A newborn baby who was one of the UK’s youngest coronavirus patients after testing positive a month after being born will celebrate her first Christmas.
Little Peyton Maguire will be nine months old on Boxing Day, and was born three days after the lockdown started, on March 26.
The tot, who was born eight weeks premature, tested positive for coronavirus on April 15, and was the youngest person to contract the virus in Scotland.
Peyton, who weighed just 3lbs 5oz when she was born, had to be transferred from a cot back into an incubator when a Covid test came back positive.
First-time mum, Tracy, 27, said Peyton cried tears for the first time while being given a swab test, and said it was one of the hardest things she had ever had to see.
Dad-of-two AJ, 29, was not allowed to visit his daughter due to the restrictions but the family are looking forward to spending Christmas together in Birkenshaw, North Lanarkshire.
Tracy said: “Itt was kind of unknown for kids to have the virus and whether it would progress and get worse or be alright.
“She didn’t have any symptoms, just a bit of sniffling and a few coughs.
“It’s the same as the adult test – they stuck a swab right up her nose and to the back of her throat.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen her cry tears.
“It was so hard and one of the worst things I’ve seen.”
Just five days after testing positive for the virus, Peyton was allowed to go home from Wishaw General Hospital, North Lanarkshire – in time for AJ’s 29th birthday on April 25 – when she began feeding on her own from a bottle.
But despite returning home, Tracy and AJ were terrified their baby girl would suffer long-term damage as a result of the illness.
Tracy added “It was the scariest thing in my life – Peyton had tested positive for a deadly virus.
“I had to get steroid injections to get her lungs up to scratch, she wasn’t ready to be born.
“I was worried if her lungs would’ve been prepared to deal with the virus.
“It took five to six months to get rid of that fear, but we’re watching her grow now.
“We had only got to see her for an hour a day.
“The hospital tried to limit the amount of access at one time to parents.
“The nurses who came to see her were in full PPE.
“When I went in I learned how to do things I otherwise wouldn’t have learned, like tube feeding.
“She was able to feed herself her bottle within five days and we took her home.
“Now you wouldn’t know any different.
“She’s just a bit smaller for her age and she’s had bad colic, but apart from that she’s fine.
“When I think of her journey and all she’s been through I’m so lucky as a mum.
“She’s a superstar.”
The family are now looking forward to spending Christmas Day together with personal trainer AJ’s son James, six, joining them.
Tracy, an IT and administration student, added: “My husband really suffered – he didn’t get to come to hospital to see her.
“I had support from nurses but he never had that.
“He could have a conversation on the phone but it’s not the same, and no one could come round to our house either because of Covid.
“It’s been a rollercoaster, but we’ve managed to get ready for Christmas and Peyton’s doing well – it’s been amazing.
“We’re really looking forward to it and they’ve been spoiled.
“I think it’s just been the year we’ve had, but it’s not about the presents – we’re thankful to have them all.
“There was a bleak time when we couldn’t see this happening, but we’re finally here.”
