Helen and Andi Laurence speak about their miracle baby boy

10:02am Wednesday 14th November 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter

Andi and Helen Laurence with little Murphy Andi and Helen Laurence with little Murphy

A MOTHER who was told she would never conceive naturally has told how she wept tears of joy after giving birth to a baby boy.

Helen Laurence, 32, from the Leeman Road area of York, said it was only after she had returned home from York Hospital with baby Murphy that the enormity of what had happened struck her.

“I sat down on the edge of the bed and started crying, and said: ‘You’re so cute!’” she said.

“I was crying but it was happy tears. I couldn’t believe that my body, which wouldn’t work for me, had created something so perfect.”

Her husband Andi, 37, a self-employed car restorer, said he too had had tears streaming down his face. “I was chuffed to bits. We are still on Cloud Nine,” he said.

Helen, who suffers from ME, said she had been trying for a baby for seven years, and had been told she would never become pregnant without IVF treatment.

She had one unsuccessful course on the NHS and was unable to afford the £4,500 cost of going private, leaving her and Andi fearing they might never become parents, until Murphy was conceived naturally earlier this year.

The couple, whose infertility problems were exacerbated by Helen’s chronic fatigue, said her pregnancy and labour had gone as well as they could have hoped, bearing in mind her condition.

“I suffered from terrible indigestion but otherwise the pregnancy went well,” she said. “I think the hormones strengthened me, particularly during the second trimester when I had much more energy.

“People kept saying how well I looked and Andi said that if I glowed any more, we wouldn’t need to put the lights on.

“I think the hormones are still helping now as I’m breast feeding, but it helps that he is a really good, laid-back baby.

“My labour was really hard, and the delivery had to be assisted. Andi and my sister said I was hard as nails to go through what I did.”

She revealed that when the doctor arrived to assist in the final stages of the delivery at York Hospital, Helen was staggered to recognise him from her time undergoing IVF treatment at Seacroft Hospital, Leeds.

She said it turned out he was the same medic who had been involved in harvesting her eggs, who had subsequently moved to York Hospital.

“He was quite taken aback,” she said. “He had been there at the start of it all and he was there at the end.”

Comments(14)

mjr119 says...
11:19am Wed 14 Nov 12

Can we also have an update on the housing situation?

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Saywhat says...
11:22am Wed 14 Nov 12

Congratulations to them both. I tried for 6 years, and it's heartbreaking when you really want a child and it doesn't happen. Yet there are hundreds of teenagers, druggies and alcoholics popping them out without a care in the world, or the ability to care for them.
Mike Oxuge and mjr119 - don't be so rude. It might not be "newsworthy" to you, but it gives hope to other childless couples. You're so unbelievably ignorant. Hope no-one in your family/friends have to go through the same anguish.

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mjr119 says...
11:36am Wed 14 Nov 12

Saywhat wrote:
Congratulations to them both. I tried for 6 years, and it's heartbreaking when you really want a child and it doesn't happen. Yet there are hundreds of teenagers, druggies and alcoholics popping them out without a care in the world, or the ability to care for them.
Mike Oxuge and mjr119 - don't be so rude. It might not be "newsworthy" to you, but it gives hope to other childless couples. You're so unbelievably ignorant. Hope no-one in your family/friends have to go through the same anguish.
Hmmm, little do you know.

I think my comment demonstrates a good memory, without being disparaging, towards their great news.

Five months ago this story was reported with a focus on issues relating to their housing situation and took in all the factors mentioned in this piece.

It doesn't appear at all today.

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xtc says...
12:06pm Wed 14 Nov 12

So the hell what my wife and I have a miracle baby but who cares?the unused flats at bootham being renovated for residents now tht would be a story!

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jadestars says...
12:32pm Wed 14 Nov 12

same couple who were in the press a few months ago over housing complaints? I take it from the happy pics and no complaints in the above story, that this has been resolved then?

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TheTruthHurts says...
2:30pm Wed 14 Nov 12

Some people love to be in the local paper.
'
She will have a scrapbook i'm sure

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Sillybillies says...
2:58pm Wed 14 Nov 12

http://www.yorkpress
.co.uk/news/9787064.
House_fears_of_baby_
joy_couple/

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opinionscount says...
6:36pm Wed 14 Nov 12

Have to agree with the majority on this. Interested to know about the housing situation, but that & this both not really front page news when there are far bigger issues in the city of York at the moment, always nice news when people have a baby but it happens a lot, should be in the congrats section. as another poster said, seem to like being in the local paper so we will probably see them again for something or other.

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opinionscount says...
6:36pm Wed 14 Nov 12

Have to agree with the majority on this. Interested to know about the housing situation, but that & this both not really front page news when there are far bigger issues in the city of York at the moment, always nice news when people have a baby but it happens a lot, should be in the congrats section. as another poster said, seem to like being in the local paper so we will probably see them again for something or other.

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opinionscount says...
6:37pm Wed 14 Nov 12

Have to agree with the majority on this. Interested to know about the housing situation, but that & this both not really front page news when there are far bigger issues in the city of York at the moment, always nice news when people have a baby but it happens a lot, should be in the congrats section. as another poster said, seem to like being in the local paper so we will probably see them again for something or other.

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opinionscount says...
6:50pm Wed 14 Nov 12

*appologies for the repeats*

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Ghost of Oscar Deutsch says...
7:42pm Wed 14 Nov 12

What is it with such a cheerful uplifting story that the trolls come out of the woodwork?

It's nice to see the spirit of human kindness alive and well on the Press comments.

Congratulations Helen and Andi. You deserve the cracking little fella.

As for the rest of you miseries you must be a joy to live with!

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Boadicea says...
7:45pm Wed 14 Nov 12

They are both in their 30s so why shouldn't they have a child.
I think some people are just jealous .

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opinionscount says...
7:59pm Wed 14 Nov 12

Who said they shouldn't have a child? Of course they can have children if they choose.

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