Sterilized mother’s ‘miracle baby’ survives respiratory distress

A baby girl conceived after her mother was sterilized has survived a severe respiratory illness that landed her in intensive care.

Maeva McDermott was born in Edinburgh on June 27 with acute laryngomalacia, which causes tissue in the airways to fold.

Less than two weeks later, the condition caused her to stop breathing several times and Maeva had to undergo two surgeries.

She spent six weeks in an intensive care unit and another three weeks in a hospital ward before she was able to go home to her parents Beth and Shaun.

Beth, 33, described Maeva as her “miracle baby” after the scare.

“She was a fighter from the beginning because she had to fight her way into the world and now this,” she said.

“She’s just amazing, she’s just a little miracle, she really is.”

“There’s obviously a long way to go and I can’t even explain how scary the time has been.”

“The pain, fear and heartache we have been through since our special baby girl came into the world has been terrible.”

Beth, who suffers from a painful spinal condition, decided to have herself sterilized last year after doctors advised her not to have any more children.

Months later, she found out she was pregnant again and Maeva was born at 37 weeks weighing 5 pounds, 15 ounces. A baby is considered premature if it is born before 37 weeks.

Because of the laryngomalacia, Maeva was breathing loudly and had to stay in the neonatal unit for nine days before going home.

Less than two weeks later, Beth took the newborn to the Royal Children and Young People’s Hospital because her breathing had not improved.

Doctors said there was “failure to thrive” because Maeva wasn’t gaining much weight and her oxygen was low.

She stopped breathing three times in the hospital.

Beth said: “I was completely shocked and the color it turned is something I will never forget. She was gray and her lips were blue like you see in the movies.”

“I thank God that I trusted my instincts and took her to the hospital that night because if it had happened at home, I’m scared to think about what would have happened.”

Surgeons had to perform the operations quickly, Beth said, because Maeva was not responding well to anesthesia and her oxygen levels were dropping.

“The surgeries were really a breeze,” she said. She was tiny – only 2.89 kg. But the surgeon said he had to perform the operation, even though he knew it was an emergency operation, to save her life.

“He said he had to use his smallest special tools to get in, but he said there were some tools that just didn’t fit because they were so small and their airway was so restricted.”

Maeva was on a ventilator for six weeks and had two surgeries while the family lived in a room next to the intensive care unit run by Ronald McDonald House Charities.

She is now at home with her brothers Sonny, seven, and Corey, 17 months.

Doctors told the family that children often outgrow this disease, but since Maeva has a severe case, she may need surgery and treatment in the future.

Beth says Maeva still has a feeding tube because she has trouble swallowing – but she’s doing well.

She said: “We are hopeful that as she gets a bit bigger and stronger her swallowing will get a little better and that she will be able to come out of the feeding tube.”

“She is now gaining weight and giving us a radiant smile.”