It was a long and difficult six-year journey before Natasha and Kieran Lawler could welcome baby Olive into the world.
Having been told they only had a 5% chance of conceiving naturally, the couple began a rollercoaster ride through several rounds of IVF fertility treatment and heartache that involved a miscarriage and loss. But on their last chance with their final embryo, Natasha was pregnant.
Baby Olive was just as eager to meet her mum and dad, and arrived with a very early entrance at 27 weeks weighing just 540g.
Olive at two hours old
The couple has praised the support they’ve received by the teams at Ipswich Hospital throughout their years of fertility treatment and for the care Olive has received in the neonatal baby unit.
Kieran, who works in the control room at Suffolk Constabulary, said: “We have been fighting for a baby for such a long time – over six and a half years. Olive is the dream we have been fighting for. She’s perfect.
“We’ve remortgaged our house and sacrificed holidays. It’s been a long journey but we couldn’t be happier she’s here and we are so grateful to every single member of the team who has supported us at Ipswich Hospital. They’ve all been amazing.”
Assistant headteacher Natasha was told her egg reserve was low, and with the medical conditions of lupus, endometriosis and fibroids meant the couple needed fertility treatment, which they had at Ipswich Hospital and also at a clinic in Prague.
Natasha, 35, said: “We’ve been supported throughout by the staff at the hospital, including Dr Deole and the team as well as the fertility team, all the way through. I was told Olive was measuring small and after further tests we were told we needed to be transferred to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.”
Olive’s foot next to Kieran’s wedding ring
The couple, who live in Hadleigh, added: “Olive was on breathing support for the first 24 hours and since then she has needed breathing support throughout her journey. This has allowed her lungs to develop and given her the best chance to grow.
“She didn’t have nails when she was born and we were unable to hold her for a week but encouraged to touch Olive in the incubator. She didn’t have a suck reflex at first – that doesn’t come until around 34 weeks.
“We didn’t expect her so soon so didn’t have anything ready and hadn’t bought anything.”
Olive at six hours old
When Olive was four weeks old and her weight reached 880g she was able to come back to Ipswich Hospital to continue her care.
Natasha added: “It felt a little like we’d moved into Ipswich Hospital but we couldn’t have asked for better care from everyone. We can’t wait to be a proper family at home.”
Olive was discharged on 13 September from Ipswich Hospital’s Neonatal Unit on oxygen.
Kieran added: “We’d like to thank all members of staff for their help, support and guidance during our time in hospital.”
Dr Nishi Deole, is consultant in fetal medicine at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust that runs Ipswich Hospital. He said: “I’m very pleased Natasha and Kieran have had a good outcome when the odds were against them and they’ve finally been able to take baby Olive home.
“It is very hard when you meet parents in their situation where you have to be honest about their possible outcomes, but at same time giving them some hope.”
Amanda Price-Davey is the director of midwifery at ESNEFT. She said: “We’re all delighted baby Olive is here and well. I know many of the team have been a part of Natasha and Kieran’s journey and have enjoyed caring for the family.
“Having a baby is a huge event in every family’s life, but when there’s complications, such as fertility issues or a baby is born prematurely, it can make the journey incredibly stressful. I am so pleased Natasha and Kieran felt supported by the team at Ipswich Hospital.”
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