Emily‘s Story

I, unknowingly, went into labour at 32 weeks after I started to bleed one evening. I was seen by the neonatal team on day 1 and reassured from the outset what would be put in place to help my baby if he were to be delivered imminently. This was so calming in what should have been a terrifying situation.

Our son, Raffy, was born at 33+1 weeks via emergency c-section. It turned out I had placental abruption and scar rupture.

Raffy thankfully was air breathing from birth but needed tube feeding, IV antibiotics and an incubator. It was a hard moment for me, walking in (well wheeling in) and seeing my son covered in tubes and surrounded by machines. But we were reassured from the outset that we was being well cared for. 

From that day until our discharge 11 days later, we were all under the care of the NNU team. It became our home and they became our family.

It sounds strange calling a hospital your home but it was. The staff became friends, the rooming in room a blessing for me to spend more time with my son and establish breastfeeding. In the end I was walking around in pyjamas and slippers! 

For us, our time in the NNU was incredibly positive and reassuring. I cannot fault a single member of the NNU team and will forever be grateful for making an emotional time for our family as calm as possible.