An Irish mother has opened up about how heartbroken she is - after losing her baby to a rare, life-limiting condition just a day and a half after she gave birth.
The tragic tale belongs to Maxine McFarland, who became a proud mum to baby Daniel in Northern Ireland but discovered that things were not right shortly after.
Daniel was diagnosed with Edwards Syndrome - and passed away 39 hours after he was born.
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Ms McFarland, speaking to BelfastLive, explained: "He was a very special boy and we are so grateful for him.
"Sadly, [Daniel's] esophagus did not join up with his stomach. This meant that Daniel was unable to feed at all.
"As a mother, my job was to love and feed my baby. Without a doubt, I could love Daniel and did, but I was unable to feed him in any way. I was devastated.
"With the help of staff at NICU, I was able to express and give small amounts of colostrum to Daniel for his comfort and, indeed, mine.
"Later I was given a double pump and all the equipment and advice required to express milk for the milk bank.
"There are some technical and scientific aspects to pumping and storing milk but with support and information, I was able to overcome these challenges and get into a routine."
The devastated mum has urged mums who sadly lose their precious baby, to consider donating milk in memory of them so that their baby’s legacy can live on.
"Daniel lived for 39 hours over three calendar days," Maxine continued. "He was buried three days later. The first opportunity I had to pump was the evening of his funeral, day six."
Maxine was speaking as part of Baby Loss Awareness Week, and explained how the Western Trust, where she gave birth, operated a milk bank for any mother who was struggling to feed their newborns.
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