My husband Mitchell & I were expecting our first baby in Mid January 2024. I was still working in mid December &  planned to work until 35 weeks & go on maternity leave.

The day before our son was born, I was still working & I just couldn’t explain it, but I “wasn’t feeling quite right”. I checked my blood pressure and it was elevated so I rang my midwife and was assessed at my local hospital.

After an assessment from my midwife & obstetrician, concluding likely pre-eclampsia; with all other symptoms beginning to show (increased swelling, headache, protein in urine, right sided abdominal pain), a transfer to Lyell McEwin Hospital was arranged, which was already my allocated birthing hospital.

With this transfer to Adelaide, we were under the impression that this would be an overnight admission to confirm the diagnosis of pre-eclampsia & I’d be back home the next day with instructions of strict bed rest & commence on medications.

After a long night of close 1 on 1 monitoring, medication and hourly checks, my blood pressure looked to have been stabilising.

Mitchell returned the next morning and we waited for the doctor’s round to hear the plan, presuming we would be going back home.

An obstetrician came to review & that is when we were told “you’ll be having your baby today!”

From that point onwards, the whole situation turned up a notch.

Next thing we knew, we were preparing to have our baby and all I just remember thinking was “I’m not even on maternity leave yet!”

That afternoon, our son Hamish was born via emergency C-Section.

We were both privileged in having skin-to-skin for 10 minutes until he was taken by staff to the special care nursery. The next time we saw our son was in the evening with myself wheeled into the nursery on my hospital bed. I got discharged 5 days later & I will never forget the feeling of leaving the hospital for the first time after giving birth & leaving our baby in the hospital.

Hamish remained in the special care nursery for 9 days.  An unexpected first Christmas as a family of three but one we will never forget.

No one can prepare you for having a premature baby because ultimately for us, the symptoms, diagnosis of pre-eclampsia & Hamish being born was all within a 24 hour period.

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

Hamish was born at the Lyell McEwin Hospital via emergency c-section

34 + 4 weeks gestation and Hamish weighed 2190g

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

Believing that I did something “wrong” during my pregnancy for him to be born prematurely; that it somehow was my fault it had happened.

The unknown of how long Hamish would be admitted and how long we would need accomodation in Adelaide for – we were warned it could have potentially have been until his due date.

Slow weight gain with feeding difficulties & establishing my milk supply.

How was LLTF able to help you?

We actually first found out about LLTF when we donated to WFP 2023 event when we were purchasing our pram and car seat at Baby Bunting. We have family that have premature babies so already felt a connection to the cause. I looked more into LLTF, their vision & the WFP event and felt inspired & passionate in wanting to spread awareness for premature babies after giving birth to Hamish at 34 weeks.

 

How is your baby/s doing now?

Hamish is currently just over 7 months and is our little bundle of cheekiness! He is developmentally thriving & growing at his own pace. Everyone who sees & meets Hamish comments on how smiley he is. He loves to smile at everything and everyone he sees. A loveable boy who loves to eat, do swimming & play. He’s gained close to 5kg since birth and has gone from size 000000 clothes to 00.

Advice for other parents what would it be?

Advice that we received when Hamish was born and it is true with us is that comparison is the thief of joy. It’s important not to be hard on yourself & understand that all babies, whether born prematurely or at term, will grow and develop at their own pace.