A mum knew something was wrong with her days old son when he began to vomit and had a "grumpy face".
Arriving two weeks late, Rebecca Edwards gave birth to her son Tommy Goss on July 15 last year at a healthy 8lbs 12oz. But just one week later he started vomiting an "extreme amount".
Doctors gave a diagnosis of reflux, but the mum-of-three said he started to lose weight and would not drink milk. When he did, Tommy would "projectile vomit".
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The Ellesmere Port family were rushed to the Countess of Chester hospital when Rebecca and her partner Aaron Goss could not wake him from his sleep and he was appearing much weaker. The mum-of-three said: "A nurse said there could be a blockage in his stomach and he'd need an operation.
"I was getting worried then. We were in the Countess for a couple of days and we were transferred to Alder Hey where it was confirmed he had pyloric stenosis. He had an operation the next day and was there about two hours, he was only three weeks old."
Pyloric stenosis is a condition where the passage between the stomach and small bowel becomes narrower. Rebecca said the main symptom of this was the projectile vomiting, but also Tommy's "grumpy face".
She told the ECHO: "A sign is having a grumpy face and he did have that, he was frowning a lot. And projectile vomiting, the vomit would shoot against the wall, also if a baby is losing weight or not gaining weight.
"He's my third child but my first with Aaron and it's more common in first born boy's on the dad's side. We were told we caught it early, apparently children can go up to six months which is scary, especially how much weight he lost. He went below birth weight, I could feel his spine."
Thanks to the support from staff at the hospital, the family have now launched a social media page "Tommy thanks Alder Hey" as they aim to give back. They hope to walk Snowdon next month, raising funds for the hospital and vital awareness of this overlooked condition.
Rebecca said: "They supported us throughout and supported us in getting him back on the milk. As soon as he took milk three times we were allowed home.
"We were there nearly a week with a new born baby and it was terrifying, I'd never heard of this before and even I thought it was reflux. People have said their baby was a lot older when they realised.
"Alder Hey cheered us up at a dark time, they'd come in and sit with us and spend time with us. Now, Tommy is one next month and he's put all the weight back on, he's doing well."
Anyone wishing to donate can do so here. The family is also keeping people updated with Tommy's journey via their Tommy Thanks Alder Hey Page here and also on TikTok.
Pyloric stenosis
According to the NHS, in most cases, a baby with pyloric stenosis will begin bringing up small amounts of milk after feeding which will worsen until no milk can be kept down. Vomiting can be so forceful it can be projected for several feet out of a baby's mouth.
Gradually, if untreated, the baby will become dehydrated, lethargic, not gain weight and the soft spot at the top of the head may be sunken. More can be found here.
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