Aurelia was born ten weeks premature on the 20th of August 2023. A couple of days before, my partner went for a check-up and they were concerned so they admitted her to the labour ward. Days of looking for a Level 3 unit who could accept both mum and baby proved tough, until the day of birth where they had to act – either deliver the baby there via C-section or risk losing her. Southend hospital by far away, exceeded expectations throughout.
I wasn't able to be in the room, but shortly after they got my partner into the theatre she had a cardiac arrest. A swift C-section as the team worked to revive mum, and 40 minutes later they had her stable and transferred to CCU, while baby Aurelia was moved to NICU.
I lived at the hospital for nearly a week, and after a few days in a medically induced coma my partner woke up – relief! The emotions throughout the last few days were everywhere, splitting time between CCU and NICU and doing what I could to be strong.
Aurelia spent about 6-7 weeks in the NICU, her first day on CPAP, then 2 days nasal canula before she was self-ventilating. Over time, the staff became more like family, looking after our little rainbow baby and guiding me on what to do, involving me in her care. Her development during her time there was remarkable and proves just how lucky we are to have the NHS and the benefit of advancements in science and technology!
For a unit that doesn't usually care for a baby under 32 weeks, they could not have played their part any better. It took close to 5 weeks before mum could see Aurelia, but when she was able to hold her for the first time, our family was complete.
The NHS gets a bad rap for their waiting times and varied levels of care and dedication, but throughout our journey, I haven't got a single bad thing to say about them.
The message I want to deliver is clear – do not isolate yourself, talk to the staff and talk to friends and family, the NICU can be a lonely place if you do. I made friends with other families there, we became our own little support network and the staff on the unit went about their work in a warm and loving way.
