I fell pregnant at 15 on purpose & my son was born 13 weeks early & put in a Tesco bag – it always baffles people why
A PROUD mum who has praised her “inspirational’ premature son has told how she had a planned pregnancy when she was just 15-years-old.
The woman, named Lauren, explained how her son Blake came into the world 13 weeks premature, weighing just 2lbs – but left people baffled when she mentioned he was put straight into a Tesco bag.
She shared her birth story in a candid TikTok (@laurenhawking) video, which has since gone viral, in response to an intrigued social media user who asked: “Why is he in a Tesco bag lol. Also, I’m glad he’s a happy and healthy little boy.”
Lauren begins: “I was 15 and pregnant with a planned pregnancy. Planned – that’s mental.
“Then I gave birth at 26 + 6 days pregnant so my son was born 13 weeks premature.”
She explains how she and Blake’s dad weren’t living together at the time and that she was living at her mum’s house when she thought her waters had broke.
Lauren says her mum sent her up the hospital just to get checked and after she was initially told she was fine, a second inspection showed that she did in fact have every right to be concerned, as her waters has broke.
Just six months pregnant at the time, she was advised to stay in hospital on bed rest when any mum’s worst nightmare came true – the professionals couldn’t find her son’s heartbeat, which was “very very faint.”
The incredible mum explains: “His umbilical cord had been caught and it was cutting off the circulation, so Blake had no circulation or anything coming through my umbilical cord, so he was going to die.”
Lauren was then rushed down into theatre for an emergency C-Section and Blake entered the world – and was quickly rushed away into NICU.
In a second emotional post, Lauren explains: “He was put straight into a Tesco sandwich bag to maintain his temperature.
“His skin was almost transparent and he was born without nipples.
“He couldn’t be touched and he couldn’t be fed.
“Blake’s life was almost lost three times.
“My tiny baby, so small and vulnerable, and there was nothing I could do.
“I longed to kiss him, to care for him, to take him home.”
The brave mum, who is sharing her story to help others going through the same, explains how she spent four months watching him grow like he would of in the womb.
“I watched him form nipples, open his eyes, take his first feed, his skin become that of a ‘normal’ baby. That part of it was incredible,” she says.
Blake was four months old when he was able to go home.
Lauren continues: “Four months spending each day as if it may be his last.
“Feeding tubes, sleep pads and 24/7 oxygen for three years for your chronic lung disease.
“He is THe strongest, bravest, most inspirational kid I know.
“I’m so proud to call you mine.”
The video has since garnered a whopping 167k views, with many praising brave Blake and Lauren – and others intrigued about the Tesco bag.
“My daughter was born 1lb 11oz and put in a Tesco sandwich bag – prem babies are amazingly strong,” wrote one.
Lauren replied: “You’re the first person to tell me that their child was also in a Tesco bag.
“Most other babies are put in cling film or another sort of wrap. Everyone is so shocked when they see it’s Tesco haha.”
A second penned: “The sandwich bag bless him!”
A third commented: “The Tesco bag .”