It could take years to recover

Missing the first few days of a baby's life is highly traumatic for any mother. Experts say it could take months or even years to come to terms with the experience.

Separation of a mother and her baby is not unusual in NHS hospitals, especially when the infant has been born prematurely. Most hospitals have only a very small number of intensive care cots and send babies elsewhere when their facilities are full.

The key practical issue facing the Countess of Wessex is whether to attempt to send her own breast milk to the child.

St George's Hospital in Tooting is one of eight hospitals in England which have a "milk bank" - with natural milk provided by new mothers for use by babies other than their own. This will reduce the pressure on Sophie to provide her own milk for the child.

However, the countess will be aware that starting to breastfeed after a delay of weeks could prove highly difficult or impossible. In the days following the birth her breasts are also likely to be very painful unless she allows the milk to flow. Belinda Phipps, chief executive of the National Childbirth Trust, said: "This is likely to be very difficult for Sophie to cope with. Her body will be all geared up for breastfeeding, but without the sight and sound of the baby it may be quite difficult for her to produce enough to express."

Experts say Sophie is likely to feel an overwhelming sense of grief and fear at being denied the chance to cradle her child. Support groups also say that some mothers suffer flashbacks of the experience years after they have been reunited with their babies. Ms Phipps said: "She is programmed to want to hold it, cuddle it and feed it. She is programmed to protect it. Not having the baby there to do that can be devastating."

There will also be concerns about the health of the countess following the difficult birth. One independent obstetrician said that Sophie has clearly suffered complications.

Donald Gibb, who stressed he had no personal knowledge of the case, added: "Anything to do with bleeding is serious. If blood enters the stomach or womb it is a serious issue. She would have to be watched closely. They would have to watch her liver and kidney function."