Grangemouth mum comes through 'horrific' Covid battle to give birth to 11lb 12oz daughter

Sophie Forrester, 28, and partner Frank Joyce, 30, welcomed Lily-May into the world on July 6 at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, Larbert, weighing 11lb 12oz.

Her baby girl weighed the same as an average bowling ball when she was delivered, yet it was the trials and tribulations Covid posed mum Sophie the week before giving birth that caused her the greatest difficulties.

Lily-May arrived on the first day her mother’s isolation period ended and Sophie couldn’t have been more grateful.

The self-employed beauty therapist, who also has a five-year-old daughter called Lyla, said: “That was the first day my isolation finished so luckily she held on and my partner, who was in isolation, finished on July 5.

“I was quite shocked! My partner was asked if he wanted to be seated down before they told him.

“Because it was a C-section, the recovery took longer. Lily-May’s doing absolutely amazingly – she’s perfect.

“I was very emotional. Because of Covid, which was pretty horrific, to then not knowing what was just being pregnant and what was wrong with Covid, one thing after another just kept coming.

“I’m still healing so it’s not an easy journey. I lost all taste and smell and had horrendous headaches. My whole body ached.

“I couldn’t sleep because of the pregnancy and my head temperature.

“The hospital staff were so amazing, especially with the Covid thing. They always made me feel really at peace and cared for.

“The surgeons were amazing from the minute I got in. They were trying to keep me calm.

“Everyone was just as surprised when she came out and the doctors said it was the best decision to go for a C-section.”

Having come through the other side of her coronavirus battle, Sophie is urging others to get vaccinated if they haven’t yet done so.

She said: “Go for it. Protect yourself because it’s not fun at all.

“It was horrendous. I was ill for about a full week. One symptom kept coming after another.

“A huge thank you to Forth Valley Royal Hospital. The staff were just amazing.”

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