A VALE mum who made national headlines after she was almost sent to England to have her baby has given birth to a son.

Little Caiden McDonald was born at Paisley's RAH on January 30 - two weeks early.

However, brave mum Angela, 27, was just delighted he was born in Scotland after hospital staff warned a shortage of incubators meant she was on stand-by to be airlifted to a maternity unit in Newcastle or Northern Ireland.

"I had a few false alarms but on January 30, I felt it was the real thing and Caiden arrived at 1pm," smiled a delighted Angela.

"He weighed 7lb 15 and is doing well. He is a wee charmer and has no idea of all the drama that has surrounded him these past few months.

"I am just glad he is finally out and my son, Reece is delighted to finally see his wee brother."

Angela was told last December when her water broke that she would have to be ferried by ambulance to Fife as there was a shortage of incubators at the Vale of Leven hospital as well as the RAH.

Doctors warned that as she suffered from a serious pelvic condition, Angela could be flown to Northern Ireland or England to give birth.

After the Reporter told her exclusive story, her case was followed up by the national press and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was forced to answer questions in the Holyrood Parliament.

"I was happy that the matter was raised in parliament not because it was me, but because I didn't want other mums to go through what I went through," added Angela.

"Being pregnant is stressful in itself and to be carted about the country was a nightmare. I wasn't able to phone my gran who is in her 70s and suffers from a heart condition. She has been a tower of strength and I don't know what I would have done without her."

Angela was full of praise for medical staff at the Vale Hospital and is backing the campaign to keep maternity services there from being transferred to the RAH.

"The staff at the Vale and the RAH did an amazing job and I can’t thank them enough. I went to the ‘Save the Vale’ public meeting and would have really liked to go to the protest at the health board because we need to stand up for our local hospital. If they keep on cutting services at the Vale we will be left with nothing."

Local MSP Jackie Baillie is calling on the health board to ditch the plans to close the birthing unit at their next meeting on February 21.

"Angela has been through a lot over the last month so I am really pleased that both she and baby Caiden are doing so well. Having a baby is a stressful time for every family but Angela faced the added pressure of being told that she might have to deliver her baby hundreds of miles from home," said Ms. Baillie.

"Although it wasn’t possible for Angela, we need to ensure that every women has the opportunity to give birth in a safe environment as locally as possible. The Scottish Government’s own maternity review makes it clear that the Vale of Leven Hospital is perfectly safe for the majority of women with straightforward pregnancies.

"The SNP and the health board need to make up their minds whether to save the birthing unit now or delay the decision by holding another 3 month public consultation. When the health board meets on 21 February it should refuse to spend a single penny more of NHS funding on these unwanted and unpopular closure plans."