Miracle Mia: Baby joy for mum who suffered 14 miscarriages, a stillbirth and the death of her two-week-old son
Filed under: Birth stories
Newsteam
Maria Pridmore, 32, lost 16 babies over 13 years. This included the stillbirth of daughter Shannon, and the death of her two-week-old son, Kia.
Maria, a cancer nurse from Lincolnshire, and partner, John Foran, a logistic supervisor at a garden nursery, are now proud parents to daughter Mia Shannon, who was born earlier this year weighing 4lb, 12oz.
"It really is out of this world. After everything we have gone through this is like a dream come true. I didn't think it would ever happen," says new mum Maria.
i
After losing the two I lost and all the miscarriages I never thought I would be gifted with one. She is so precious to us.
i
Maria had her first miscarriage at 19, and the couple gave up on their dream of having a family after Shannon was stillborn and son Kia died aged just two weeks in 2009.
The couple decided not to try for a baby anymore, but just let things take their course and see what happened.
"We didn't think it would happen. We'd given up on the idea of having children, we had just decided not to try anymore so she was a bit of a surprise," explains Maria.
"I was too scared to tell John I was pregnant again for a week because I wasn't sure how he'd react."
Maria was diagnosed with both pre-eclampsia and Strep B, which causes blood clots to form in the placenta, cutting the food supply from the baby. She had twice daily injections into her stomach to thin the blood to prevent clotting, and had weekly scans to monitor the baby's health.
New dad John says the pregnancy was incredibly stressful, as Maria had to go to hospital a whopping 92 times during her nine months:
"They put her on aspirin and she had the injections and packed in work straight away. We found out she was pregnant at eight weeks and they ordered bed rest from then on.
i
We were really anxious. Every time we went for a scan we looked for a heart beat. The drive to the hospital was like going to a funeral, really down and anxious, until we knew the baby was all right.
i
"I was terrified throughout the pregnancy, every time Maria was ill or hurt I was convinced it was going to happen again. I could not enjoy it at all, I was constantly waiting for something bad to happen."
A few days before her due date, doctors delivered Mia by emergency Caesarean at Pilgrim Hospital after Maria suffered complications.
"She started delivering breach so the doctors told me I had to have a Caesarean to get her out," explains Maria.
"At 27 weeks I'd been ill in hospital and thought the worst was coming and we'd managed to get through that, but when I was going in after she breached, I just thought it was going to happen for a third time, that we were going to lose her."
"I'm not someone who shows their emotions much, but when the doctor put a hat on Mia and put her in my arms I just burst out crying in a room with about twelve people around me," says John.
"It doesn't compensate for what has happened in the past, but it makes it a bit easier. I think now we'll wait till Mia's a bit older and try to get her a brother or sister. I can't explain how happy I am."
Huge congratulations Maria and John!
More on Parentdish:
Boys born at 24 weeks are most premature triplets ever to have survived in Britain
Triumph over tragedy
- Miracle baby survives six months of chemo in the womb<p> Mum Stephanie Papworth was 12 weeks pregnant when she was <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/pregnancy-and-birth/the-miracle-baby-who-survived-six-months-of-chemotherapy-in-his-mother-womb-after-she-refused-abortion/" target="_blank">diagnosed with breast cancer.</a> Determined to give her baby a fighting chance, she refused an abortion, and baby Gabriel endured months of chemo, but was born healthy. Stephanie has now also been given the all clear after 12 months of treatment, and is now enjoying life with her new son.</p>
- Daughter's love letters help mum beat breast cancer<p> When doctors told Laura Binder that there was nothing they could do to save her from breast cancer, there was one person who refused to give up on her. <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/mum/linzis-miracle-love-letters-daughters-letters-to-sick-mum-help-beat-cancer-remission/" target="_blank">Her daughter Linzi wrote her mum a letter full of love and support </a>every day during her seven months of treatment. The mum of two has now amazed doctors by recovering from the cancer which had spread to her liver, and says it’s all down to Linzi’s love letters: “She was determined that I wasn't going to die and I was going to get better. And her wonderful letters have helped a miracle happen.”</p>
- Brave Ellie plays football without arms and legs<p> Ellis Challis might have lost both her arms and legs to meningitis, but she certainly isn’t letting it slow her down. The brave six-year-old learnt to walk on prosthetic legs, <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/kids/girl-of-the-match-brave-ellie-plays-football-without-arms-and-legs/" target="_blank">and now plays football for her school</a> - showing all the boys how it’s done! "It is fantastic to see Ellie playing football. When she lost her legs to meningitis we never imagined that one day she would be playing football for her school team,” says Ellie’s mum, Lisa. “All the other children are able bodied, but she keeps up with all the other team members. To think that she has prosthetic legs yet plays football for her school is just remarkable.”</p>
- Six-year-old boy beats meningitis every year of his life<p> Brave Seamus Rafferty has beaten the killer brain bug meningitis <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/kids/seamus-rafferty-six-astounds-doctors-by-beating-meningitis-every-year-of-life/" target="_blank">six times in just six years.</a> The little lad has been left with epilepsy and a tremor in his hands, but has luckily escaped any brain damage. Since Seamus’ last recovery, doctors have discovered, and closed up, a small hole in his skull which they think had been letting the virus into his brain. They are hopeful that Seamus, and his mum, Caoimhe’s nightmare is now over.</p>
- Miracle baby was worth every penny<p> This is the longed-for baby who cost her parents <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2012/01/08/our-miracle-baby-cost-us-40-000-but-she-is-worth-every-penny/ " target="_blank">£40,000 to bring into this world</a>. Baby Alice is Karen and Gary McLaren’s pride and joy, following six failed rounds of IVF. The couple’s fertility treatment was so costly, that Gary’s dad actually sold his house to help fund the couple’s bid to be parents. After the safe arrival of little Alice, the couple say every penny was worth it.</p>
- Baby boys born at 24 weeks are most premature triplets to have survived in Britain<p> Meet Max, Harvey and Lucas, three very special little boys who are the <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2012/02/24/baby-boys-born-at-25-weeks-are-most-premature-triplets-to-have-survived-britain/" target="_blank">most premature triplets ever to survive in Britain.</a> The boys were born at 24 weeks and five days, weighing less than 2lb each. After three months in hospital, 12 blood transfusions and an operation to repair a tear in Max’s stomach, the three boys are now finally at home with their proud parents, Rachael and Ashley Udell.</p>
- Medical miracle Ryan is first baby to survive being born with his heart outside his body<p> Ryan Marquiss wasn’t ever expected to survive when he was <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/kids/medical-miracle-ryan-marquiss-is-the-first-baby-to-survive-born-with-heart-outside-body/" target="_blank">born with his heart outside his body</a>. But the gorgeous little boy fought through the incredibly rare birth defect, and went through 12 major operations to catch up with his peers. Although he might require a heart transplant in the future, at the moment he’s thriving, so much so that his story has been reported in medical journals around the world.</p>
- Twins after nine years and 16,000 miles on fertility treatment<p> After spending a whopping <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/08/10/twins-after-nine-years-70-000-on-fertility-treatment-and-travelling-16000-miles/" target="_blank">£70,000 on fertility treatment</a>, Rachael and Mark Sadler are finally parents to twins Rebecca and Hazel. The couple reckon they clocked up over 16,000 miles during years of fertility treatment in a bid to be parents, but say every moment of heartache and every penny spent has been worth it now they have their gorgeous twins.</p>
- Twin Finn recovers from brain damage by copying his brother<p> When four-year-old Finn was diagnosed with a brain tumour, he made a <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2012/01/25/twin-finn-amazes-doctors-by-copying-brother-to-recover-from-braiin-damage/" target="_blank">remarkable recovery by copying his twin brother, Kian</a>. Finn has amazed doctors and his parents by over-coming mental and physical problems to be developmentally equal to Kian in every department!</p>
- Conjoined twins see each other for the first time<p> This is the incredible moment conjoined twins <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/09/15/the-look-of-love-conjoined-twins-joshua-and-jacob-spates-see-each-other-first-time/" target="_blank">Joshua and Jacob Spates saw each other for the first time</a>, following pioneering surgery to separate them. For the first six months of their lives, the two boys were conjoined at the base of their spines. Following 13 hours of surgery, the lads can now live independent lives and have been hailed as medical miracles.</p>
- Mum survives four heart attacks and a stroke while giving birth to twins!<p> New mum George Cormack <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2012/04/18/mum-survives-four-heart-attacks-and-a-stroke-while-giving-birth-to-twins/" target="_blank">amazingly survived four attacks and a stroke as she gave birth to her twins Oscar and Connie</a>. George almost died when her heart stopped after a bilateral stroke as she gave birth to her first twin, Oscar. Doctors put George in an induced coma to help her recover, and when she finally woke up, she spent three months battling to get back to health, getting to know her twins, and learning to speak again.</p>
- Mum-to-be refuses lung cancer operation to save unborn baby<p> Mum Daniella Jackson <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2012/05/15/mum-to-be-refuses-lung-cancer-operation-to-save-unborn-baby/" target="_blank">was left with a heartbreaking choice</a> when doctors discovered she had a cancerous tumour growing in her lung. She was advised to abort her growing baby when she was five months pregnant so doctors could urgently operate on the growing tumour in her left lung. But abortion was never an option for brave Daniella, and she was determined to wait until she gave birth to start treatment. A month later, the new mum underwent a four-hour operation to cut out the tumour and remove half of her lung, and is now making a slow recovery at home with baby Rennae.</p>
- Baby joy for mum who suffered 14 miscarriages, a stillbirth and the death of her two-week-old son<p> Maria Pridmore <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2012/03/06/miracle-mia-baby-joy-for-mum-who-suffered-14-miscarriages-a-stillbirth-death-of-son-two-weeks/" target="_blank">lost 16 babies over 13 years.</a> This included the stillbirth of daughter Shannon, and the death of her two-week-old son, Kia. Maria and partner John are now celebrating the birth of their healthy daughter, Mia Shannon, who was born by emergency Caesarean.</p>
Share this article
14 Comments