Mum can’t wait to get baby home

By Alison Noonan
CHILDBIRTH has been no walk in the park for Jillian Warr.
The young Cranbourne mother has endured a harrowing three months away from her first child, Lachlan, who has not yet ventured outside hospital walls since his birth in November.
Lachlan was born 15 weeks premature and weighed 780 grams, or 1.7 pounds.
He spent the first few weeks of his life inside a humidi crib at Monash Medical Centre and Miss Warr was unable to hold her tiny baby for three weeks.
“The first few weeks were very distressing,” she said. “I felt cheated in a way. I just wanted to hold my baby but I was only allowed to touch him every now and then.
“It was very upsetting to see him with all the tubes and oxygen on him and not be able to cuddle him.”
Miss Warr said Lachlan’s pint sized frame came as a complete shock after surviving a normal pregnancy.
“There were no major complications during the pregnancy or birth.
“He came out black from bruising when he was born because he was so small.
“He had to be transported from Frankston to Monash where he is now,” she said.
Lachlan’s condition deteriorated after he contracted a rare blood infection which delayed a vital operation to seal a blood vessel in his heart and lengthened his stay in hospital.
“The infection meant that the doctors had to wait before they could operate to seal the vessel.
“He also has chronic lung disease and is still on oxygen.
“He has been through a tough time but he doesn’t want to give up,” she said.
Miss Warr, who catches a train into Clayton up to twice a day to visit her son, said Lachlan’s condition was gradually improving and he was due to be moved to Dandenong Hospital in the next week.
“That will make it a lot easier for me to visit him. But I am still not sure when he will be coming home.
“Getting him off oxygen is now the main thing. It depends on him as to when he wants to come home.
“He now weighs 3017 grams. His feeds have had to be reduced because he is putting too much weight on,” she said.
“It’s been a difficult time but I just can’t wait to have him home.”