THERE’s a reason four-year-old Sienna Harding’s family call her their little superhero – and it’s not just because she loves to dress up as Spider-Man.
Amazingly, the plucky little girl survived being born not just six weeks early, but with several inches of intestines protruding through a split in the wall of her tummy – so in the womb, her insides were growing outside her body.
Sienna Harding was born prematurely, with her insides on the outsideJordan Richardson / Prime Features Agency
Jordan Richardson / Prime Features AgencyHer mum Jordan Richardson said she is her ‘superhero’[/caption]
At less than 24 hours old, Sienna underwent three hours of surgery, having been rushed by blue-light ambulance from Queen’s Hospital, Romford, Essex, to specialist surgeons at The Royal London Hospital, East London.
Her proud mum Jordan Richardson, 25, a student beautician, said: “Sienna really is our very own miracle. She has been through such a lot in her short life, and overcome it all.
“She’s a big character with loads of personality.”
Jordan and partner Josh, 27, who works as a glass processor, had been warned early in their pregnancy that their unborn child was likely to have a hernia.
But at their 12-week scan, things took a much more serious turn.
“Doctors now told us that our baby had gastroschisis, a hole in her abdominal wall, so some of her internal organs were growing outside her body, in the amniotic fluid,” recalled Jordan.
“It was a horrible shock. We’d never even heard of such a thing before.
“It meant there was a strong chance that she could be born premature, which was very difficult to hear.”
Jordan was hospitalised with a major bleed at 16 weeks, but thankfully the baby was fine.
Then at 30 weeks, she feared something was seriously wrong, because her child was no longer moving much.
She ended up back in hospital for checks before being discharged.
The same thing happened at 31, 32, 33 and 34 weeks – at which point a surgeon finally told the worried parents: “We need to get this baby out, now.”
Sienna was born on September 30, 2019, by emergency caesarean section, six weeks premature.
She was tiny, weighing just 4lb 1oz, and, as expected, with her internal organs outside her body.
The tot was wrapped in cling-film to keep the intestines protected and clean, before being connected up to wires and tubes needed to keep her alive.
Jordan, who was working as a nursery teacher and living with her mum at the time, said: “She was very agitated, wriggling and pulling at her wires and tubes.
“At 20 minutes old she was given morphine to calm her down, before being placed in a travel incubator and rushed by ambulance to The Royal London, where she needed emergency corrective surgery.
“It was devastating to have her taken away from me, when all I wanted was to hold her in my arms, especially as I had to stay at Queens Hospital, while I recovered from my C-section.”
Doctors now told us some of her internal organs were growing outside her body. It was a horrible shock.
Jordan Richardson
She recalled being very afraid for Sienna but massively relieved when Josh, who’d travelled to The Royal London, called to say the operation was a success.
Jordan was discharged from her local hospital 24 hours after giving birth, and headed straight to Whitechapel, travelling the hour-long journey by public transport on the train.
“It was horrible,” she said. “I was in agony, and the train was so busy.
“Repeating the journey on the second day was even worse.
“I couldn’t get a seat, being forced to stand the whole way, with people squeezing up next to me, just two days after my C-section.
“Meanwhile I was hunched over, feeling like I was going to be sick.”
Three days after surgery, the couple had a chance meeting with a staff member from charity The Sick Children’s Trust.
He told them there was a room spare at Stevenson House, a ‘home from home’ providing a place to stay for families of seriously ill children being treated at The Royal London.
It was just minutes away from Sienna’s ward, and completely free of charge.
‘It changed everything’
Jordan said: “We went there straight away, and were given a room where we’d ended up staying in for six weeks. It changed everything for us.
“Josh was with me there for a couple of weeks before he had to go back to work, at which point my mum, Colleen, came to take over.
“During those six weeks, I found a degree of normality at Stevenson House.
“Being able to wash my clothes or make spaghetti bolognese was so important for my own recovery, allowing me to be at my best for Sienna.”
Jordan recalled making friendships with other mums going through difficult times, which endure even now.
She said: “Meeting those women helped me feel less alone. We still meet up for days out or to celebrate our kids’ birthdays.”
Sienna was initially tube-fed.
It was a turning point when she had her first bottle feed at five weeks old, because her parents knew then that they’d be able to take her home soon.
At six weeks, she was well enough to be transferred back to her local hospital, finally coming home on her official due date.
Jordan said proudly: “Four years on, she’s doing great.
“The operation has left her with an unusual belly button, which she absolutely loves – she shows it to everyone. She’s so funny.
“Most little girls love Disney princesses, but Sienna’s a tomboy who likes jumping in puddles, football, playing with dinosaurs and dressing up as her favourite superhero, Spider-Man.”
Sienna now has a younger brother, with Shai joining the family in 2021.
Jordan was closely monitored throughout that pregnancy, but this time there were no complications, thankfully.
The family recently returned to Stevenson’s House to thank staff and show them how far the little girl has come since her difficult start in life.
Jordan said: “It was very emotional for all of us. We’re just an ordinary family and when Sienna was fighting for her life in hospital, there was no way we could have afforded a hotel at London prices.
“We’ll never be able to thank the charity enough for the support they gave us at what was a terrifying time.”
Jordan Richardson / Prime Features AgencyThe youngster in hospital after being born[/caption]
Jordan and little Sienna, from Romford, EssexJordan Richardson / Prime Features Agency
Jordan Richardson / Prime Features AgencyThe youngster was born just six weeks early[/caption]
Now she loves dressing up as Spider-ManJordan Richardson / Prime Features Agency
Jordan Richardson / Prime Features AgencyJordan with her daughter Sienna and son Shai[/caption]
Jordan Richardson / Prime Features AgencySienna spent six weeks in hospital before being discharged on her due date[/caption]
Sienna was born on September 30, 2019, by emergency caesarean sectionJordan Richardson / Prime Features Agency
Jordan Richardson / Prime Features AgencyThe family received help from The Sick Children’s Trust[/caption]
Jordan Richardson / Prime Features AgencySienna shows off her ‘unusual belly button’ to everyone, her mum said[/caption]