New parents' 'surreal' Edinburgh hospital stay after tiny baby born 14 weeks early

Edinburgh Live

23-05-2025

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The parents of a baby who was born in Edinburgh 14 weeks early have opened up on their 'surreal' stay in hospital.
Jenna and Liam Wilson went into hospital around 25 weeks into Jenna's pregnancy, after she experienced swelling in her feet and high blood pressure. Six days later, baby Ellis was born - weighing just 1lb 13oz.
Jenna, 29, said their seven-week stay in Simpsons Neonatal Unit at the Royal Infirmary became 'their own bubble'. As the family look forward to Ellis' first birthday on August 1, the couple say that they 'wouldn't even have their baby' if it weren't for the staff at Simpsons.
Liam, 32, is now planning a 40-mile walk from Forth Valley Hospital in Stirling to the Royal Infirmary, to raise funds for Simpsons Special Care Babies. The couple want to make the 'brutal reality' a little bit easier for other families who may be in similar situations.
Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Liam said: "Jenna and I were expecting our first child in November last year.
"At the end of July, she had a bit of swelling in her feet and high blood pressure, but was feeling completely fine within herself. We went to the hospital to get her blood pressure checked and basically never came back out.
"She went in at around 25 weeks, and Ellis was born six days later on August 1. We lived at the Royal Infirmary for seven weeks.
"They've got some rooms for families in the neonatal unit inside Simpsons so we lived there."
(Image: Supplied)
The parents, who live in Stirling, were moved to the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh after it became clear that Ellis would need to be born early. Once he was strong enough, they were moved through to Forth Valley Hospital - which has led to Liam's walk between the two hospitals.
Liam continued: "We got out of hospital at the end of October, day before Halloween, when he was around three months old.
"He went home on oxygen initially, to help with his breathing, because he's got chronic lung disease. He's off oxygen now and breathing fine, it's quite common with babies born early.
"It might affect him for a few years, we won't really know until he grows up."
With Ellis now in good health, Liam and Jenna have said the realities of what has happened are setting in. Looking back on their stay in hospital, Jenna said: "It was quite surreal.
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"But it became very, very normal as well. The outside world became a bit scary, it was like we'd never seen outside before.
"It was really bizarre, because you were just so focused on everything that was going on inside the hospital."
Liam added: "I don't know if you've seen the film The Terminal with Tom Hanks, but it was a bit like that.
"He's stuck in the airport, and we were effectively the same, but in a hospital. It would be 11pm and we'd go downstairs for a walk and the place would be completely empty.
"Most people would be out in the pub or for a nice meal and we'd be walking the corridors."
While the couple struggled during their time in the hospital, they praised the 'incredible' staff at Simpsons who helped them through.
(Image: Supplied)
Jenna continued: "Simpsons saved his life more than, more than once.
"The people, the staff, the doctors, the consultants, we wouldn't have our baby at home if it wasn't for these people. Every single person we came across helped me and Liam more than they ever knew as well.
"Even just telling us about their weekends was nice because we didn't have a social life, so we lived our life through them. As well as taking incredible care of our son as well.'
Jenna and Liam said one of their biggest challenges came after leaving the hospital, as they attempted to readjust into life.
Liam said: "You kind of go from two full months of being around people to nothing. They become like family."
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Jenna continued: "We were so focused when we were in the hospital, we were in survival mode. It was 100 per cent on Ellis and him getting better.
"I've struggled since I came home, because it hits you like a ton of bricks. The situation we went through wasn't a normal thing, and that's not how pregnancy is meant to go."
Liam said: "We didn't have time to worry about ourselves really.
"We just had to get through the day. It's strange in a way because as Ellis got better, that's probably when it was harder for us.
"We had to learn how to socialise again in a way."
(Image: Supplied)
When we asked Liam and Jenna if they had any advice for parents who may be in similar situations, Jenna said: "I wouldn't have gotten through that situation had I not had Liam. Whether its your partner, or a family member or just someone you can be vulnerable around - you need that.
"It's impossible to do it on your own. It's really difficult.'
Liam added: "I think remembering it's OK to have a day where you find things tough and you feel like you can't do it.
"We've seen other parents who were kind of burning themselves out or they wouldn't go for lunch. I think that's what kept us going, the fact that we would go and we would have a proper meal to kind of refuel almost."
You can find Liam's fundraiser for Simpsons Special Care Babies here.