Jessie Cave Reflects on 11-Week-Old Son's COVID Hospitalization: 'It Was a Scary Start'

https://www.youtube.com/embed/6qotArPXzF8

Jessie Cave is opening up about the recent hospitalization of her newborn baby.

The Harry Potter actress (who played Lavender Brown in the film franchise) welcomed son Abraham "Bam" Benjamin back in October, then, earlier this month, she kept her Instagram followers updated about the baby boy's condition when he was checked into the hospital after contracting COVID-19. The 11-week-old is now back home, and Cave, 33, is reflecting on the experience on the U.K. talk show Lorraine.

"Nothing has gone to plan, which I guess everyone can relate to this year. It was a really scary start," she says, holding the baby for the broadcast. "He was in the neonatal unit after a really sudden, quick labor. He came out within 45 minutes, so he was just a bit like, 'What's going on,' and was taken to the neonatal unit. He's 11 weeks now, and it's just been, I couldn't believe it when we found out. But I almost can believe it because it's been such a strange period of time for everyone. Very scary."

Cave says she isn't aware how the infant caught the coronavirus.

"All I know is it's absolutely the most contagious thing. I was completely symptomless, so it's just bizarre. I did go and get a test because I wanted to see my mom and family at Christmas, and then obviously we couldn't," she says. "And he was completely fine, there was absolutely nothing wrong. Then over a week, almost two weeks later, just suddenly turned. That's the thing about newborns, you have to be so hyper-aware of every single symptom and just to trust your instincts. Within a day of realizing he was just kind of changing a little bit, he wasn't feeding as much and his cry was different, it was like a different baby."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Jessie Cave Gives Health Update for Newborn Son After COVID Diagnosis

"I just went for it and I went into [the emergency room]. I think that's what everyone has to do," adds the actress. "They have to be so aware of a sudden quick change, 'cause it could have been a completely different story if I hadn't gone in."

Cave, who is also mother to daughter Margot, 4, and son Donnie, 6, says her boyfriend, comedian Alfie Brown, now has tested positive for COVID-19, noting that it's "bizarre" it didn't affect her but it did hit him.

"Everyone has said to me, 'I didn't think babies can get it,' but it can affect everyone… The other thing is with this stage of newborn, their immune system is so weak, and so anything can have really bad consequences," she says. "That's why they treated it so seriously … even my breastfeeding was completely affected by this, even two nights of a change of routine has affected us. Because of the stress, my milk dried up a little bit and now I've had to give him formula … just two nights can affect your entire lives for a bit."

Sharing a clip from the TV appearance on Instagram, Cave advised parents to "basically trust your mother's instinct….. and go in to hospital if you are at all concerned."

Source: Read Full Article