Premature birth is a common and serious health problem that affects families up and down the UK. Over the past year, families have been kind enough to share their stories with us to help raise awareness of premature birth.
I am writing this to tell the story of my three premature babies. I have two daughters and a son, Bethany, Rhian and Finlay. My experiences with all three of my children have been very different and I hope that by telling this story other people can find some comfort,...
Harley was born at 25 weeks and 4 days on 6 December 2008 weighing 1lb 10oz. A week before he was born I was starting getting pains, then I had a show and my husband took me to hosptial after a couple of days I was sent home. Four hours...
In August 2004 I had a slight bleed at 26 weeks and went in to hospital overnight. The next day, without warning or pain, the bleed started again. After about 5 hours of blood loss with no signs of it stopping, and to prevent risk to myself and my baby,...
My pregnancy was hard right from the off... at 16wks, I was bleeding (in Tesco at the time). I was told at the hospital that the pregnancy more than likely would have a poor outcome. I started to leak fluid and less and less was surrounding my baby. I had...
I had only just turned 18 when I found out I was already 9wks pregnant in March 2009. Premature labour never even crossed my mind once throughout my very short pregnancy. I was on holiday in the Dominican Republic with my family and boyfriend (after being checked by doctors to...
Hi my name is Lyndsay and I went into premature labour at 30 weeks. I have a beautiful daughter called Mackenzie Karly Danielle. She weighed 2lb 9oz and was only 18cm long. She was fighting for her life to begin with but gradually she started to breathe on her on...
During routine examinations at both my own GP and the hospital it was found that my blood pressure was on the high side although I felt fine. I was at work one morning and left to go for another check at my GP. When my blood pressure was done...
When I was pregnant with my first daughter I would've never imagined she was going to come early. I was 32 weeks pregnant and had a placenta abruption. She was born weighing 4lbs3oz and after 4 weeks in NICU she came home and is now a healthy 11 year old....
I went into natural labour for no obvious reasons at 31 weeks and 6 days. Luckily I gave birth at Brighton hospital where they have excellent facilities for premature babies. The staff were amazing and now my wee boy is 15 months old and like any other toddler. Recently in...
My pregnancy was going relly well until 26 weeks. I started getting really bad pains in my chest but thought the baby had moved position. My hands and feet also started to swell but I put that down to being on my feet all day at work. I finally went...
I am Chasity I am 20 years old now and have a 7 month old daughter who was born at 31 weeks... I was 18 when I got pregnant and my husband was getting ready for deployment. When I was 2 months I turned 19. At 4 months I started...
Both of our daughters were born prematurely for the same reason, I have a weak `incompetent` cervix. I get infections very easily and this causes my waters to break early. Our eldest daughter, Georgia, was born on 12 Feb 2005 at 35wks, at 5lb 3oz, she spent 2wks on SCBU...
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From the start of my pregnancy I suffered complications, I was losing blood in the first twelve weeks and was told that I could miss-carry. After several check-ups and an early scan at 7 weeks everything was fine and soon after the bleeding stopped. After this everything seemed to be...
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My son Alfie was born at exactly 23 weeks after doctors failed to stop my labour. He spent 6 months in SCBU (3 of which was in a hospital over 50 miles away from our home), another 1 month in the childrens ward, had many operations, and have been so...
My name is Vicki and I'm here to tell my traumatic story to hope that in the future more research will be done into prem lives and deaths im my case..........<br /><br />oct 07 pregnant with triplets then in dec 07 due to abnormalities with one of the triplets had to...
I lost my water at 17 weeks. I was advised to abort my son for fear of infection setting in. I was told if I chose to carry on there was only a 5% chance he`d survive and within that a 95% chance he`d be severly handicapped. I chose to...
It was a very scary thing to be admitted in hospital at 24 weeks. Doctors could not tell us what was going to happen nor control my so out of control blood pressure. It is shocking and certainly nothing like you expect pregnancy to be... but nothing can prepare you...
My Daughter Layla was born at 25+4 gestation (1lb 8) she was one of a twin but sadly Brooke only suvived a week (born 1lb10).<br /><br />I went into labour on the Tuesday but they had no room in any of the hospitals where i live in south wales so i had...
I joining the ride from London to Paris, from July 22 to July 26 2009.<br /><br />On 30 September 1999, my daughter, Michaela, was born 9 weeks premature. She spent 10 months in hospital before we got her home, in July 2000, under the care of Great Ormond Street Hospital; unable to...
me and my wife laura went down to the hospital on the 17th of march as she had not felt chris move for 12hrs and was warned by her midwife any change of movement or if he stops to go get it checked out and we found out that the...
My wife Jayne went into premature labour 3 months before her due date, and the experience was simply terrifying. I felt completely useless, and my wife was fearing the worst. Staff at Staffordshire hospital were superb, always looking positive and encouraging us to stay the same. After a number of...
I went into early labour (I was 24 weeks 4 days pregnant) on the 28.12.08 and despite all efforts by the Doctors to postpone my labour, our twin boys were born at 04:57 & 05:38 on the 29.12.08. We had Cameron Alexander Dalziel who weighed 1lb 10oz and Lewis William...
Emily was my fourth pregnancy. My first and second ended at 23 weeks with stillbirths and after I lost my third baby at 8 weeks I was sent to St Mary`s Hospital in Paddington for tests where it was found I had antiphospholipid syndrome which was the cause for...
On in November 2007, i went into premature labour at 24 weeks and 5 days gestation, this was my first pregnancy. I developed a very aggressive water infection which caused me to go into labour very quickly and suddenly. I first noticed something was wrong on the monday (12th nov),...
Tiny feet have left footprints on our hearts forever ... <br /><br />My son fought bravely to live through a premature labour at only 19 weeks and 2 days. Sadly, we knew there was no way he could survive - he was so perfectly formed, but so little, only 200grams and 20cm...
I was expecting twin girls, my 20 week scan was fine, everything was ok, two perfectly healthy baby girls.<br />Little less than 3 weeks later my whole world changed, i was at work and begun getting cramps and had clear liquid coming from me.<br />The next day it got worse so i...
I had my little girl at 28 weeks she weighed 1lb,7oz I had pre-eclampsia which was picked up in my triple blood tests but I was told u don’t get it till near the end of urn pregnancy, I also had notching on my placenta which I found out after...
Little Owen was born 101 days before his due date on 28/06/08, after what had been a normal pregnancy. He spent 10 days fighting for his tiny life in Singleton`s NICU, but his tiny body could not cope any more. <br /><br />He left a massive impression on both of us and...
It was my 1st pregnancy and it went really well up until 25wks when i had a slight bit of spotting i phoned the midwife as a precaution and was told to go to hospital the following morning, whilst there they discovered my waters were bulging out of my cervix....
Having had 2 term pregnancies and healthy babies finding out that my third had a problem was devastating. <br /><br />I found out that angel had inter-uterine growth restriction at my 22 week scan. Up to then I thought that I had a normal pregnancy and had a great 12 week scan....
hey my name is claire i have a 4 year old daughter demi-lee who was born at 26wks and weighed 1lb 9oz. she was very small and her lungs were very under developed as the hospital never had enough time to give me steroids. <br /><br />demi-lee struggled on throughout infection after...
I gave birth to identical twin boys at 26wks +3days. They were in intensive care for 2months and were discharged at 3months, although one went back inside for a further 4 weeks as he stopped breathing and later came home on oxygen for a further 3months. <br /><br />both are two and...
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My Name is Donna and my story starts on the morning of 12th November 2007, I was 24wks pregnant. I had been suffering stress at work for months, this morning I decided my baby was too important and I went to see my GP, who signed me off with stress...
My name is Sharonne and I am 28 years old. On 25 October 2008, I gave birth to our beautiful twins, Isaac and Miriam, and I was 23 weeks pregnant. I feel as though I have aged another 28 years. <br /><br />The pregnancy had been progressing well and we arrived for...
Ryan James was born at 28 weeks+4 days by emergancy c section due to me getting severve pre-eclampsia and also he had what is known as a blip in his umbilical cord which where when it is closing no nutrients are going through, ryan was born at 2lb, he was...
At 00.55 on the 5th july 2008 i gave birth to my son, Marcus. It should have been a magical time but it was just filled with worry.. You see my son was born at only 25 weeks and 4 days weighing 1lb12.. Although this was a good weight for...
My daughter Lottie was born on the 24th March 2008 when I was 28 plus 5 days pregnant. <br /><br />Lottie was 3lb 2 at birth and had to be resuscitated for 15 minutes and had to have 2 shots of adrenalin into her heart to get it started.<br /><br />Lottie was then...
After having my little girl `normally` in July 2006, I had no reason to imagine the trauma that was to be our second pregnancy. Our son Evan was due 18th March 2008 but at 23weeks pregnant as had a little blood loss went to the hospital. No pain, no cramps,...
Ricky was born 31-week 7 day gestation at 2 pounds 7 ounces. He`s 10 months now and physically doing everything he should except gaining weight, he`s only over 13 pounds....
My baby girl was born at 25 weeks, 3 days, 1lb 9oz on January 2008. She went through a struggle but came home after 18 weeks (126 days) in Scbu. She came home on home oxygen - she is doing well but we don`t know if our rollercoaster has finished...
i was pregnant for the fourth time. i had had a baby at 40 weeks, and two at 36 weeks. all happy and healthy. i knew this pregnancy was different and through various complaints got to 32 weeks and spontaneously delivered a beautiful baby boy. i held him for a...
Hi, my name is Charlene and right from the beginning of my pregnancy i had problems. <br /><br />i have poly-cystic kidney disease so my blood pressure was constantly raised and i was always in pain, i had to have check ups in hospital every two weeks with my consultant. <br />My doctors...
My daughter Molly was born at 25+6 weeks. I had an OK pregnancy, and at 24 weeks, things went `squiffy` I had 4 days in hospital with bleeding and mucus, but they sent me home. The following Saturday, I felt uncomfortable all day.<br /><br />By the afternoon, the discomfort was becoming more...
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No one told me how common all of this was. After 2 miscarriages at 9 and 7 weeks, when i got to 23 weeks everyone was telling me to calm down and enjoy being pregnant.<br />On 22 November 2006 I felt really quite unwell so called in sick much to my...
I was born in Gloucester Hospital on 25th November 1984. At birth I weighed 1lb 6oz (680g) at 25 weeks gestation (15 weeks premature). After birth I was quickly rushed to Bristol Special Care Baby Unit. During my time at Bristol hospital I had a 25% chance of living due...
My name is Lucy and heres my story. I lost my first baby at 10 weeks old. Then I was diagnosed with Good Pastures Syndrome (end stage kidney failure) in january 04, required dialysis till i could have a kidney transplant. I had my son Ethan whilst on dialysis and...
We have three daughters out first was born full term by emergency C-Section and baby was fine but my wife had complications afterwards.<br />Our second Daughter Scarlett was born on 8th April 2007 (27+3 Gestation) birth weight: 2lb 7oz and after a relativley steady rate of progress she was home a...
Little Lanna Ruth Keeble was born on 8th March 1999, at 26 weeks and 6 days. She weighed less than 2 lbs. jon and I had just got married and at our wedding reception, I started to bleed heavily. I was kept in hospital, as I had placenta abrupta, for...
I have had two unexplained premature births. My first was in 1999 when my son Ilan was born at 25 weeks and two days. I started contractions and as it was my first pregnancy did not realise at first. I went to the local hospital and to start with they...
My oldset son Luke was born 26.6 weeks early.<br /><br />Before i had Luke i went into slow labour at 24 weeks. I had really bad back and lower tummy pains. At the time they didn't know why i went in to early labour. <br /><br />With the help of the doctors...
I was so happy when i found out i was pregnant.The thought of having a baby around the house was the best thought ever. Believe it of not i was looking forward to getting fat, having the baby keep me up all night by playing football inside me. I had...
On the 9th of Dec 2000 I went to my local maternity unit due to no movement from my baby-a monitor was attached to my tummy & thats when my world fell in.....babys heart beat was erratic beyond words, my blood pressure had rocketed & i had protein in my...
I gave birth to our beautiful baby boy on 24 January 2008. I was 24wks 5 days gestation and he weighed 1lb 7oz. We named him Leland David James Ellis. <br /><br />I'd had two previous children at 36 wks weighing 4lb 14oz and 4lb 6oz so i was just starting to...
My daughter was born at 33wks on the 16th march 2005 weighing 3lb 12oz<br /><br />According to them she was born breathing but i later found out (3 years later) that she actually needed resuscitating and we were not allowed in to see her until 4 hours later,but when we did she...
At 26 weeks i started bleeding, it was my second pregnancy my eldest daughter was 6. I went to the hospital in extreme pain and was told that I had an infection. I was kept in overnight only to be told in the morning that I was in...
My beloved daughter, Anna, was born in May 1983 when I went into premature labour, for no apparent reason, one Sunday afternoon. I was 34, fit and healthy, and I'd longed for a daughter having had no sisters and, sadly, being estranged from my mother. <br /><br />The labour was endless and...
It was quite a shock when I found I was expecting twins! Identical at that! <br /><br />I was warned that it would be a `risky` pregnancy, but I had a relatively healthy pregnancy until around 26 weeks when during routine appointment there was protein discovered in my urine and...
I have had two premature boys, Sonny who was born 29+3 and Vincent 25+3, sadly little Vincent passed away at 9 weeks.<br /><br />Words can't describe how devastated we were when Vincent passed as we thought that we were out of the woods. <br /><br />It was never explained to me why Sonny may...
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We are Gail and Mick and this is the story of the birth of our two wonderful daughters, Sophie and Emily.<br /><br />The delivery was frantic, at one point there were 14 people assisting – pushing poor Mick to one side as they set about delivering the babies.<br /><br />Sophie arrived at 11.17pm, weighing...
My third son, Carter, was born on 11th December 2006 at 25 weeks. This was my third pregnancy and this time everything should have been OK, but like my first two pregnancies I went into premature labour and sadly Carter didnt make it.<br /><br />Words cannot describe how my husband and our...
My daughter was born 12 weeks prem in 1988 at 1lb 8 oz at St Marys hospital in Portsmouth, if it hadn't been for the staff at scbu she wouldn't be here now she turned 18 last November and I thank god everyday that she is here.<br /><br />I was one of...
Emily was born on 6th October 2006. It had been a very eventful pregnancy, with episodes of bleeding, a low placenta and then pre-eclampsia. These complications eventually led to placental abruption and Emily was born by emergency cesarian section at just over 25 weeks gestation. Her apgar scores at birth...
Our baby son, Edward, was born prematurely at 27 weeks in 1991.<br /><br />My waters had broken at 22 weeks and I was in hospital for five weeks before I went into labour. The amniotic fluid was leaking all this time.<br /><br />The medical staff did all they could to stop the labour progressing...
Hi from a premature baby born in 1967<br /><br /><br />I have been surfing the web for some time, and I wanted to sign your petition but was unsure as to what to write! I would like to tell you my story for your site to see if I can help.<br /><br /><br />I was born...
Our precious and much loved baby girl, Victoria was born in London on 21st October 2005 at 1.38pm.<br /><br />Sadly she only lived for 12 minutes.<br /><br />Victoria was born prematurely at just under 24 weeks old and was not quite strong enough to survive in this world.<br /><br />She wasn't due until 14th February 2006....
I'm 35 yrs old and i've lost 4 babies. 3 babes were lost to miscarriage at 12 weeks. My 4th child, Emily Rose, was born still at 22 weeks 5 days on 5th May 2001 . She was alive until they cut the cord. I went into premature labour due...
Hi our names are Steve and Katie and this is the story of us and our boys, Conor and Harvey<br /><br />It all started on the 19th of april when i started to bleed 25 weeks into my twin pregnancy, I was rushed into Guildford hospital where i was kept in for...
We lost our daughter at 9hrs old. She was born at 27+1 and weighed 1lb 6.5oz.<br /><br />Would you like to use this drawing (FINGERSattached)? A colleague drew it for me, based on a photo of me holding Frankie in my arms about an hour after she'd died. She only wore a...
I was 28 weeks into a seemingly normal pregnancy when a routine visit to the midwife caused alarm as my blood pressure was quite high. I was taken into my local hospital in Ashford and monitored. I stayed in for 4 days and was given medication to control my blood...
I was very lucky as I work at my local hospital and one day whilst at work people noticed I looked quite "puffy".I was 28 weeks pregnant so went immediatley to ante-natal whereby various tests took place.I was then told I would have to have my baby delivered that night...
My twins Isabella and Joel were born a month prematurely in April 2005 and stayed in the SCBU at Eastbourne for a week.<br /><br />They were by no means life threateningly small at 5lb4 and 5lb14, but had low blood sugar and were fed naso-gastrically.<br /><br />I was able to stay in the SCBU...
I thought having an early miscarriage was the worst pain imaginable until I got pregnant again.<br /><br />I was so careful not lifting, watching my food and defiantly no alcohol. At 16 weeks I began to notice my feet swelling up. I mentioned it to my medical team but it was just...
I had a very difficult pregnancy, from four weeks until week nine I felt nauseated and from week ten onwards I was sick constantly and suffered terrible pains, landing me in hospital twice(once at 18 weeks and then at 22<br />weeks)<br /><br />My employer, made things very difficult for me and as a...
I'm writing to inform the Government how much help is needed in researching the causes of premature birth.<br /><br />I have had 2 unexplained premature births.<br /><br />Barney was born in 2003 weighing 2lb 6oz at 27 weeks gestation. He was lucky, and despite staying in the neonatal unit for 3 months, is now...
My son Ryan, was born at 26+5 weighing 1lb 15oz (890g) when I developed<br />severe pre-eclampsia very suddenly and very severely. I was very ill and<br />I was told the day I found out I had pre-eclampsia that the baby would<br />need to be born asap or it could prove to be fatal...
My name is Debby, I first had a early miscarriage in 1998, and then went on to become pregnant again and despite having hyperemisis where I was sick up to 25 times a day to week 32 and giving birth at week 37 having a horrendous labor but giving birth...
Phoenix was born on 20th September 2008, 9 weeks prem. He was taken straight to SCBU and it was 5 hours before I could see him as he was very poorly he needed a cpap machine to teach him to breath and he had blood poisoining and jaundice. Phoenix spent...
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