A Derby woman who was repeatedly told her severe eating disorders would leave her unable to conceive has spoken of her shock after discovering she was six-and-a-half months pregnant. Sarah Fletcher, 33, from Mickleover, gave birth to daughter Beatrice nine weeks ago and says the baby has transformed her life.
Ms Fletcher has battled anorexia and bulimia since the age of 14, alongside myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). At her lowest point, she was taking up to 100 laxatives a day, which caused lasting damage to her bowel. She also developed osteoporosis as a result of long-term malnutrition.
Her ordeal continued into adulthood, with periods stopping and abdominal surgery required. When her stomach began to swell, she attended hospital for an X-ray after doctors suspected a gastric blockage. Instead, she was called into a side room and told that baby bones had been found on the scan.
"I thought they were going to say I had six months left to live," Ms Fletcher recalled. "The consultant said there was no easy way to tell me, and she told me they had found baby bones. At that stage it wasn't clear if the baby was alive." Further CT scans confirmed the child was alive and developing well.
Her mother, Susan Duffin, described the moment the news sank in. "After we stopped crying, the first thing I said was, 'Now you have to eat'. We went to Marks and Spencer, and she chose the biggest sandwich and biggest milkshake, which I had never seen her do before." Ms Fletcher added: "I always say my baby saved my life. Having an eating disorder was all I knew, so I couldn't get through it. When I found out I was pregnant, I thought, 'Now I have to eat for her' - and it gave me something to live for."
