A woman who gave birth last week after 23 miscarriages has said she never gave up hope.
Georgina O’Shea and her husband Ken welcomed baby girl Reilly on May 17th.
She had suffered 23 miscarriages before giving birth, including six in one year.
Georgina gave birth to her first child, Leon, back in 2004 when she was 16.
She told Lunchtime Live this first pregnancy went fine.
"Leon first was perfectly normal labour, there was no signs or no suggestions that anything was off," she said.
"About 2006/2007 we had our first miscarriage, and we went to the doctor.
"They just told us, 'Your age is in your favour, it happens to every woman' and kind of plamassed - just kind of pushed it aside, I suppose, because of my age".
'The first doctor that listened to me'
Georgina said another two miscarriages followed within the next year and a half.
"We actually moved to Cork not long after, and within a year we found out we were pregnant again.
"We were in the doctor's surgery... and she had said 'Congratulations' - and at that point, I just said to the doctor, 'You mean commiserations: I've had three miscarriages, I'm getting nowhere, it's probably the same thing going to happen'.
"That doctor actually was the only doctor, and the first doctor, that's even listened to me and listened to my concerns".
Georgina was then sent to Cork University Maternity Hospital for tests and "kept meeting brick walls".
"The last pregnancy before Reilly was three years ago - we fell pregnant and everything was fine, everything was looking good.
"Unfortunately it ended in an ectopic [pregnancy], so I lost one of my tubes.
"After surgery, the doctor came around to meet me and told me that my other tube was badly scarred - that the likelihood of me having a normal pregnancy would be very unlikely.
"Ken and I sat down and we had a chat... we had Leon and in our mind, it was time now to focus on him".
Georgina O'Shea with Ken, Leon and baby Reilly. Picture: SuppliedGeorgina said these situations can be hard for other people to comprehend.
"It's a very, very lonely place for both yourself and your partner," she said.
"If you try to speak to someone, they didn't understand it, they didn't know what to say and sometimes they'd say the wrong thing or their comments might upset you.
"I would have had a lot of comments [like] 'But sure you have one, aren't you lucky you have one'.
"The comments in themselves, they actually have a knock-on effect".
Reilly
Georgina said her recent pregnancy with Reilly was a surprise.
"We're still on a whirlwind, we're all still on cloud nine," she said.
"Whether we'll ever come off that cloud, God knows".
She said there were plenty of tears in the hospital.
"I think at one point the midwives and the doctors inside in the hospital shed a tear - a lot of people up there would have known and would have seen my background.
"Probably doctors and nurses cried more than I did myself, which was quite sweet.
"When she was born, anybody who was involved throughout my pregnancy - doctors, nurses - they actually all came to see her".
'Never give up'
Georgina said she has this advice for people in a similar position.
"Never give up hope.
"We do always have to think of our mental health too, as did I.
"So it's OK to give up some hope, and it's OK to let go of a little hope... letting go of that little bit of hope might have taken that pressure off myself.
"I never did give up full hope," she added.
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Anyone affected by issues raised in this article can contact The Miscarriage Association of Ireland on 085-8220-046 (10am-12pm) or 087-055-4382 (8pm-10pm) or email info@miscarriage.ie
