Corrie’s Victoria Ekanoye feared her baby would die as she details traumatic three-day labour

Former Coronation Street star Victoria Ekanoye has revealed she feared her ‘miracle’ baby boy would die during her traumatic three-day labour.

The actress, 38, gave birth to her first child, a boy named Théodore Christopher with partner Jonny Lomas, on January 16th, with the labour facing additional complications due to her sickle cell anaemia.

Speaking in a new interview with OK! magazine, Victoria told how she and Jonny worried that their baby ‘wouldn’t make it’, adding how the thought of losing her son willed her to push through the painful labour which left her struggling to walk or speak.

Victoria was induced on January 13th at 39 weeks, however, it wasn’t until three days later that she gave birth.

She then told how due to her sickle cell anaemia, she was advised to have pain relief during the labour, however, she suffered a severe reaction to the drugs, resulting in her throwing up and struggling to function.

She explained: ‘With sickle cell it’s not advised to have a birth without painkillers as it can trigger a sickle cell crisis [episodes of pain], so I was induced and put on pain medication. But I had a really bad reaction. 

‘I was vomiting, I couldn’t walk and I could barely speak… I also had chest pains, so I ended up having an ECG within 30 minutes of giving birth, as with sickle cell you can get chest syndrome, which is basically a stroke.’

The soap star, who played Angie Appleton in the ITV soap added that though it was ‘traumatic’ for her, she couldn’t ‘imagine’ what is was like for her partner of four years to watch.   

She told how after the initial medication wore off, she was allowed an epidural, but she still struggled thanks to overwhelming ‘fatigue’ due to her illness, as well as ‘dehydration’ and ‘convulsions’ from her vomiting.

Victoria was so zapped of ‘energy’ at this point that she didn’t know if she would be able to ‘push him out’ as she recalled being heartbroken as it was ‘too late’ for a caesarean.  

The TV personality went on to say that despite her and Jonny being overjoyed by Théodore’s eventual arrival, there was still a point when they were terrified the tot would die.

She said: ‘The biggest thing was relief I’d been able to get him out. Hearing him scream was the most joyous sound as he’d been stuck there a while and we were scared he wouldn’t make it. He’s our little miracle. It’s definitely the most challenging thing I’ve done.’

Victoria added that the thought of not leaving the hospital as a family of three was ‘heartbreaking’ and it’s what made her ‘push through’ the difficult time. 

The couple are currently in a new baby bubble, with Jonny adding that being a father is the ‘best thing in the world’, while Victoria stated that breastfeeding her son is ‘magical’.

But while their thrilled with their adorable new arrival, Victoria told how she’s ‘content’ with just one child for now. 

She told that Jonny would love for baby Théodore to have a sibling, but she has reservations about falling pregnant again as she fears the ‘outcome’ wouldn’t be ‘as great’ as it was with her first. 

She added that Théodore’s birth was a ‘close call’ and expressed her fears that she or the baby wouldn’t ‘pull through’ while noting other g=fertility complications such as her age and sickle cell anaemia.

Victoria concluded that the pair were ‘satisfied’ with their son, but on the other hand she’d ‘never say never’ and would be open to adopting.