Hi all,
In 2021 my beautiful baby girl was born at 23.5 weeks, 16.5 weeks early. She was classed as extremely premature and is lucky to be alive.
If it wasn’t for the fantastic, hard-working nurses involved and the wonderfully dedicated people at Bliss that helped my family, it’s likely that my daughter wouldn’t have survived and I’d have at least had a breakdown.
I’ve been blessed to be asked by Bliss to share my story to help other parents going through similar traumatic experiences. Please feel free to read about the experience below, I’ve also been lucky enough to record for Spotify so you can listen instead if you’d like to.
What Bliss do:
[www.bliss.org.uk]
Short version of my experience for public consumption:
[www.bliss.org.uk]
Longer, personal version of my experience:
[aylacomeshome.blogspot.com]
I’m also running the London Marathon in 2024 and have set up a Just Giving Page. I’m doing a minimum of 6 half marathons beforehand. Any donations are obviously welcomed.
[www.justgiving.com]
Have only read the shorter version and it terrifies me. Cherish your daughter mate and good luck for the future.
I will donate x
Thanks Rab, it was a testing time but she's incredible, she's so strong
Thank you :)
Morning mate.
My eldest is 13 now but she was born at 26.5 weeks and weighed 750g. I remember she was about the size of a sky remote with arms and legs stuck on the side. I also remember them saying that 23 weeks is usually the point before which babies aren't really expected to survive so 23.5 weeks must've been terrifying. The three extra weeks my daughter was in the womb make a massive diference.
I've just donated.
All the best
Having had a different but equally traumatic delivery of my son knwo exactly how stressful this can be - donation made. Good luck on the run.
MacAttackNo mate, thank you for what you’re doing 👍Thanks Rab, it was a testing time but she's incredible, she's so strong
Thank you :)
Fair play fella. I went through a similar thing when my son was born very prematurely due to placental abruption that was, incredibly fortunately, picked up when the specialist bumped into my wife on her way in for the scan and decided to sit in. Had it not been picked up either or both my boy and my wife could have died. I got the call as she was being taken into theatre and arrived just as they pulled him out. Afterwards a nurse showed me the paperwork I should have filled in had I got there earlier to ask who they should concentrate their efforts on saving, baby or wife, and my knees buckled at the enormity of such a decision. He was in ICU for a good while and my wife was too ill to look after him but the staff were amazing, especially the two male nurses. A couple of the babies in there didn’t make it, which was harrowing and we’re still in contact with some of the parents we met in the ICU to this day. I stayed at the hospital in the Ronald McDonald House (I’d take the piss but it made a massive difference and we still donate today) so was there to look after my son, doing things like bathing and changing etc with the other moms until my mrs was well enough to join in.
We were told he’d probably be small for his age and maybe have learning difficulties and other issues. He's 23 now, 5’11” and a talented musician in his 2nd year at uni.
All the best to you and your family Mac (my boy’s called Mack btw!) and good luck with the fundraising.
These threads tend to be very eye opening and very open. Cheers QB, Lumbertubs and anyone else for sharing your experiences too. It does make you think about moaning about trivial things even if it is only for a few minutes 😁
Not just this place, but other social media really opens your eyes to what people go through. That phrase about "you never know what's going on in people lives" revolves around my head every day when I read things like this. People I have known for some while tell you something from their past and you stand in wonder at how they survived and dealt with something I would see as absolutely terrifying.
It's a rare show of humanity in an increasingly inhumane world and my hat comes off and heart goes out to those who have been through anything like this and come out the other side.
I'll never forget these words - " I can't find the heartbeat" followed later by "Prepare for theatre, and get 6 units of blood"
😳 you won’t mate. My missus had an emergency section but all relatively smooth in comparison
Flippin' hell, I can certainly relate to your story. Thank you for sharing mate, glad to hear she's going strong too
Top man, i've just read your below response and the phrase that sticks with you. It visits me from time to time.
Thank you for your donation, it really means a lot