Third baby for 'luckiest mum' - 11 years after teenage MND diagnosis

A woman who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) as a teenager has said she is "incredibly lucky" to have given birth to her third child.

Lucy Lintott Smith, from Elgin, defied expectations when her youngest daughter was delivered at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital on 12 September.

She found out she had MND in 2013 when she was just 19, making her the youngest person in Scotland with the terminal disease at the time.

When her first child was born in 2020 she was thought to be the first woman with MND to naturally conceive and deliver a baby after diagnosis.

Most people with MND do not survive three years after diagnosis, but more than a decade on Lucy has defied all having three babies.

"My pregnancies and labours weren't easy but I'm grateful for the kids they produced," she told BBC Scotland.

"Even though I'm tired, I feel stronger than ever."

MND is a rapidly progressing condition that stops messages from the brain reaching the muscles.

The terminal disease, which usually affects people over 40, gradually makes gripping, walking, talking and swallowing extremely difficult - and eventually impossible.

Lucy, 30, who grew up in the town of Garmouth, close to the Moray coast in north-east Scotland, now uses a wheelchair and a team of carers support her at home.

Lucy and husband Tommy, who use the children's initials when speaking about them publicly, waited until baby SS was settled in at home before announcing her birth.

"Having three under five is crazy and surreal but incredible," Lucy said. "I feel like the luckiest mum."

Their first son, LJ, was born in 2020, shortly before the Covid pandemic hit.

Lucy had to shield from the virus so she and Tommy had to move in with Lucy's parents to reduce the need for carers.

The couple were forced to postpone their wedding for two years.

Their first daughter, AR, was then born at the end of 2021.

Lucy said having their three children "just seems right" for their family as she and Tommy were both the youngest of three.

"I'm just delighted that I'm incredibly lucky to make it to nearly 11 years [after diagnosis] and have three beautiful kids with the love of my life," she said.

It is still not known what causes MND but it is thought that a small number of cases - about five to10% - are inherited.

There is no evidence of this familial MND in Lucy's family so it is not known if her children may have an increased risk of developing the disease when they are older.

"Ever since I can remember I've wanted to be a mum," Lucy said. "I was heartbroken when I was told my body couldn't handle it.

"When I met Tommy we talked in depth before deciding to have kids.

"There's an obvious risk my kids could inherit MND, but I'd never have wanted my parents not to have me because I got MND."

She added: "I hope the kids find happiness and they're as stubborn as me. I hope our future is full of great memories and adventures."