Feisty mother’s love and resolve saved the baby born ‘inside out’

When the pregnancy was confirmed, the parents were extremely happy. But the happiness was short lived, when, at the 12-week ultrasound, they learned that the baby had severe complications and might not survive birth. The mother refused to terminate her pregnancy and part with her baby. Baby Azalea beat all odds and proved the doctors wrong!

Clare, 26, and Dane Rowe, 27, who had been trying to get pregnant for over a year, went in for the 12-week ultrasound, and were inconsolable. “They told me she wasn’t compatible for life, I can only describe it as heartbreak,” said Clare in an interview with Daily Mail Australia. Obviously something was very wrong with their baby for the doctors to make such a statement. Doctors expressed their doubts about saving her life and said the child might not even survive birth.

Clare added,  “I’m not one to pray God but knowing she would have birth defects didn’t make me love her any less.”

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But Claire said “I knew I wanted to fight for her.” On July 28, 2016, baby Azalea was successfully delivered.

Azalea was born with a rare condition where many vital organs in her abdomen were on the outside of her body. Parts of her stomach, bowel, gall bladder, and her liver were contained in the umbilical cord outside of her body. The abdominal muscles had not formed properly in utero, a birth defect known as omphalocele.

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Due to this condition, her parents were not able to hold her. She had to lie on her back for more than four months to facilitate the healing. More painful was the fact that they had to watch their baby Azalea starve. ‘We weren’t allowed to feed her for her first four days,” said Clare. The thin layer protecting her organs could break if extended by the feed. So the nutrients had to be delivered directly into her stomach.The mother had to stay with Azalea nine long weeks before they were allowed to take the baby home. During this period, the parents were trained on how to change the dressing on Azalea’s abdomen.

Azalea’s condition slowly improved enough for the parents to finally hold the baby and make skin-to-skin contact

Azalea made good progress, considering the complications at  birth.  Although her organs were still outside of her body, she was stable enough to be allowed to go home.

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“Every time I see her do something new I want to take her back to the hospital and say ‘Look! She is compatible with life’,” said Clare.  Azalea even recently ate solid food for the first time!

Azalea is developing at a normal rate, and going through achieving her physical milestones on time

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Once Azalea is two years old, the doctors will proceed to enclose her organs inside of her abdomen. As for now, nurses visit her regularly to attend to her at home.

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Clare will be narrating her daughter’s incredible story to raise awareness and build hope on the World Omphalocele Awareness Day on January 31.

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 The proud mother with her precious baby, happy for having made the choices she made!