YOU'RE POISONING YOUR BABY

When Courtney Harvey, 21, from St Blazey, Cornwall, gave birth 17 weeks early, the moments that would follow were that of a real miracle...

- KATIE PEARSON, ANAIS SEELY

Slumping over the rim of the toilet seat, the uncomfortable floor of the bathroom was my new home.

For every time I made a sudden movement, in November last year, my stomach would churn.

‘Are you OK?’ my partner Samuel, 20, cried from the comfort of the bedroom.

Only, I couldn’t respond before being violently sick.

‘I didn’t know morning sickness could be this bad,’ I sobbed, heaving.

Finding out we were pregnant, just a few weeks before, we were both elated at the news – over the moon!

We weren’t trying for a little one, however we weren’t making an effort to prevent it from happening either, so the good news was a blessing.

Only, having experienced a miscarriage early on in our relationship, the niggling feeling of losing our baby became a frequent thought.

Especially as the bout of morning sickness was the worst thing I had experienced.

Working long hours, Samuel would leave for work as usual, whilst I tried to sleep the sickness off.

Trying my best to put on a brave face, I’d trawl the internet for all the big baby items we needed.

You name it, we ordered it. A bouncer, sterilising set, and plenty of baby clothes, too!

We don't have to worry about the smaller bits yet,' I insisted to Samuel, putting our new items in a tidy pile.

Living with Samuel's mum Donna, she was a great help in getting everything ready, even if we still had a long way to go.

And with my siblings Jess, Mark, Evan, and Amy raring to lend a helping hand, we would have a warm welcome for our baby when the time came.

Yet, the morning sickness wasn't the only thing that was going on.