AT her 12-week scan, Fran Groves’ doctors noticed something was wrong.
Her tiny unborn baby was suffering gastroschisis, a rare birth defect that was causing her intestines to grow outside her tummy wall.
From that point on, the beautician had scans every four weeks to monitor her baby daughter.
When Sydney Groves was born, her bowels were fully exposed, protruding out of her stomach.
Doctors whisked the newborn off to special care where they wrapped her tightly in a medical ‘clingfilm’ to protect her bowel from potentially life-threatening infections.
Over the coming days, the film wrap was tightened as gravity played its part, helping guide Sydney’s bowel back into place.
It was days before she could go to the toilet, and weeks before she could eat properly.
Milk expressed by mum Fran was fed to the tiny newborn via a tube from her nose to her stomach.
Now, despite her dramatic start in life, little Sydney is a lively – and sometimes naughty – one-year-old.
And, to those unaware of her ordeal, the condition has had no lasting ill effect on the toddler.
Describing her shock at learning her unborn baby wasn’t well, Fran, 26, said: “I really didn’t expect it.
“I was with my husband Paul and suddenly the consultant noticed something amiss.”
It was scary to be told at my first scan that something wasn’t right. It was the last thing that we expected
Fran Groves
In most cases a foetus’s intestines have moved inside their developing abdomen by 11 weeks’ gestation – having initially developed outside the umbilical cord.
But, Sydney was suffering gastroschisis, the cause of which is still unknown.
Fran said: “It was scary to be told at my first scan that something wasn’t right.
WHAT IS GASTROSCHISIS?
The rare birth defect affects an unborn baby’s abdominal wall.
It occurs when a baby’s abdomen fails to develop properly while they are in the womb.
By around week 11 of mos pregnancies a baby’s intestine has developed inside the umblicial cord, and moved inside the abdomen.
But, in baby’s with gastroschisis, the abdominal wall doesn’t form completely so the intestines can develop outside and are open to the air when the child is born.
This increases their risk of life-threatening infections.
Scientists do not know exactly what is to blame for the condition, but it is becoming increasingly more common in young mums.
However, the condition is still considered rare, affecting around one in every 3,000 babies born each year.
“It was the last thing that we expected.
“We were told our baby was just one in 3,000 babies who would be born with this condition, and we had so many concerns.”
Fran and her husband Paul, 45, from Harlow in Essex, were told their pregnancy could not progress beyond 37 weeks, for fear of endangering Sydney.
So, in late December 2015, Fran was admitted to The Royal London Hospital where medics induced an early labour.
It took five days for Sydney to arrive, following an emergency C-section.
“I was surrounded by about 20 doctors, nurses and support staff,” Fran said.
“Then, finally, Sydney was there.
“Doctors warned me she might not scream, but she let out a giant yell. It was the best sound.”
Weighing just 5lbs 8 oz, Sydney was whisked to an incubator in neonatal intensive care (NICU), before her proud mum and dad were taken to see her.
“Sydney was immediately taken to the resuscitation table, where the doctors did all of their initial checks,” Fran recalled.
“Her bowel was wrapped tightly to her body, with what looked like a special version of Clingfilm, which would help protect it.
“She was then placed into an incubator and, before she was rushed off, we were lucky enough to be able to see her, take our first photos, and touch her.
“These were all things we didn’t think would be possible, so we were completely and utterly overwhelmed.”
Learning about her daughter’s condition at her 12-week scan, Fran was prepared for how Sydney would look.
And, having discussed it with friends she learned a friend of a friend’s baby had gone through the same thing.
“We knew once she was born she had a huge battle on her hands,” the 26-year-old said.
“We didn’t know how long it would take her to get better.”
The couple stayed in The Stevenson House – special family accommodation just minutes away – courtesy of The Sick Children’s Trust, enabling them to visit Sydney constantly.
The couple said they are incredibly grateful to the trust and have raised more than £500 for them through a raffle.
Over the next few days the ‘Clingfilm’ – actually a silo bag – was reduced in size.
And gravity worked its magic, pushing Sydney’s bowel back into her body.
Then, after four days with her bowel back in her body, surgeons stitched her stomach up during a two-hour operation.
Staying in the London hospital for another four weeks, while she gained weight, she was then transferred weighing 7lb to the Princess Alexandra in Essex, before being allowed home on February 8, 2016.
Sydney still returns to The Royal London every six months, for checks, but there have been no further complications.
“She’s wonderful,” Fran, said.
“To look at her now, it’s amazing to think what she’s been through.
“She’s a star.”
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