'Miracle' baby born with knotted umbilical cord in Gloucester

A family are celebrating the arrival of their "miracle" baby after she was born with a knot in her umbilical cord.

Melanie and Mark Meecham were rushed to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital on 15 September where Libby was born via emergency C-section.

Doctors were amazed as Libby was born with "true knots" in her umbilical which can cut off a baby’s oxygen supply and even cause death.

There is no way to check for knots in the umbilical cord while the baby is in the womb.

Melanie said: “They were going to induce me but they had no beds at the hospital so it was just a waiting game. I ended up in labour and had to have an emergency C-section, which obviously wasn’t planned and not the way I wanted to go.

“I was half and half with it but they were talking about this cord. I asked my husband what they were talking about and he said the baby was fine but they have found a knot in her umbilical cord."

Despite the rare medical incident, baby Libby was born completely healthy. 

Melanie said: “They just called her a little miracle. I didn’t know what they were talking about but they said it was really rare.”

The couple was told the knot could have been caused by Libby moving in the womb.

Melanie said: “The doctors said she has actually managed to thread her whole body through the cord to knot it through.

“It could have disrupted her feed and stuff getting to her but luckily it was not quite that tight for her.”

Melanie paid tribute to the hospital's staff and her midwife who helped her through the birth.

Libby now joins her four-year-old brother and eight-year-old sister at their house in Abbeymead.