A Guiding Hand for Families in NICU and Special Care Nurseries - Digital - Book - Page 20
Life’s Little Treasures Foundation and Our Services
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Parent Story:
Emma and Baby Noah
From about 28 weeks, my blood pressure shot up so
I was being monitored carefully. I was hospitalised
on and off and on medication to reduce my blood
pressure. At 31 weeks, I was experiencing a lot of pain
and cramping in my uterus and lower back. I wasn’t
bleeding so I thought it must be fine and I waited to
see if the pain would subside. A couple of hours later,
as the pain was getting worse, I went into my maternity ward to be
examined.
Suddenly, I was told I would need to have an emergency c-section
under a general anaesthetic and was being quickly prepped by
medical staff. They discovered that I was experiencing a concealed
placental abruption and bleeding internally. I was scared and couldn’t
stop crying. I will never forget being whisked away quickly down the
elevators to the operating theatre, seeing these huge lights above
me. It was all very surreal! Having to kiss my husband goodbye was
awful. He looked so worried and scared as he was told to wait outside.
It was incredibly difficult for him to feel so helpless in this situation.
My son Noah was born not long after going into theatre. He was
very sick and was resuscitated. He had suffered a brain bleed (grade
2) and nobody could tell how long he’d been without oxygen. Noah
was transferred to NICU in a hospital 30 minutes away. For the next
eight weeks, we would travel each day to see him. The first week was
extremely tough for us. Noah was intubated and we were unable
to hold our beautiful little boy. Finally, six days after he was born, I
had my first cuddle which was truly the most wonderful feeling in
the world. That moment turned things around for me. It made me so
much more positive and helped my mental health.
Noah stayed in NICU for four weeks and then spent a
further four weeks in SCN. It was the toughest time in
our lives, but after 55 days, we got to take Noah home.
We feel incredibly blessed to have our beautiful son.
He miraculously does not have long term issues as a
result of the birth and has reached all his milestones,
except for his delayed walking at 23 months actual, for
which he had physiotherapy. Noah is now almost eight years
old and thriving at school! Premmies are truly life’s little treasures!
Life’s Little Treasures Foundation | Supporting Families of Premature & Sick Babies
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