'Medics told us they were running out of options to help our newborn baby'

LAUREN Kiley, 31, and Alex Kiley, 33, from Pontarddulais, were ready to welcome their baby in 2024, but soon after their son was born things took a drastic turn for the worse for the first-time parents.

- SHAURYA SHAURYA

While Lauren's pregnancy was largely without complication, her midwife spotted something unusual during its later stages.

The midwife then sent Lauren for a scan the following day, and it was discovered her baby was in the breech position.

Doctors told the couple a Caesar-ean section needed to be planned.

The surgery went according to plan at Singleton Hospital, in Swansea, and the couple soon found out they had a baby boy, who they later named Theo, from the Greek for 'divine gift.' It can also mean 'brave!

"They took the baby out and we found out it was a boy, and then things just escalated from there," Alex said.

"I went over and I cut the cord, as a lot of dads tend to do, and then sat back down and then they explained to us that he was having some breathing difficulties.

"After about 20 minutes they made the decision to take him up to the intensive care unit."

While Theo was taken to the intensive care unit, Alex stayed with Lauren until the doctors had finished operating on her.

Alex said: "I went up later on to see the baby and I've never really had to experience it before, intensive care units.

"It was all new to me. There were several doctors and nurses around his incubator, but I didn't know any different, I didn't know whether that was normal or abnormal."

Because Theo was in an incubator, his parents were unable to touch or hold him, meaning the mother and son could not have the crucial skin-to-skin contact right after birth.

Doctors explained to Alex that his newborn had pulmonary persistent hypertension disorder, his lungs weren't developed properly, and he could not breathe properly.

Little Theo was also diagnosed with respiratory distress syndrome, and sepsis.

Alex spent the next day pacing between his wife and son, while Lauren watched as Theo lay in an incubator.