I am super proud and happy to share the news that I am now a Mummy!! 🥰🥰👶🏻👶🏻 . . My beautiful, tiny little man (3lb) was brought into this world way too early (31 weeks, after I lost all my waters at 28 weeks & had been hospitalised for a month) following further complications, but he is already showing that he takes after his mamma and is a strong, feisty little human. . . Having got through my complicated pregnancy, I have now entered the next chapter on our journey, that of NICU. . . I wouldn’t wish NICU on anybody and certainly not in a pandemic. It is exhausting, draining and often very scary….Here’s hoping we graduate this chapter as quickly, as healthy and as safely as humanly possible 🙏🏻❤️ . . #PPROM #SROM #pregnancycomplications #preemie #preemiepower #preemiebaby #preemiestrong #prematurebaby #neonatal #pregnancy #pregnancyreality #31weeker #firsttimemummy #nicu #nicufamily #boymama #fighter #love #onedayattime #babyboy #babylove #firsttimemum #firsttimemummy
I am super proud and happy to share the news that I am now a Mummy!! 🥰🥰👶🏻👶🏻 . . My beautiful, tiny little man (3lb) was brought into this world way too early (31 weeks, after I lost all my waters at 28 weeks & had been hospitalised for a month) following further complications, but he is already showing that he takes after his mamma and is a strong, feisty little human. . . Having got through my complicated pregnancy, I have now entered the next chapter on our journey, that of NICU. . . I wouldn’t wish NICU on anybody and certainly not in a pandemic. It is exhausting, draining and often very scary….Here’s hoping we graduate this chapter as quickly, as healthy and as safely as humanly possible 🙏🏻❤️ . . #PPROM #SROM #pregnancycomplications #preemie #preemiepower #preemiebaby #preemiestrong #prematurebaby #neonatal #pregnancy #pregnancyreality #31weeker #firsttimemummy #nicu #nicufamily #boymama #fighter #love #onedayattime #babyboy #babylove #firsttimemum #firsttimemummy
I am super proud and happy to share the news that I am now a Mummy!! 🥰🥰👶🏻👶🏻 . . My beautiful, tiny little man (3lb) was brought into this world way too early (31 weeks, after I lost all my waters at 28 weeks & had been hospitalised for a month) following further complications, but he is already showing that he takes after his mamma and is a strong, feisty little human. . . Having got through my complicated pregnancy, I have now entered the next chapter on our journey, that of NICU. . . I wouldn’t wish NICU on anybody and certainly not in a pandemic. It is exhausting, draining and often very scary….Here’s hoping we graduate this chapter as quickly, as healthy and as safely as humanly possible 🙏🏻❤️ . . #PPROM #SROM #pregnancycomplications #preemie #preemiepower #preemiebaby #preemiestrong #prematurebaby #neonatal #pregnancy #pregnancyreality #31weeker #firsttimemummy #nicu #nicufamily #boymama #fighter #love #onedayattime #babyboy #babylove #firsttimemum #firsttimemummy
And so a new chapter begins… After almost 6 weeks, our little boy graduated the NICU. What an emotional rollercoaster…Incredibly challenging, upsetting & draining-Yet also so often awe-inspiring. So many ups/downs & so many milestones to celebrate; from the complex (not being able to breathe unassisted, nor feed without a tube etc) through to the simple (finally wearing clothes). Neonatology & neonatologists are incredible & premmies are so strong, true fighters. It was an experience which I’ll never forget & one which has made me slightly more anxious about my son than I’d like to be (I hope that settles in time!). Taking him home was exciting, but scary. The end to my pregnancy was not what I’d imagined & caused me a lot of upset/grief. It included; my waters breaking entirely unexpectedly 3 months early, a 4 week hospital stay for me full of scary moments, an emergency c-section, my son being taken straight from me & me not meeting him for 8 hours (& that being a simple glimpse of him in intensive care, in an incubator with multiple lines into/monitors on him), leaving hospital without him, painful breast expressing & then almost 6 weeks of being at his incubator every day, as we tried to get him strong. All of that during a pandemic, which often made things twice as hard. My son still has some hurdles to overcome but it is lovely to finally be able to start a ‘normal’ life with him. I’m privileged to be his mummy & I can’t wait to see the little boy he will become. The world is his oyster…❤️ Not every pregnancy/birth is perfect & the reason I’ve been so open about my journey is because we only seem to see/read about the happy side-I feel it important to show the other side. Unless you’ve been through PPROM &/or NICU, it’s hard to truly understand it, but it leaves a mark on your heart & soul, which I suspect will be there forever. To those who have, or are yet to experience it, know that you are not alone. ❤️ #pprom #ppromawareness #nicu #nicufamily #nicuatrong #nicumama #nicumom #neonatology #31weeker #premmie #prematurebaby #premmiestrong #prembaby#hospitallife #pregnancycomplications #firsttimemum #boymum #breastpumping #breastexpressing
Today I would have been 34 weeks pregnant. . When I experienced PPROM at 28 weeks, we set 34 weeks as my goal. Every day, I ticked off the days, counting down to this date, wishing it so. . We never made it. We reached only 31weeks. . So today, I am not being wheeled down to theatre, I am instead sitting by my son’s hospital bed and absolutely in love- He has my heart ❤️ . He will sadly have a couple of challenges in the short term, but he has the most determined and strong willed Mummy. I will fight for him with every inch of my being. (His Daddy’s not too bad either! 😂) . I feel blessed to be this little guys mum. We have so many exciting adventures ahead, I simply can’t wait ❤️… . . . . . . #PPROM #ppromawareness #premmiebaby #premmie #preemie #preemiebaby #preemiestrong #31weeker #31weekpreemie #nicu #nicubaby #nicuwarrior #nicumom #nicufamily #motherandson #mummysboy #motherslove #love #strength #protection #lioness #pride #strength #inspiration #pregnacy #pregnancycomplication #pregnancyreality
One shoe on. One shoe off. Nappies on the floor, a whirlwind of mess around me (you should see the chaos that is just out of shot 🤦🏼♀️😂) and my son just about to throw up in my face – but, a whole lot of love… This picture sums up my life right now 😂😂 . . This is us adjusting to each other and figuring things out, one day at a time. . . If you’re one of those first time mums who manages to get out of the door looking glamorous every day, I salute you 🙌🏻 If however, you’re more like me and desperately tying to figure out how to somehow get organised, while trying to function on about 2 hours sleep per day and considering it a success if you even manage to get out of the door – that’s ok too (I think! 😂🤣) . . . #motherhood #firsttimemum #myboy #love #adjustment #disorganisedchaos #tired #newchapterbegins #mumtoboys #newmum #parentlife #mumlife
Still in hospital and this is how I spend much of my time now, giving my boy “skin-to-skin” (aka “kangaroo care”). 🦘 . . It has great health benefits for premature babies and it’s one of the best ways for parents & premmies to bond. . . It also happens to be one of my favorite things-we sit like this for hours and hours ❤️👶🏻 . . Further info on this method of premmie care can be found here: https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/pregnancy-complications/premature-birth/your-babys-time-hospital/kangaroo-care . . (Btw, rubbish photo quality because it’s quite dark in here) . . . #preemiebaby #preemie #preemie #preemiepower #kangaroocare #skintoskin #prembaby #prematurebaby #nicumama #nicufamily #nicuwarrior #niculife #nicu #neonatal #pprom #ppromawareness #strongbaby #fighter #motherslove #blessed #gratitude #loved #strength #motherandson #pregnancyjourney #pregnancycomplications
As I approach my fourth week in hospital; I’m tired, bored and have had another week of challenges and ups/downs, but I am also really chuffed because I hit another milestone and another pregnancy gestation week!! Whoop 💃🏻 . . This isn’t easy but we have to keep on going…Anyone else in my situation, try to keep the faith, keep strong and most importantly, try to keep holding on to your baby for as long as it is safe to do so 🙏🏻❤️ . . . . . . . #PPROM #ppromawareness #srom #prematurebaby #premature #premmie #premmiepower #pregnancycomplications #complicatedpregnancy #hospitalstay #hospitallife #strongwomen #babymaking #pregnant #pregnancy #babymamma #bumppic #gratitude #worthit
After 2 months of hospital life and all that goes with it, plus a shed load of lock-down before that, I decided to take a little time out for some much needed self-care (mixed in with a little breast pumping, obvs. Can’t get away from that! 😂)… . I felt soooo bad though being away from the hospital (even tho my son had his Daddy there looking after him). The mum guilt was real 🤦🏼♀️😳😩 . . . . #premmie #prembaby #prematurebaby #premmiestrong #premmiebaby #nicu #nicufamily #nicumum #nicumom #nicufamily #hospitallife #pprom #ppromawareness #newborn #firsttimemum #babyboy #selfcare #newhair #bobcut #mumguilt #mumguiltisreal #breastpumping #breastpump #breastexpress #expressing #expressingmilk #breastmilk #multitaskingmama #pprom #ppromawareness #31weeker #31weekpreemie
After 2 months of hospital life and all that goes with it, plus a shed load of lock-down before that, I decided to take a little time out for some much needed self-care (mixed in with a little breast pumping, obvs. Can’t get away from that! 😂)… . I felt soooo bad though being away from the hospital (even tho my son had his Daddy there looking after him). The mum guilt was real 🤦🏼♀️😳😩 . . . . #premmie #prembaby #prematurebaby #premmiestrong #premmiebaby #nicu #nicufamily #nicumum #nicumom #nicufamily #hospitallife #pprom #ppromawareness #newborn #firsttimemum #babyboy #selfcare #newhair #bobcut #mumguilt #mumguiltisreal #breastpumping #breastpump #breastexpress #expressing #expressingmilk #breastmilk #multitaskingmama #pprom #ppromawareness #31weeker #31weekpreemie
Starting my weekend, as I start every other day…With a fetal heart monitoring scan (CTG). . . I have a minimum of three of these a day now and can be on them for anything from half an hour, to a couple hours (or more!) depending on what/how baby is doing. . . One of the main questions with PPROM is when to deliver the baby. When is baby better out, than in? . . With a ‘normal’ pregnancy, the answer to that question is obviously ‘keep them in for as long as possible’, but with PPROM it becomes different. It’s a constant balancing act of weighing up the risk (of infection etc) versus the risk of prematurity and the complications that brings. Hence every day is a series of monitoring and observations, looking for signs of infection and/or other issues. . . It is a situation which can change daily, sometimes even hourly and it can be a real rollercoaster, that’s for sure 🤯 . . I’m sharing this journey to show that not every pregnancy is ‘insta-perfect’, not everything goes well and if you’re having problems, you’re not on your own. Stay strong mammas, you got this 🙌🏻👊🏻💪🏻 . . . . . . #PPROM #ppromawareness #ctg #fhr #prematureruptureofmembranes #pretermprematureruptureofmembranes #highriskpregnancy #fetalheartmonitoring #infectioncontrol #srom #pregnant #pregnancy #pregnancycomplications #premmiebaby #premmie #premature #pregnancyjourney #preggers #preggo #preggolife #hospitalstay #hospitallife #babymamma #babyonboard #strongwomen
Shout out to the Pump Army!!! 😂 (this is me at 03.00am today, half asleep doing my best impression of Daisy the cow, while desperately trying not to wake up too much!) . So. Let’s talk Breast pumping for a moment (sorry boys! Maybe close your ears for this bit 🙉). . One of the challenges of having a premmie is the need to provide breast milk; a) often without your body knowing you’ve had a baby if you’ve had an emergency c-section, b) often months before your body would naturally be ready to deliver milk and c) often without a baby to breast feed. . You are suddenly plunged into a world of Breast pumping / expressing… This new world is packed full of pumps, bottles, washing and sterilising. Trust me, it ain’t fun (or at least, it isn’t for me!). . The beginning of this journey for me was super hard. Painful isn’t even the word and I felt like giving up most days 😩😢…I will forever be grateful to the midwives who sat with me for ages helping me to get the tiniest amounts of colostrum with a syringe. I would be over the moon if I even managed to get 1ml 😂 . I struggled with expressing so much that I had more visits from the lactation/breast nurses than I had hot dinners. (It really did hurt me so much.) Those girls have probably seen more of my boobs this past 3 weeks than they have of anyone else’s in 3 years! 😂🤦🏼♀️ . But, I persevered and now I *finally* have a tiny freezer stash of milk, which feels like THE biggest achievement 💪🏻. I’m never gonna win ‘the world milking championships’, but I’m happy with where I am. . So, if you’re just starting out your pump journey. Keep going if you can (and want to!) and know that it does get easier – I promise (the night pumps will always be a nightmare tho if you’re anything like me 😂). . You got this mamma 🙌🏻 . . . . #prembaby #premmiebaby #premmie #premlife #nicu #nicubaby #nicumom #nicumum #nicufamily #premature #prematurebaby #breastpump #breastpumping #breastexpressing #expressing #expressingmilk #engorgement #31weeker #pprom #ppromawareness #pregnancy #pregnancyreality #pregnancycomplications #colostrum #colostrumharvesting #mumlife #hospitallife #mummysboy
Another day at my second home (although to be fair, sometimes it feels like my first home). . My boy is over a month old now and has spent all of his life so far, in here. (Add that to the month I spent hospitalised in the run up to his birth and it’s safe to say that if I don’t see a hospital again for a while after all this, I’ll be happy!) . Baby is getting bigger, stronger and more beautiful every day. I love him so much and feel very blessed to have him in my life. . I’ll be honest though- it can be hard coming to the hospital every day; the alarms (I even hear them in my sleep!), the helplessness, the worry and the exhaustion. Also, each time I arrive; I pass the heavily pregnant mums going for their scans and the excited dads with their car seats waiting to take their little ones home. Every time I see them, it reminds me how things should have been for me and I’m not gonna lie, that’s quite hard. . In life though, you must play the hand you are dealt, however that looks and trust that everything will be ok in the end. We must also try not to compare our lives & journeys to that of others (even though that’s hard sometimes!) . So, to all the other NICU mums and dads who have just started another day in their unit – keep going. Every day we are here, is a day closer to going home. We got this 🙏🏻 . . . . #prembaby #premmiebaby #premmie #premmiepower #prematurebaby #nicu #niculife #nicubaby #nicufamily #nicumum #nicumama #nicustrong #hospitallife #neonatology #breastpumping #incubator #babycare #babylove #31weeker #newmum #newbabyboy #truelove #firsttimemum #newchapter #pprom #ppromawareness
I love my Sunday pub chill with the papers, a glass of vino, good roast dinner and of course my baby and my man. It also feels like the ultimate achievement to actually get out of the house and make the booking on time too! 😂😂 . . . . #sunday #sundayvibes #sundaychill #sundayroast #sundaypapers #wine #relax #firsttimemum #homelife #babymamma #mummysboy #livefullbloom #smallwins #family #blessed #gratitude #newborn #prematurebaby #mumlife
Wherever he goes in life, whatever he does, my boy will always be Hull and Proud. I’ll make sure of that. I think it is *so* important to remember your roots… . . Btw, I hide my boy’s face on open social media because I feel a bit weird sharing him publicly at the moment, it almost feels like a breach of his privacy (I know some people might find that odd, but each to their own!), maybe that will change in time, maybe it won’t🤷♀️… For now, you’ll just have to trust me when I tell you he is an absolutely beautiful little boy 🥰🥰 . . #babyboy #newborn #prematurebaby #premmiebaby #hull #roots #northerner #hullcity #hullcityafc #myboy #neverforgetyourroots #saltoftheearth #love #strongbaby #babylove #babymum #firsttimemama #eping
Move over @louboutinworld there’s a new style of footwear in town and apparently it’s all the rage! 😂🤦🏼♀️ . . In hospital, the glamour never stops…. 😜 . . . . . . #hospitallife #hospitalstay #glamour #louboutin (not!) #stockings #PPROM #ppromawareness #premature #premmiebaby #srom #pregnancy #pregnancycomplications #pregnancyjourney #pregnancylife #preggo #preggers #babyonboard #nicu #maternity #maternityjourney #firsttimemamma #dvt #motherhoodjourney
I’ve received so many kind messages and congratulations etc over the past 24 hours and just wanted to say a massive THANK YOU as I won’t get chance to reply to them all individually. . . Thank you also to the parents who have shared their happy stories of their PPROM and/or premmie babies with me. I love to hear these and send my congrats and best wishes to you all. . . My condolences to everyone also who’s stories didn’t have the ending they prayed for. My thoughts are with you 💔 . . PPROM sucks and that is why I chose to share this personal experience with you, because it is so little understood and/or talked about. . . Finally, to any other parent going through NICU at the moment, keep strong and keep going. We’ll all be through this soon and will have the most precious gift back home with us, as well as buckets loads of new strength. Keep the faith 🙏🏻 . . All my love, back to all you guys ❤️ . . . . . . #pregnancy #pregnancycomplications #premmie #premmiebaby #prematurebaby #premature #nicu #scbu #nicufamily #nicuwarrior #hospitallife #babylove #gratitude #pprom #ppromawareness #ppromsurvivor #srom #babymama #babymumma #newbaby #newborn #gratitude #blessed #love #strength #strongwomen #strongbaby #babyboy #boymamma #newchapter
Took full advantage of the mini heatwave by taking my boy on his first ever staycation. He loved it! (Well, at least I think he did, he mainly just slept, cried and puked his way through it 🤣). . . To mark the occasion, I decided to match my clothes to the hook-a-duck stand. . . . . . #staycation #firstholiday #caravan #caravanning #familytime #memories #love #fairground #cleethorpes #northern #northerner #newborn #newbornbaby #travels #happytimes #blessed
I will never forget this day, 15 years ago (15, years! Time flies so fast). . . I was working in ‘The City’ doing my first proper IT contract, working in Aldgate to be precise. I was in the office above the tube station when the attack happened. At first we were told it was a “fault with the aircon on the tube”. Oblivious, I left the office to head to a conference. Within minutes of doing so, it became apparent that it wasn’t an ‘aircon fault’ at all. . . What I saw in the streets that day will stay with me forever. Panic, fear, carnage, injuries and so many people helping each other. . . I will never forget it. . . My thoughts today are with the loved ones of everyone who died and all of those people who live on, but have been affected by that day ❤️🙏🏻 . . . #londonbombings #neverforget #aldgate #terrorism #humanspirit #courage #strength #inspiration #neverforget #respect #memories
THINGS I NEVER WANT TO SEE AGAIN. Part 1: Fragmin. (If you know, you know…) 💉 🤦🏼♀️ . . I’ve had probably every ailment possible since my waters prematurely went (I’ll spare you the details! 😂) and I’ve been prodded/poked more times than I’ve had hot dinners, leaving me sore & full of bruises. Sounds silly, but one of my lowest points in all of this journey, was being told I’d have to inject myself with Fragmin. . . As someone who has a needle phobia – Just discussing needles makes my palms go sweaty (I know, ridiculous, right?) so needing to do this, was the final straw and wow did the tears come – it’s strange the things which can set you off during a hard time… . . Anyway, I didn’t once manage to self inject (I couldn’t bring myself) I had to rope in others to do it 🤦🏼♀️, but I have now finished the course of injections and I feel soooo happy as a result. 💃🏻 . . If I never see another of these, it will be way too soon😂🤦🏼♀️ . . Kudos to all who manage to self inject daily, for whatever reason – you’re way braver than me 🥰 . . . #pprom #ppromawareness #selfinjection #fragmin #ouch #needlephobia #pregnancycomplications #complicatedpregnancy #pregnancy #pregnancyreality #pregnancyjourney #prematurebaby #premmie #csection #preemiebaby #nicu #nicufamily #nicuwarrior #newmum #babymamma #boysmum #grateful #blessed #love #gratitude #strongwoman #healthiswealth #adversity #love #preemiestrong
Every day sees so much new information and stuff to learn when you’ve experienced PPROM, are in hospital and are about to have a very premature baby. To say it can be overwhelming, is an understatement!Preparation is key apparently (although I have to say, I found my visit to the NICU very tough and it made me cry 😩💔). . . . From magnesium sulfate & steroids, through to infections, cord prolapse, NICU, monitoring, breathing support, feeding, risks, challenges and so, so much more…It is an intense learning curve, that’s for sure! It’s a world I previously never knew existed or perhaps just never paid attention to (hence I’m keen to raise awareness). . . Here’s today’s learning material for me… . . . . . #PPROM #ppromawareness #prematurebaby #premmiebaby #nicu #nicubaby #earlybaby #hospitallife #hospitalstay #newbabycoming #pregnancy #pregnancycomplications #pregnancyjourney #pregnant #mamatobe #mummatobe #preggo #learning #preemiebaby #preemiestrong #preemie
Did you know, it’s ‘world chocolate day’ today? Nope, me neither – but apparently it is! (How does this even work? Can anyone just set up a ‘world day’ for something we love? 🤔) . . Just as well I received this from my boyfriend then (he knows me well!). Pretty much all eaten now, I don’t mess about. It would have been rude not to get involved… 😂 🍫 . . . . . . . . . #worldchocolateday #worldchocolateday2020 #hospitalgift #hospitalstay #hospitalstaycation #hospitallife #hamper #gift #spoilt #pprom #ppromawareness #srom #maternity #pregnancy #pregnancyjourney #pregnancycomplications #mamatobe #babyonboard #preggers #preggo #strongwomen #gratitude #chocolate #chocoholic🍫 #didyouknow
