A mum was 'bursting with pride' after watching her daughter ring the hospital bell to discharge her baby sister.
Elaine McGregor had “the best feeling ever” watching little Orla signal that tiny Callie was leaving the Wishaw Neonatal unit on Wednesday.
The 31-year-old, from Hamilton, had given birth 23 days earlier to the 10lb 14oz tot but doctors noticed her struggling to breathe.
It was then revealed her lungs were acting “premature” despite Callie being born at 38-weeks.
Now she has been allowed to leave the hospital on oxygen while she fights to get stronger.
Elaine told the Glasgow Times: “It was the best feeling ever seeing my eldest daughter ringing the bell for Callie to be able to get her home and be a family of four.
“Doctors think Callie's lungs are acting prematurely due to her being born from a diabetic mother.
“Her breathing wasn’t right when she was born. That's when they were checking her stats and knew she needed oxygen.
“They are hoping after a couple of months they can start to wean her off it.
“The hardest part was leaving her in the hospital each night, but I knew she was in great hands.
“The staff were amazing and so caring towards all the babies in the unit.”
It was not Elaine’s first time experiencing the outstanding care from NHS heroes in the Wishaw Neonatal unit.
It comes after Orla suffered shoulder dystocia during labour at 11lb 9oz, meaning she became stuck in the delivery canal.
This forced midwives to dislocate both her shoulders in order to deliver Orla who had been starved of oxygen.
Quick-thinking staff then delivered extensive resuscitation and saved her life on October 14, 2013.
Staff at the same hospital have now been happy to help little sister Callie all these years later, and let Orla ring the bell for her.
Elaine said: “My first daughter was very sick when she was born as she was starved of oxygen, and now my second daughter has come home on oxygen.
“With Callie the only complication was my diabetes, but the diabetic staff and midwives looked after me right through my pregnancy with lots of appointments and growth scans.
“We knew she was going to be big, so I opted for an elective c-section this time around after all the complications with our first child.
“The birth went great. It was only once she was born that we had problems - Callie needed extra support.
“She is home with her family now, thanks to all the help from the nursery nurses, midwives, and oxygen team in Wishaw General.”
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