Couple Welcomes Miracle Baby After 13 Years, 8 Miscarriages Carissa Morris and her husband Dave are celebrating their first Christmas with their “miracle” baby boy, Oliver, born on December 17, 2021 after 13 years of trying to conceive.
The couple, who reside in Wickham, Western Australia, had endured eight miscarriages and the stillbirth of a daughter during their difficult fertility journey. Carissa, a technical planner, shared that they had been trying for years to have a natural baby, conceiving several times but experiencing multiple miscarriages, never progressing beyond six weeks.
“We tried for years and years naturally to have a baby, and although we originally conceived quite a few times, we just had multiple miscarriages and never got past six weeks,” Carissa said.
After facing a difficult fertility journey, Carissa Morris and her husband discovered that one of her fallopian tubes was blocked, causing toxic fluid to enter her uterus. Carissa had her tubes removed, and the couple also found out about male fertility problems. They were advised to undergo ICSI IVF, and their first round of treatment resulted in only one embryo for transfer. However, Carissa discovered she was pregnant two weeks later, which was the best feeling of her life.
Their ‘miracle’ baby boy, Oliver, was born on December 17, 2021, weighing 6lbs 7oz at St. John of God Murdoch Hospital in Australia. Despite some breathing problems shortly after birth, Oliver was born healthy, and the family plans to spend their first Christmas together at the hospital. Carissa said that holding Oliver was the second-best feeling she has ever had after finding out she was pregnant.
The baby’s condition took a turn for the worse when his oxygen levels dropped to 20% in just nine minutes, resulting in immediate intubation. Medical professionals worked tirelessly for three hours to stabilize him before transferring him to a neonatal ambulance. Despite the challenges, the parents are overjoyed and eagerly await their son’s discharge when he becomes strong enough.
Carissa expressed her joy, stating that holding her baby for the first time was a magical experience. Currently, the baby is being fed through a nasogastric tube due to the absence of reflux. Although a CT scan has ruled out any blockages in his stomach, tube-feeding is necessary to ensure that he does not lose weight. The baby remains in the NICU.
We will celebrate Christmas once he is discharged from the hospital and give him all the presents. Although we had hoped he would be out before Christmas, we know he is in the best possible place to receive the care he needs. It is truly a miracle that it worked for us