Covid-19: Walsall mum back home with new son

Ellie Wright said she had missed her family

A new mother has returned home with her baby son after spending 88 days in hospital recovering from Covid-19.

Ellie Wright, 20, could not receive life-saving treatment until her son Leo was born and spent the next three weeks in a coma.

Born by Caesarean section 10 weeks early in January, he would be five weeks' old before Ms Wright could even hold his hand.

At one stage hospital staff were worried she might not survive.

Ms Wright, from Walsall, said she had been looking forward to being back home with her family.

"It's been so hard and upsetting not being able to see them," she said.

"I know that my poor mum's really been worried for so long about me and Leo so I hope she will feel better herself now."

It was nearly two months before Ellie Wright was well enough to pick up her baby after life-saving treatment at Walsall Manor Hospital

Returning home gives her chance to get to grips with the usual challenges of parenthood and she says will need the help of family members.

"It will be good to get into my own routine with Leo as well, mum has left his pushchair for me to work out how to put up and I want to build up to taking him for a walk," Ms Wright said.

A lengthy trip with a pushchair could take some time.

She is now able to walk a few steps to get up and down stairs, but full recovery could take up to two years, her mother has been warned.

'Pushing myself'

Last month, Ms Wright left Walsall Manor Hospital to go to a specialist rehabilitation centre and is continuing to have daily physiotherapy.

"My physio has been hard at times and I've been in pain," she said.

"It has been like learning how to do things for the first time, but I have also been pushing myself and I think I've surprised the staff sometimes because I have been determined."

Ellie Wright contracted Covid-19 when she was 30 weeks pregnant

Son Leo has similarly made great strides.

He was 4lb 4oz (1.9 kg) when he was born and cared for in an incubator, but is now 12 weeks old and weighs 10lb (4.5kg).

'Always be grateful'

Ms Wright's mum Michelle Stankevitch said it had been a difficult time for the family.

"She's [Ellie] giving her orders again and being bossy so she is definitely getting back to her old self," she said.

"We will always be grateful to every single member of staff from the hospital and Hollybank House [rehab unit] for what they've done for our family."