It was a Sunday morning at around 5 AM when I woke up feeling pressure in my stomach. As this was my first pregnancy, I initially had no idea what was happening to me and our baby, but this turned out to be the start of my labour.

My husband called an ambulance and things moved quickly after that. The paramedics rushed me to Westmead Hospital where we learned I was already in active labour at just 24 weeks. We hadn’t even had our baby shower at that point!

After consulting with the medical team, I was transferred to Royal North Shore Hospital for specialised care. I was under observation for 2 days and the doctors tried their best to delay the delivery.

 Unfortunately, we found out from an ultrasound that there was an umbilical cord prolapse, and the doctors needed to perform an emergency C-section to minimise the risk for our baby. Our little fighter needed some extra support after arrival and spent the next four months in the NICU, but made it through those early challenges. 

“What hospital and how many weeks gestation were they and how much did they weigh?”

 He was born at Royal North Shore Hospital weighing just 678 grams.

 “What were some of the challenges you faced at the time?”

 We faced multiple challenges, too many to even list. As first time parents we were extremely worried about our son and everything that we went through was a huge shock – each day was a new battle of ups and downs when it came to Zenon’s health and well-being while in the NICU. We were still in the process of preparing for our son’s arrival and had to expedite everything. The situation also took a huge toll on our mental and physical health.

 “How was LLTF able to help you?”

The Precious Prem Pack was invaluable in providing us with information and preparing us for the challenges of having a baby in the NICU. We are incredibly grateful for everything the Life’s Little Treasures Foundation has done for us and our sweet little Zenon. Their support has made an immeasurable difference in our lives.

 “How is your baby doing now?”

 We are getting ready to celebrate Zenons first birthday in February. He is a happy, healthy and active boy and meeting all key milestones.  

“If you had one word of advice for other parents what would it be?”

 Nurture. The NICU journey is long and arduous, but also incredibly rewarding. Please, please take care of yourselves. Do something you enjoy, even if it’s something small like listening to your favorite podcast or watching a show. And don’t hesitate to lean on those who love you and want to support you during this time.

 Who will you be walking with at WFP? What challenge will you take on to celebrate 20 years of LLTF?

 Me, my husband and Zenon joined by our friends and family. “20 Acts of Kindness” Challenge: Before, during, or after the walk, commit to 20 acts of kindness related to prematurity awareness or supporting families in the NICU.

 Lastly, we just want to say that the Life’s Little Treasures Foundation carries out invaluable work, and supporting their efforts is crucial to making a lasting impact!