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A mom is speaking out after her unborn baby was nearly killed by listeria when she ate some sliced cantaloupe.
Most pregnant women know to be cautious when it comes to sushi, coffee, and soft cheese, but very few are concerned about fruit.
That’s why 35-year-old Amelia Liddy-Sudbury is speaking out about a shocking experience she recently had while eating rockmelon, a type of cantaloupe.
Liddy-Sudbury was 30 weeks into her pregnancy when she learned that she had the deadly Listeria infection, which easily could have killed her baby.
“I remember picking up a fever and it developing quite quickly,” the mom-of-three told Daily Mail Australia. “But I didn't go to the doctors for two days because I didn't think my flu symptoms were that bad.”
“When I did, the doctors were quick to say it could be septicemia. And then, when my blood cultures came back, they knew it was Listeria,” she continued.
Two weeks after finding out about the diagnosis, Liddy-Sudbury’s son Theodore arrived five weeks early.
Although the baby boy needed weeks of intravenous antibiotics, Liddy-Sudbury said it’s a true miracle that he is even here today.
“The doctors and everyone found it shocking he didn't die,” she said. “We were within hours of the bacteria passing through the placenta into the baby. That's why we called him Theodore, as it means ‘gift from god.’ It sounds corny, but that's how we see him.”
Now that Theodore, who is six weeks old, is back home with his family, doctors have worked tirelessly to figure out what could have caused the Listeria infection.
“They said the Listeria either came from some cooked rice, which I ate from a sushi eatery which served white rice,” his mom said. “It most likely came from some cut-up rockmelon, as apparently cut-up fruit is becoming a real problem.”
Liddy-Sudbury is now trying to raise awareness about Listeria in hopes of saving other pregnant women from going through the same trauma that she did.
“If you want to eat fruit, cut it up yourself,” she warned. “I honestly thought I'd made the right choice, buying it cut up and pre made. But you're better off knowing what's in it.”
“Also, trust your intuitions. If you think you're sick, then go to the doctor and get a blood test. I waited two days and it could have been fatal. It's always worth checking,” she added.
Now that her family can finally breathe again, they are enjoying their time with Theodore.
“Lots of mothers will say they get sick of waking up for the night feed, but I am getting up happily because I just think we are so lucky to have Theodore,” the proud mom said. “It's a miracle.”
