An Ayrshire mum whose baby boy died after she contracted a deadly cold sore virus has welcomed a healthy baby girl almost a year to the day after her son's tragic death.
Lynsey Smith was 19 weeks pregnant when she was told her baby boy, Quinn, had died in the womb after he caught the cytomegalovirus (CMV) from her.
CMV is from the same family of viruses which causes cold sores, and chicken pox, and while relatively harmless in most people who carry it, it can be deadly for unborn babies if their mothers contract it for the first time during pregnancy.
Lynsey and husband Robert, both 31, were left devastated when their precious son was born sleeping on January 25 last year and Lynsey says she was distraught to learn it was caused by the silent virus she didn't even know she had.
The Kilbirnie mum told the Daily Record: "Quinn died from a virus he contracted from me called CMV. I hadn't ever heard of it before, nor has anyone I've spoken to about it.
"But after this happened to us I started researching and discovered it is the leading cause of birth defects and deafness in new born babies.
"We went for a private gender scan at 16 weeks and they told us there that his head was measuring quite small and advised that we call our midwife."
"We did that and got booked in for another scan at the maternity unit and that's when they told us the awful news.
"I will never, ever forget the consultant saying the words, 'I am so sorry Lynsey, there is no heartbeat', words that no parents should ever hear."
The couple, who also have a three-year-old son, Arlyn, had to grieve as their baby son Quinn was born sleeping and struggled to understand how such a common virus could have claimed his life without them even knowing about it.
Lynsey added: "You're warned about what you can and can’t eat in pregnancy, warned not to touch cat litter, but there isn't much information on prevention of CMV.
"We were absolutely devastated. We don't have our son with us and Arlyn doesn't have his brother - all because of a virus."
The heartbroken couple left hospital without their baby and went home. But later in 2020, on what would have been Quinn's due date, June 17, they discovered Lynsey was expecting again and their grief turned to joy.
Lynsey said: 'It might sound weird but that was a such a special moment to find out we were having another baby on the same day we would have been due to welcome Quinn."
Seven months later, on January 14, the family welcomed a baby daughter Cleo, who was born 11 days before the first anniversary of Quinn's death.
Cleo was a few weeks premature, but the plucky tot overcame some initial health issues and after 18 days in the neonatal unit at Ayrshire Maternity Unit in Kilmarnock's Crosshouse Hospital, she was discharged home to her family – and Arlyn finally met his baby sister.
Lynsey said: "She was born at 34 weeks, but she was a healthy 6lbs which was great.
"Because she was that wee bit early she hadn't developed the sucking reflex. They kept us in while she was tube fed until she could take bottles and then we were allowed home. Arlyn was so happy to finally meet his wee sister.
"She is home now and healthy and we are grateful every single day."
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