IT should have been the happiest time of her life.

But soon after Gina Cook gave birth to baby son Ryan two months prematurely, her kidneys started to fail -- putting her life in serious danger.

Her time is now dominated by lengthy visits to Salford's Hope Hospital, where she receives dialysis treatment three times a week. It is time she would prefer to spend cuddling little Ryan, who is now two months old.

Mrs Cook, aged 37, from Top o'th' Brow, still cannot believe how quickly her joy at giving birth turned to despair.

Mrs Cook and her husband, Andrew, had been overjoyed when Ryan -- their only child -- entered the world.

Now she daily lives in hope that her kidneys make a full recovery and she can devote all her time to the little bundle of fun. Doctors treating Mrs Cook have put her name on the transplant list just in case her condition deteriorates.

But it is Ryan who is dominating her thoughts rather than the dialysis treatment which is keeping her alive.

Mrs Cook says: "I keep feeling I am missing out on such a big part of Ryan's life, mainly because I have to leave my baby with my mum or Andrew's mum while I go for dialysis treatment.

"My family has been great. I know it has to be done so that I can get better, but I want to be doing things with Ryan."

Mrs Cook, an insurance broker at Opus in Bolton, was given an emergency Caesarean Section on November 18 after developing problems with her blood pressure. Doctors soon discovered a blood clot and she was rushed into theatre for surgery.

Soon after, her kidneys began to fail and she was taken into the intensive care unit. Staff at Royal Bolton Hospital would take Mrs Cook from her ward to the Special Care Baby Unit so she could see her new baby.

Each night she would dream of being allowed home to start her new career -- as a mum. Eventually doctors transferred her to the renal unit at Hope Hospital for specialist treatment.

Today, reflecting on how her world has been turned upside down over the last two months, Mrs Cook said: I'm remaining optimistic about my condition. I really hope I will not need to have a transplant and that my kidneys will just kick in on their own."

Ryan had to spend the first 10 days of his life in the special care baby unit at the Royal Bolton Hospital. Even though he was born almost two months early, he is now a healthy and bright baby boy.

Mr Cook, aged 39, took care of Ryan while his wife was sick. He said: "I just got on with it and did what I had to do. I had to do a lot of running around to the hospital and with Ryan, but it didn't matter one bit."

Looking at her bouncing son, Mrs Cook added: "We would have loved to have had more children, but after all the problems we are happy just having Ryan. He's perfect."

His wife added: "I've been put on a special diet so that I'm not sick, but when I'm on the dialysis machine I can eat what I want. I felt like such a rebel the other day when I had a chocolate bar!