The British mother considers the birth of her baby boy a true Christmas miracle after doctors first said the fetus had ᴅɪᴇᴅ in the ᴡᴏᴍʙ but later found its heartbeat.
Hannah Cole, 27 and from Wibsey, West Yorkshire, was admitted to the hospital in her 20th week of pregnancy after her amniotic fluid broke. Doctors at Bradford Royal Infirmary told her the next day that there was no heartbeat and that the fetus had ᴅɪᴇᴅ in the ᴡᴏᴍʙ.
But Cole said she felt her son was still alive and asked hospital staff to do another test. On this occasion, the doctors detected the fetus’s heartbeat.
Oakley Cole-Fowler was finally born on October 30, 2022, at 24 weeks’ gestation. He was born weighing only 780 grams and already had to deal with many difficulties.
Cole complained to staff at the Bradford Royal Infirmary about the error, and the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust launched an investigation into the matter. The hospital apologized to the family for the mistake and the distress and bitterness it caused.
“I was just relieved. It was a real rollercoaster. He is my Christmas miracle,” said the mother. He also said that Oakley would have to stay in the hospital until at least February 9 – when he was originally due.
At just 8 days old, Oakley underwent major surgery after being diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis, which involves inflammation and the death of intestinal tissue. At the same time, he also received a stoma bag and will have more surgeries in the spring.
“Hopefully we can bring him home within a few months. He is breathing on his own, he is no longer on a ventilator,” said the mother, who considers her son a real fighter. “He’s been absolutely amazing since he was born. It’s moving forward incredibly fast. He is completely fine now.”
At the same time, the mother also admitted that she feels a little lost since her little son cannot be home with her yet, and this period is stressful for the whole family. “I can’t wait to take her home and be a normal family,” Cole said.
