In the United Kingdom, a mother of two thanks supermarket freezer bags for saving her children from death.
According to the Daily Mail, 33-year-old Emma Blakey believes her son and daughter could have died from hypothermia because of their premature births. However, doctors used freezer bags as a warming blanket to mimic the comfort of her womb.
Blakey explained her pregnancy with her daughter like this: “I had a rough ride with Willow, I was sick all the time. Then, when my waters broke at 29-weeks I was distraught. My partner Graham was so good, trying to calm me down, but all I could think was that my baby was in danger. In the hospital I was put on antibiotics to prevent infection. If I did get an infection, my baby could die. All I did for four days was cry, then I went into labour. From then on everything was a blur. I was in labour for six hours, then Willow was rushed to intensive care straight away. I couldn’t even hold her, it was heartbreaking.”
Thankfully, Willow did survive and was immediately wrapped in freezer bags to keep her warm. Blakey said, “Later that day I went up to see her, she was attached to a machine to help her breathe, but she was absolutely perfect.”
Then, when Blakey became pregnant two-years-later she was thrilled because doctors told her there was a 90% chance that she wouldn’t go into premature labor.
But at 29-weeks, Blakey’s water broke; and after a 48-hour labor, Zach was born weighing just 2lb 15oz. Doctors were worried that he suffered a brain bleed because of his low birth weight and premature birth. Blakey explained, “With Zach I’d been fraught throughout. I’d had a couple of heavy bleeds, and while scans showed he was fine it had made me nervous. Then when my waters broke I couldn’t believe it. When little Zach was born, he was even earlier and even smaller than Willow. He had two grade three bleeds on the brain. We were told that he was at risk of having learning difficulties.”
In the UK, premature babies are at high risk for hypothermia and infection, which is why doctors use freezer bags to try and save them. Blakey said, “Zach battled through and was allowed home the day before his due date, although he soon had to go back into hospital after catching pneumonia.”
Unfortunately, it is possible that Zach may have disabilities due to his premature birth but Blakey’s just happy her children are alive. She said, “Both Willow and Zach were so tiny, at first I couldn’t see how they would possibly survive. They looked so fragile in their little freezer bags. Tesco saved both my babies. I have a lot to thank them for.”
Now Zack is seven months old and is doing well. Blakey concluded, “So far he’s been progressing just as his big sister did. Willow dotes on Zach, they play so happily together. I’m so proud of my freezer bag babies.”
As LifeNews previously reported, in Great Britain a 23-week-old preemie weighing 1lb 2oz survived after being placed in a freezer bag.
