her pregnancy, Katie began experiencing significant everyday bleeding. She was immediately identified as having a subchorionic hematoma, and during weekly appointments at Rochdale Hospital, consultants scanned and kept an eye on her.
During the consultation, the possibility of having Elsie sooner than expected was briefly mentioned, but Katie said she anticipates the subchorionic bleeding to stop on its own, like the majority of women do.
Katie’s pregnancy was very difficult, with heavy bleeding from a subchorionic hematoma starting in the eighth week of pregnancy and not stopping. Doctors couldn’t do much to help because they feared taking the drug before Katie’s 16th week of pregnancy could harm her unborn baby. When Elsie arrived too soon, doctors told Katie and her partner, Rob, that their daughter’s chance of survival was only one in four.
Katie was rushed to the hospital for labor at 22 weeks because the bleeding wouldn’t cease. Katie’s placental abruption, which happens when the placenta separates from the uterus’ inner wall before birth, made labor difficult. The worried parents were unable to embrace Elsie after she was born because she was taken immediately to the NICU and connected to a ventilator.
Katie said: “Her skin is almost transparent and she is very small.
That’s not how it should be. It’s not like having a new baby some people don’t even say congratulations because they feel like they shouldn’t have congratulated me for having a baby so soon. After pushing her away, I sat on the bed looking at her and got sick of it. It was shocking and disturbing when we were told that she had only a 25% chance of survival. Her body is about the size of Rob’s hand and the photo of her hand with her dad’s doesn’t even show how small she is her tiny hand doesn’t get any bigger his fingernails.
She is tiny but perfect with tiny eyelashes, fingernails and toenails. She is as small as a little doll. Elisie arrived 17 weeks early at Royal Oldham Hospital, Greater Manchester on 17 June last year. But after 70 days in the hospital, she was finally home and healthy. Finally on October 30, 2021 – almost 5 months after being born – Elsie was well enough to return home for the first time. Despite celebrating this important milestone, Elsie’s parents are cautious about taking care of their child on their own.
Katie said: ‘It was fun to welcome her home, but it was scary because for months we were dependent on nurses and doctors. We are grateful to the staff at the hospital for saving Elsie’s life. The staff are real life angels. Without them, Elsie wouldn’t be here.
