A mum in hospital with her premature baby has spoken of her heartache at being stuck 100 miles away from her family and two-year-old son.
Jessica Williams welcomed her daughter Poppy Branighan at just 23 weeks, weighing a tiny 1lb 4oz, Teesside Live reports.
The 24-year-old gave birth at Sheffield Teaching Hospital due to a lack of facilities at hospitals closer to her home in Teesside.
She has spent the last six weeks alone with her baby girl, who has suffered several health complications since her early arrival.
She said Poppy had a bleed on the brain, a hole in her heart and has underwent surgery on her bowels.
Jessica's family, including her two-year-old son Bobby Branighan, are unable to visit them due to coronavirus rules.
The mum-of-two, from Portrack, Stockton, said: "I am trying to get home. I'm on my own here.
"I've got a son at home. He's ringing me saying he's missing me.
"It makes me proper sad that I can't be there for him. I know she needs me but he needs me as well.
"I thought family would be able to visit but they have told me family aren't allowed in. They're not allowed to visit because of covid."
Jessica said that Poppy, who was born on October 17, has been treated on the Jessop Wing at the hospital in Sheffield.
She said her daughter's brain bleed has stopped and medication has improved her heart condition.
Jessica said she has now come off a ventilator, is receiving hi-flow oxygen and her feed has increased to 60ml of milk.
She wants to be moved to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough so she can be closer to her family and her partner Daniel Branighan, 25.
Jessica claims she has been told by a consultant that she cannot be moved until Poppy is on a full feed - 150ml of milk - but she is concerned that there may not be any beds available.
She said she has only been able to make the two hour journey home to see Bobby once as it cost £50 in petrol.
Jessica said: "When I got home he was turning on me. He didn't want to know me for the first two hours, he was crying his eyes out. That broke me.
"Bobby was born at 31 weeks, he was in Darlington Memorial Hospital on the neonatal unit. I was in hospital with him for two months in Darlington, that was closer to home.
"The last time I rang him was about four or five days ago. I find it too difficult to ring him because I'm all the way down here and I miss him so much.
"It's been really stressful. It really is upsetting me.
"All I want is to be close to home so I can see my son for Christmas."
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been contacted for a comment.
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