baby

Her baby's organs were growing outside of his tiny body. But this mum didn't give up.

A bit of homework and a mother’s intuition are the reasons Holly and Stephen Hodgson can watch their tiny newborn son Teddy grow up.

At Holly’s 12 week scan, the couple learned their first baby was suffering with gastroschisis, a condition where the internal organs grow outside the body through a hole in the stomach.

“The radiologist said it would be fine but then when I went to see my doctor he told me that I should terminate because he had only seen three other cases who all terminated,” Holly told Kidspot.

If Holly had listened to the advice of her obstetrician, the Hodgson's story would have read very differently.

“Luckily, I did a lot of research over the weekend and said that I wanted a second opinion," she told the publication.

Holly discovered over 90 per cent of babies with the condition survive pregnancy, and upon getting a second opinion she opted against termination.

Holly is now mum to a happy, bouncing seven-month-old baby boy Teddy, who was born prematurely on December 14 last year - with his large and small intestines protruding outside his body.

Teddy's tiny torso was wrapped with cling wrap and he was placed in a silo bag for 13 days while doctors waited for his stomach to grow large enough to fit his organs.

“Not being able to hold him when all of the parents around us could hold their babies was pretty awful." Holly told the publication.

"I just kept say ‘it will happen eventually, eventually…’”

Eight weeks later, Teddy was discharged from hospital, where he grew to become a bright, happy child.

“He’s such a happy boy. He just loves making faces and talking to people. He always smiles, giggles and squeaks at people he doesn’t even know – it’s very cute.”

Despite her happy ending, Holly says she still holds anger towards the obstetrician.

“It makes me sick and angry when I look back on what he said.”

The mother-of-one's mission is to encourage mothers in her position to do their own research, and not be pressured into making a choice they may regret.

“I was still upset with that he said even though I wasn’t prepared to terminate because I hadn’t read anything about babies being terminated so I didn’t think it was possible. It was a silly thing to have said.”

The now vibrant family of three encourages others to do their own research, and to always seek out a second opinion.

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Top Comments

Emma 8 years ago

My husband was born with this condition and after a very healthy childhood he is now a very healthy 34yo (with a bit of a mangled belly button as a result of life-saving surgery to get his insides back where they belong, but that's a small price to pay).


Really? 8 years ago

"A bit of homework and a mother’s intuition". But I'm sure it's just coincidence that it all worked out for her, right?