A mother stricken with Covid gave birth 12 weeks early. Sophia Egeler, 33, was only 28 weeks pregnant when she went into labour and her baby son Axel weighed just 2lb 15oz. It was at the height of the pandemic and both Sophia, director of Fresh Agents Modelling Agency and Simply Shoot Locations in Brighton , and partner Austin Ejuetami were suffering with Covid when Axel was born on December 30, 2020.
Axel when he was born at 28 weeks (Image: Sophia Egeler) He was whisked away for specialist care and Sophia was not allowed to hold him. Austin, who works in product development at the London Stock Exchange, had not been allowed to be present at the caesarean birth. Sophia, who lives with her family in Cuckfield, said: “As we both had Covid, I had to do the whole thing on my own and then he was taken straight away and intubated.
“For any mother with a premature baby, it is like a rollercoaster. “One minute they could be doing well and then it could all just go the opposite way.” Axel underwent heart surgery at 20 days old and spent three months in intensive and special care at both the Trevor Mann Baby Unit at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and the Special Care Baby Unit at the Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath, as well as a week in Evelina Children's Hospital, London.
Following the birth, Sophia had to isolate for nine days due to having Covid, while Austin had to isolate for five. She said: “It was really tough but even when I did start the visits.
