Baby Béibhinn now in recovery

A CORK baby whose life was charted by her parents months before she was born is recovering in hospital from open heart surgery.

Béibhinn Hope O’Connor from Carrigaline, Co Cork, suffers from heterotaxy— a rare birth defect that involves the heart and other organs.

The little girl, who will be one-year-old next month, underwent a six-hour operation at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Dublin.

Her father Eoin yesterday said Béibhinn was in a stable condition in the hospital’s intensive care unit.

Béibhinn’s mum Irene has been writing a blog about the family’s journey, from the little girl’s perspective.

The blog has almost 22,000 hits. It was set up to support other families going through similar experiences.

The little girl’s condition was diagnosed when her mum underwent a 20/22 week pregnancy scan.

Eoin does not know how long Béibhinn will remain in the intensive care unit, but the family will spend Christmas in the hospital.

Irene and Eoin have just one Christmas wish — to have their little girl well again and back home.

“We did bring her to visit Santa in Blarney last weekend and were delighted to get a picture for her Christmas. Hopefully, she will have many more to look forward to.”

* beibhinn.wordpress.com