A BRISTOL family say they owe the lives of each of their six children to the work of the Southmead neonatal intensive care unit.

The latest edition to the Cummings brood, Charlie, was born four weeks ago with a potentially life-condition called Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS), which was preventing the baby from breathing properly.

But mum and dad Emma and Craig, of Shirehampton, knew exactly what to expect – as they had been through the same trauma with each of their other five children.

Charlie’s sisters and brothers – Molly, eight, Evie, six, Alfie, five, Finley, three, and Loui(COR), two – were all born with the same condition, but had it successfully treated in the first week of their lives at the specialist Southmead unit.

“It is a rare condition,” Mrs Cummings, 32, said. “It involves the baby’s lungs filling with fluid. Often it is associated with babies born by Caesarian section, because the birthing process hasn’t squeezed the water out of their lungs.

“But the first two girls were born without the need for a Caesarian, and they both developed RDS in the first few hours of their lives.

“The staff at the Southmead unit were able to treat all of them by inserting tubes into their nose and forcing an air supply into their lungs in a technique known as CPAP, or constant positive air pressure.

“The doctors have done all kinds of tests, but they say there is no reason to suggest that the condition is genetic, and we have never been told to stop having children.

“The first time it happened we were horrified, but each time when you end up back at the intensive care unit, you do start to get a bit more used to the process.

“However this time, with Charlie, the condition was considerably worse than all the other times, and for about four days little Charlie’s life did seem to be in the balance.

“So much so, we didn’t introduce the other children to him until he started to get his strength together, because we weren’t sure if he was going to make it.”

Each time the couple return to the unit, the doctors and nurses get to known Mr and Mrs Cummings and their growing family a bit better.

“This last time, the staff recognised us as soon as we walked through the door. We’re just incredibly grateful for the life-saving work they do there, and we can’t praise them enough,” she said.

Now Mr and Mrs Cummings only have to worry about the challenge of raising six children.

“We always wanted a big family, but we had planned to stop at five,” Mrs Cummings said. “Charlie was a bit of a surprise. But we love him to bits anyway. Certainly, there will be no more – six is enough.”

Self-employed Mr Cummings runs an online trading business from home, which allows him the flexibility to help his wife care for the children.

Mr Cummings, 35, said: “I’m able to make enough money to raise my growing family from it – we’re not on any Government benefits – and it allows me to be here to help at the busy times, while the kids are all getting dressed for school and at meal times when we’re trying to get them all fed.”

Mrs Cummings added: “It’s amazing the assumptions people make about you because you have six children. I’ve got into the habit now of saying straight away that we are married, that they are all our kids, and that we don’t claim benefits. We have a big family simply because we love children.

“Just a couple of generations ago, six children wouldn’t have seemed unusual, and I think people are going back to the idea.

“I think it can be good for the kids. Our children are incredibly well disciplined. I can take all six of them to a restaurant, and I know they will all be well-behaved. We certainly have a lot to be grateful to the Southmead unit for.

“So when we have little Charlie christened, we’re going to ask for donations to the unit rather than christening gifts.”