Family's joy as tiny tot Bobbie Adam goes home
A tiny baby girl has left Ninewells Hospital in Dundee to spend her first Easter at home.
Bobbie Adam. Below: with her parents, Will and Lisa.
- By Marjory Inglis, health reporter
- Published in the Courier : 23.04.11
- Published online : 23.04.11 @ 06.20am
Little more than a handful now, Bobbie Adam weighed just 2lb 2oz when she was born 11 weeks premature.
Every day since their first child came into the world, parents Will and Lisa Adam have made the daily journey from their home in Forfar to the cotside in the hospital's neonatal unit.
Until Bobbie was able to breastfeed normally, Lisa expressed milk so that the tiny infant could get the best start in life, with mother's milk drip fed to her.
After a little over eight weeks in the care of the dedicated staff in the unit that looks after the most sick babies, Bobbie was finally ready to go home on Friday — still well ahead of her anticipated arrival time and now weighing 3lb 10oz.
"Her due date wasn't until May 9," said Lisa, as she packed up her little girl's paraphernalia and dressed her in a little pink jacket with, appropriately, a bunny motif.
"I was quite surprised when I came up to Ninewells for my 28-week scan and they decided to keep me in," she went on.
A problem with the placenta meant Lisa and Will were warned the birth would have to be brought forward and Lisa would have to have a caesarean within the week.
They held back as long as they could (to give the baby the best chance of survival) but on February 24, they decided it was better for her to come out.
Lisa admitted it was a "pretty scary" experience but well worth going through to have her little bundle of joy.
Despite her very early arrival, Bobbie was remarkably healthy and, unlike many premature babies, is not going home attached to an oxygen cylinder.
"She was born at six minutes past four in the afternoon and was off the ventilator by 11.15 that night," said Lisa.
The new mum celebrated her 32nd birthday in the neonatal unit and the couple spent much of their first wedding anniversary there as well.
"We just came through to the hospital as usual and later on went back home to Forfar and went out for a meal," said Lisa.
Will said, "We have been going backwards and forwards between the hospital and home, until a week past Monday."
When it became clear Bobbie was getting strong enough to go home, Lisa moved in to a mother and baby area in the unit where families are prepared for taking their baby home and taking over total responsibility for the care of their infant.
As they got ready to leave yesterday, Will, who is a building site labourer, and Lisa, who is an accounts assistant at Savills in Brechin, paid tribute to the staff in the neonatal unit.
"I just want to say thank you to the doctors and nurses and all the staff for all their help," said Lisa.
"I was surprised how busy this unit is," said Will.
09.38pm - 23.04.2011 karen hill - montrose. , uk Report This
What a lovely story, what a great ending .. Well done and congratulations to you all . And have a great family time at Easter .. Hugs to baby Bobbie ..
07.21pm - 24.04.2011 J, B & M - Midlothian, scotland Report This
Congratulations Lisa and Will, well done Bobbie, what a wee cutie!!!!
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