Friday, April 30, 2010

Britain's Smallest Mother


Britain's smallest mum told today how her baby son already towers above her - aged just 14 months.

Proud Amanda Moore, 25, became the shortest woman ever to give birth in the UK when son Aidan was delivered by Caesarean section last year.

She suffers from a rare bone disease which has left her measuring just 3ft 1in. But because the condition has left her unable to stand, Aidan already towers above her at 2ft 6in.

Amanda says Aidan could end up being as tall as his father Steven Fyfe, 20 - who is a lanky 6ft 1in.



Proud mother: Amanda Moore with 14-month-old Aidan, who already towers over her when he stands up



She said: 'Aidan is getting so big, he takes after his dad. I always knew he would be taller than me but he's shot up. When I sit on the floor to play with him, he is taller than me already and he's only 14 months old. He's getting so big and strong that soon we'll have to tell him to be gentle with mummy.

'It's been a struggle because he's been running rings around me since he was crawling. But now he's walking he's more than a handful for someone my size. Most boys are bigger than their mums, but not after a year. He'll always be my little boy.'

Amanda, of Hinkley, Leicestershire. , suffers from brittle bone disorder.

She was born with 14 broken bones and resigned herself to never having children because experts feared that her tiny frame could not cope with a pregnancy. But she accidentally fell pregnant and defied doctors' advice to have an abortion.

Amanda said: 'Doctors advised me to have a termination and we did think about it. I didn't want to die and there was a real and likely possibility that the baby growing inside me would kill me.

'But at the same time I felt a strong love developing for our unborn child I just couldn't dismiss. We both wanted this baby so much.'



Happy family: Steven and Amanda have not ruled out having a second child



She began suffering blackouts at 35 weeks and was rushed to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford after blacking out at an Asda store in Swindon, where she and Steven lived at the time.

Aidan was born on February 27 last year, 2009, weighing 5lb 5oz and had not inherited his mother's bone condition.

At 14 months, he already tips the scales at 22lb - nearly half the four stone his mother weighs.

She said: 'Soon Aidan will be bigger than me and we are working out how I can move him around the house in my chair while Steven is at work.

'Aidan is starting to say a few words and is really mobile - but he'll never be too big for a telling off from his mum.'

Steven, who works for a taxi firm, said they haven't ruled out having another child even after the stressfulpregnancy and the danger of passing on Amanda's condition.

He said: 'It's been a struggle but Aidan is doing so well. He's a big boy and will soon be much bigger than his mother. When Amanda became pregnant doctors told us she or the baby could die, or even both of them.

'But they are both fighting fit and we are a very lucky family. We are not ruling out having another child - Aidan would make a great big brother.'