When a woman gives birth prematurely, the last thing she is likely to think about is using freezer bags as a lifesaver.

But that’s exactly what Emma Blakely did for her children, who were both born prematurely, two years apart.

The babies were placed in the 20p freezer bags from Tesco to help replicate the comfort of their mother’s womb for both daughter Willow (now 2-and-a-half years old) and son Zach, now seven months.

“Tesco helped both my babies,” Emma Blakey said. “I have a lot to thank them for.”

Willow, who weighed just over 3lbs when she was born, had to spend six-and-a-half weeks in hospital, while her younger brother Zach, who weighed 2lb 15oz, had to stay for 11 weeks after experiencing two grade three brain bleeds and chronic lung disease.

Emma explained how Willow was born at 29 weeks in November, after a six-hour labour.

“It was really stressful,” she revealed. “I couldn’t believe it. But I didn’t think it would happen again.”

Afterwards, Emma and her partner Graham Watmough, 33, were told there was only a one in ten chance her second pregnancy would be premature.

So when she fell pregnant two years later, she was devastated when her waters broke at 27 weeks. After a 48-hour labour, Zach was born weighing 2lb 15oz.

But, like his sister before him, Tesco came to the rescue.

Emma, of Newark, Nottinghamshire, said: “It’s one of those things that you never think will happen to you. Both Willow and Zach were so tiny, at first I couldn’t see how they would possibly make it. They looked so fragile in their little freezer bags.

“When Willow was born, I just couldn’t believe it when I saw her all wrapped up like that. A nurse told me that the freezer bag kept her warm and made her feel like she was back in the womb.”

She added: “I had a rough ride with Willow, I was sick all the time. Then, when my waters broke at 28-weeks, I was distraught.

“My partner Graham was so good, trying to calm me down, but all I could think was that my baby needed urgent care.

“In hospital I was put on antibiotics to help prevent infection. I was in labour for six hours, then Willow was rushed to intensive care straightaway. Later that day I went up to see her, she was attached to a machine to help her breathe, but she was absolutely perfect.”

In hospital Willow thrived, and in January, after 45 days in NICU, she was allowed home.

Source: Daily Mail