'Miracle' Lottie-Beau celebrates first birthday after being given little chance of survival at birth

Lottie-Beau Murphy weighed only 720 grams when she was born on May 17 last year at Burnley General Hospital .

Her mum was told by medics it was extremely unlikely that Lottie-Beau,who fell seriously ill shortly being born, would survive.

But little fighter Lottie-Beau defied the odds to celebrate her first birthday yesterday with her family in their South Shore home.

Mum Emma Smith describes her as an “absolute miracle” and cannot believe she has made it to her first birthday after everything that has happened.

Officer worker Emma said: “When I was pregnant I was being closely monitored by the consultant because two of my other daughters were born premature.

“I was then in labour for 10 days and had travelled between Blackpool and Preston hospitals before going to Burnley because it could take in very premature pregnancies, so it was definitely a bit of a palaver.

“When at Burnley I was told I was going to have an emergency C-section because the doctors said we could have both died if I was in labour for any longer.”

After all of the difficulty during the pregnancy, Lottie-Beau then contracted both meningitis and sepsis, as well as having two grade three bleeds on the brain, all in the space of a few days after being born.

Emma said: “I was told that she was not going to make it and she was put on life support and the highest form of ventilation possible.

“She was ventilated for 18 days and also had a big hole in her heart but then she turned a corner and made a comeback. That is why I call her my absolute miracle.

“She is such a happy little girl and I am so thankful to the staff at both Burnley hospital and the neonatal department at Blackpool Victoria Hospital for everything they did.”

Emma and her partner, engineer Chris Murphy, 40, had planned to have Lottie-Beau christened yesterday but due to the coronavirus pandemic have put those plans on

hold.

Instead the youngster was treated to a dinner party at home, complete with balloons and a barbecue.

Emma said: “I am just so thankful that after everything that has happened we have been able to celebrate her first birthday.”