Pictured: Diamond-Rose celebrates her very special first birthday
A jubilant family described their joy as their baby daughter celebrated a first birthday they once feared they might never see.
Diamond-Rose was born 14 weeks early at Burnley General Teaching Hospital. Weighing 2lbs 3oz, she spent weeks battling for survival in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in the Lancashire Women and Newborn Centre.
Her parents Natalie Taylor and Boyd Townsend, who live in Oswaldtwistle, were distraught at being warned their premature baby had only a 50 per cent chance of survival.
However, despite her rollercoaster start in life, Diamond-Rose has reached her first birthday milestone and is a happy, smiling little girl.
Natalie, 27, also Mum to Ebony-Leigh, eight, Evie-Grace, six, Riley-James, three and Junior-Jay, two, went for a check-up at Burnley Hospital after suffering a bleed and was told to stay in for monitoring.
The following day, her waters broke and a terrified Natalie ended up giving birth to Diamond-Rose by emergency Caesarean Section as she was in the breech position.
Natalie recalls: “None of my other children came early so it was a real shock. Diamond-Rose was born at 26 weeks on June 22 2016 weighing 2lbs 3oz. She was taken to be ventilated straight away.
“I was so scared as it was so early, I didn’t think she was going to survive.”
Natalie’s mum Julie Broadhurst says: “It was terrifying as Diamond-Rose was so small and her skin was translucent and she looked like a little alien.
“Looking at her, I thought: ‘How can something so small survive?’
“We knew the chances were slim and I remember worrying about how Natalie would cope if she lost her.”
Diamond-Rose was ventilated for a few weeks and then put on CPAP to help keep her airways open followed by hi flow oxygen.
Diamond-Rose carried on fighting despite enduring numerous highs and lows.
Natalie remembers: “When Diamond-Rose was born, things were so critical, doctors were taking things hour-by-hour rather than day-by-day. I was scared to go home in case something happened to her and she was on her own.
“On one occasion, just as I got to the unit, the buzzer went off because Diamond-Rose had stopped breathing. She had several blood transfusions and suffered a number of infections and had sepsis.
“It was like a rollercoaster and she was constantly taking two steps forward and one step back.”
Diamond-Rose spent a couple of weeks in neonatal intensive care followed by high dependency and then the nursery room.
After 14 weeks in the unit, she was finally well enough to go home and medics are pleased with her progress.
Natalie said: “Diamond-Rose is on oxygen through a nasal cannula and the consultant says she might be on it for a while yet.
“She is such a happy baby and is always smiling and is so good and hardly ever cries.
“She sees a physiotherapist for her development and gets exercises and the community neonatal nurses come out every week to see her. She has just started to sit up on her own.
“Her brothers and sisters are really protective of her and everyone loves spoiling Diamond-Rose.
“Her first birthday was very emotional for us as a family as this time last year, we did not know if she would make it.”
Natalie is full of praise for the staff on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Burnley General Teaching Hospital and describes the care as “priceless” and the staff as “dedicated and caring.”
Natalie says: “The NICU staff are amazing and are all heroes who save so many babies’ lives.
“We have been back with gifts and cards a few times and we held a fundraising night with a raffle and auction which raised £1,200 for the unit.
“It is nothing compared to what they did for Diamond-Rose but we just wanted to give a little back to say thank you.
“When Diamond-Rose was in hospital, they supported me as well as her. I became upset quite a few times as it is hard to see your baby struggling knowing there is nothing you can do.
“But the staff were wonderful and would sit and talk to me. They kept us informed at all times and explained everything really well.
“I was getting up in the middle of the night at home to express milk and it was difficult doing this for a baby that wasn’t with you.
“However, the hospital staff gave me blankets that had been in with Diamond-Rose to take home to help me express.
“I cannot praise the staff highly enough. They are miracle workers and some of them became like family.
“We just want to thank them all for everything they did for Diamond-Rose and us as a family.
“We are just glad it had a happy ending for Diamond-Rose. To look at her now, it is hard to imagine she was once so tiny.”
Dr Dev Kumar, consultant neonatologist at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, says: “All the staff in the unit worked very hard to get Diamond-Rose to where she is today.
“Diamond-Rose’s mum was integral to her care and spent a lot of time on the unit and even after discharge, she has followed all the advice we have given her.
“It can be very emotional for parents to see their child on life support and we encourage parents to get involved in their care as much as possible.
“It is very gratifying for us to see Diamond-Rose turn one and see the happy and smiling baby she has become.
“It is very rewarding for staff to see the fruits of their labour and it is amazing to see how much babies like Diamond-Rose have grown and thrived.”