"Lifeless" baby opens eyes for first time after being taken off life support
A baby's parents were told he would live "for minutes or maybe just seconds" after he was taken off life-support - but he amazed everyone by opening his eyes for the first time.
When Oscar Bedford was born he was lifeless and blue, and despite every effort the doctors made, there was no signs of bringing him back to life.
Removed from his incubator he was handed to his parents Greg and Chelsea, who took him to a special room at Leicester Royal Infirmary for bereaved parents to say their goodbyes.
Chelsea, 26, said: “They said that after taking him off the incubator he would live for minutes or maybe just seconds.”
Wanting her mum, Sally-Ann, to also meet her grandson, however briefly, Chelsea held Oscar to her chest and made a Facetime phone call that would prove to be life-changing.
The doctors then got Chelsea to give Oscar some of her own milk for the first time.
Oscar then was transferred to Rainbows Hospice in Loughborough but the doctors kept Chelsea from getting her hopes up too much.
She said: “He was on an end-of-life plan with orders not to resuscitate him - but after three days he was taken off the plan.”
Chelsea and Greg took Oscar back to their home in Hamilton, Leicester, and while it hasn’t been the easiest of times, they say Oscar is able to respond to them and smile and laugh.
“He’s 18 months old now and he’s like a baby aged under three months but he smiles and he laughs and he loves lights, despite being partially blind,” Chelsea said.
“He loves his trips to Rainbows – he enjoys hearing new voices and listening to music."
“He really likes being held and he babbles a lot.”
Oscar has a life-limiting form of epilepsy and it is unclear how long he will survive.
Chelsea and Greg are fundraising on GoFundMe to raise money for physiotherapy, which at the time of writing has passed their initial goal of £1,000 - and now has a goal of £2,000.
And Oscar will also be getting a little sister soon.
Chelsea said: “He’s going to really enjoy having a little sister."
“He’s a bit of a sadist and always laughs at the sound of other babies crying!“I’m dreading it, having to look after both of them, but he is going to love it.”
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