A UK star is sharing the story of her premature daughter’s arrival into the world, noting with gratitude that her infant “defied the odds” and is now thriving.
Oti Mabuse, a dancer and former star on “Strictly Come Dancing,” and her husband, Marcus Iepure, welcomed their daughter two months early at the end of last year, after Mabuse developed sepsis.
“My daughter had an infection when she came out and the doctors gave her treatment,” she told The Sun. “I didn’t have time to panic — we were just focused on her being better.”
“She had to learn to breathe on her own properly, eat on her own, and that came with time,” she explained, adding, “The neonatal unit is a huge world that I didn’t know a lot about.”
Though there were a lot of health concerns surrounding her daughter’s early arrival, Mabuse says she feels positively about it.
“My birth experience was very beautiful and empowering and I wish we heard more stories about that. I was singing from musicals, songs from Cabaret, and I was calling my friends,” she said. “I had a great doctor. She was amazing because she was so motivating. She kept telling me, ‘You can do this, your body was built for this.’”
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Her infant daughter, whose name has not been shared publicly, spent six weeks in the NICU before joining her parents at home. Mabuse and Iepure jointly shared a social media post Thursday to commemorate the little girl’s six-month birthday.
“Today marks six months since our little miracle entered this world, defying the odds with her early arrival,” Mabuse wrote. “Being a mom to a premature baby has been a journey filled with ups and downs, but oh, the beauty in every moment!”
‘I’m endlessly grateful for my daughter’s strength and resilience. She’s taught me more about love, courage, and gratitude than I ever thought possible. Here’s to celebrating milestones, big and small, and cherishing the precious gift of motherhood. So appreciative of everyone who’s joined us on this incredible journey.”
