A woman who nearly died after she suffered one of a string of miscarriages has proudly shown off the "miracle" baby girl she has welcomed after 20 years of trying to become a mum.
Cafe owner Rebecca Dando, 37, had always dreamed of motherhood but feared it would never happen after she was rushed to hospital when she haemorrhaged because of a miscarriage in February 2019. She had had multiple miscarriages from the age of 18 - despite doctors telling her nothing appeared to be wrong.
But after meeting her partner, Christopher Thomas, 26, in April 2019, Rebecca decided to give trying for a baby another go. After no luck for a year, she was delighted when she found out she was expecting in September 2021, and this time the pregnancy progressed.
Lowri Joan Dando was born on May 23, weighing 7lb 6oz, at the Grange University Hospital, Cwmbran, Wales, via an emergency caesarean section. And Rebecca is "loving every minute" of being a mum.
Rebecca, from Ebbw Vale, Wales, said: “I cried when I got past 12 weeks with Lowri as I’d never made it that far in a pregnancy before. I was terrified every day that something would go wrong.
“It was such a relief when she was out, and I could see her mop of hair. She’s safe and absolutely perfect. It has taken 20 years and several miscarriages to have a baby and I’ll never forget each loss but I’m so glad I never gave up hope."
Ever since she was young, Rebecca had always dreamed of being a mum. But at 18, she lost a baby for the first time.
In February 2019, she was looking forward to becoming a mother, despite facing bringing the baby up alone. "I had just split from my partner, but I knew I still wanted to be a mum," she said.
"But I was told I had lost the baby at my 12-week scan. It was a missed miscarriage, so it was only the sac that remained. I had lost all hope that I would ever be a mum."
A few weeks after the scan, Rebecca started bleeding but was told it was nothing to worry about. However, it became severe and she was rushed to Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil.
She was told afterwards that she had extremely low blood pressure and hardly any pulse. "They told me that I was nearly dead, and I had suffered a haemorrhage," Rebecca said. "I nearly had to have a hysterectomy when they couldn't stop the bleeding. After I thought, 'That's it, I'll never be a mum.'"
But when Rebecca started dating Christopher, who she knew through work as a catering supervisor, in April 2019, the pair quickly hit it off. They moved in together in September 2020.
"We decided we would try for a baby together," Rebecca said. "My hopes were low because it hadn't happened for me yet. We tried and nothing happened, so I put it to the back of my mind."
But to her surprise she discovered she had fallen pregnant in 2021. "I had just opened my cafe as I didn't think I'd fall pregnant, so it was a big shock," she said. "I was terrified because I didn't think it would stick again. I was scared the whole time that I would lose her."
Rebecca suffered from pre-eclampsia and couldn't relax for the whole pregnancy. And after a check-up showed her blood pressure was up, she was admitted to Grange University Hospital for monitoring at 37 weeks and five days.
"My face was swelling to the size of a football," Rebecca said. "I was so worried for myself and my little girl."
Doctors tried inducing Rebecca several times before they had to take her for an emergency caesarean in the early hours of May 23.
"I was really out of it when they were cutting into me," she said. "Christopher had to nudge me when she was coming out. I saw her mop of hair and fell in love immediately.
"I cried my eyes out. I just can't believe I'm a mum after all these years. Lowri is just perfect. She's so spoilt by all the family."
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