A mum whose baby was born with his stomach on the outside of his body has shared her story as the condition becomes more common.
Baby Charlie Lyall was born with gastroschisis – a serious condition where the intestines do not naturally move from the umbilical cord into the body.
He had to be whisked away from new parents, Ellie Anderson and Daniel Lyall, within a few hours of being born so that doctors could operate and put the intestines inside the body.
Ellie, 27, of Cumberland Street, said : “It was scary.
“He had to have an operation to put them back when he was three hours old.
“I was told that I wouldn’t be able to hold him when he was born, but nothing can prepare you for it really.”
She said: “I knew it was going to happen but it didn’t make it any easier.”
Ellie and Daniel, who are due to be married next week, learned about Charlie’s condition during the three-month scan.
Ellie was told she would need to be induced so that the operation on Charlie’s stomach could take place, and gave birth to Charlie at St Mary’s Hospital, in Manchester, on October 17 last year.
She added: “He wasn’t able to eat for three weeks so we had to gradually introduce food to him. But now he’s absolutely fine. He hasn’t even got a scar because they operated through his belly button. He’s nine months old now and he’s a happy, healthy baby.”
Gastroschisis occurs in one of every 2,000 births – a figure which researchers say is increasing.
Former All Hallows student Ellie, who runs Anderson’s Dance School in Wilmslow, says its important to share her story so new mums can be prepared.
She said: “We’re trying to raise awareness because it’s becoming a lot more common. They don’t know why it happens, it’s counted as a birth defect. But when I was told about it I was really scared because I’d never heard of it before.
“But it’s important to know that there’s so much that can be done for babies with this birth defect.”
Gastroschisis Awareness Day, which falls this Sunday (July 30), is aimed at raising awareness of the condition.
Ellie and her family have also raised £640 for Avery’s Angels, a charity set up to support gastroschisis research, awareness and support for patients and families.
