A DEVOTED mother risked her life to have her fourth child while battling kidney disease.
Rosie Bull's condition meant that if she tried to carry her daughter for a full nine months her kidneys could fail and she might die.
She and her architect husband Andrew had to consider a termination of the pregnancy, or have the baby delivered very prematurely.
Rosie, of First Avenue, Carlton, put her trust in the expertise of Nottingham City Hospital's neonatal unit.
Nottingham's hospitals are the best in the region for saving babies born prematurely.
"I had to decide whether or not I would risk my own life to create another," said Rosie.
"And in the end my husband and I thought there was just no way we could have lived with ourselves had we not had Lois."
Rosie's condition deteriorated so much she was forced to have baby Lois at 28 weeks.
Despite picking up infections and being admitted to the high dependency unit twice, the skill of the doctors and nurses kept Lois alive.
And she was allowed home for the first time last weekend after more than two months in hospital – just in time to celebrate Rosie's fortieth birthday on Thursday.
Rosie added: "We have been through a tough time with this pregnancy, it's been an emotional roller-coaster.
"I've risked a lot, but I'm so overjoyed that we're all here today I can't believe we've all made it.
"The consultants and nurses who looked after me were quite simply amazing."
Although in recent years there has been a 20 per cent increase in the number of babies born prematurely at the QMC and City Hospital, the number of premature babies dying has fallen by 35 per cent, due to improvements in areas like scanning and ventilation, and increased staffing.
Dr Susan Wallace, consultant obstetrician, said: "Rosie is an incredibly brave woman, who risked a lot to have her child.
"I'm glad the whole family are now back together."
The neonatal departments at both the Queen's Medical Centre and the City Hospital are a centre for regional excellence .
