A premature baby boy who was born 13 weeks early and was put in a Tesco sandwich bag immediately after birth is now “thriving” thanks to doctors.
Baby Blake was born 13 weeks early when his mother, Lauren, was only 15 years old. Lauren’s water broke when she was only five months pregnant, and she remained in a slow labour for a further month afterwards.
During a check-up, doctors were unable to find baby Blake’s heartbeat; the umbilical cord had become caught, and circulation had been cut off. Lauren then had to have an emergency cesarean section birth.
Blake was successfully delivered, and doctors immediately put the premature baby into a Tesco-branded sandwich bag. Techniques like this are often used when babies are born prematurely or at a very low weight to help regulate their temperatures and keep them warm enough.
“Blake was taken straight to intensive care, so I didn’t get to see him before he was taken down. My mum saw him in the bag and told me about it, but I didn’t believe her until I saw it for myself”, Lauren said.
“I didn’t understand why he was in it; all I knew was that whatever they were doing was what was best for him. Being so young, I obviously didn’t know anything about the care of premature babies, nor did any of my family back then, as we’d never experienced it before. I didn’t know anyone who had had a baby born as early as Blake”, she added.
Despite health challenges, Blake is now thriving aged 13
Blake spent the first four months of his life in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), with health issues including anaemia, a bleed in the brain, and inflammation and tissue death in the intestines. He also developed chronic lung disease, which meant he had to use supplemental oxygen for three years.
Despite this, Blake is now doing well. “Blake is 13 now and thriving”, Lauren said.
“He has even set up his own home baking business, spent years in sea cadets, taking part in charities and remembrance parades”, his mother added.
The whole experience had highs and lows, Lauren explained, saying, “Although that time was scary, and Blake’s life was touch and go, the experience itself was amazing. I actually got to watch my baby develop as he would have in the womb”.
“It was incredible to witness. Blake and other [premature] babies like him, despite them being so fragile and vulnerable and so poorly, are so strong, resilient and little miracles”, she said.
“Blake’s start in life is something that has helped me ensure I never take life for granted, and so we make sure everything second counts”, Lauren added.
Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said “It is great to hear that Blake is now doing so well aged 13. His strength as a young baby to make it through all the health challenges that being so premature poses is a testament to everyone that premature babies can make it through”.
