I Gave Birth To Three Premature Babies In The Space of Five Years

When thinking about creating our family, neither my husband or I imagined that we would become parents to a premature baby – let alone three premature babies!

In September 2018 our beautiful daughter Melody was born via emergency C section at 35 weeks after a very difficult pregnancy due to my type one diabetes. We were ushered into a very different start than what we expected. She didn’t breathe for 4 minutes so had to be incubated and rushed off to the NICU.

In September 2018 our beautiful daughter Melody was born via emergency C section at 35 weeks after a very difficult pregnancy due to my type one diabetes.

I Embraced Everything – The Noise, The Chaos…

At 8 hours old I met the one who made me a mama and was mesmerised. I remember sitting in my wheelchair as the last of the spinal wore off, holding this rather swollen and bruised baby, thinking ‘wow’.

I embraced the noise, the chaos, the routine, the smell, the sudden urgency… everything felt so normal because we didn’t know any different. She spent 5 days in the NICU before joining me on the maternity ward and a few days later we were home.

Felicity Made A Dramatic Entrance Into The World

When we fell pregnant again in 2022, we were somewhat prepared for the journey we may have to make again. My pregnancy was difficult again and we had a very near delivery at 23 weeks. Thankfully we held off until 32 weeks and due to an imminent placental abruption, Felicity made her very dramatic entrance to the world.

She was perfect and tiny, and on my way from the recovery room to the maternity ward I was wheeled to her incubator to meet her. I couldn’t quite get over how tiny she was but in reality, she was big for 32 weeks – 5lbs 3ozs!

I couldn’t quite get over how tiny she was but in reality, she was big for 32 weeks – 5lbs 3ozs!

13 Days In NICU

During her 13 days in the NICU she amazed us all with how resilient she was. Her doctors even introduced her to medical students with the line ’32 weekers are not born in this well a condition’.

I sunk back into NICU life as though it was an old pair of shoes I’d put to the back of the closet. Everyone remembered Melody, and nothing had changed. I loved every second. At 5 days old she went backwards and suddenly stopped taking milk resulting in a long line cannula to give her what she needed. But after that she went from strength to strength. She was feeding from the breast at 33 weeks and we went home by 34. She was miraculous in every way.

You can read more about my breastfeeding journey with Felicity here.

My Third Pregnancy Was Easier In Some Ways

We were more than happy with our two girls, not wanting to chance another difficult pregnancy, but Charlie decided we needed him. After an easier pregnancy in some ways, I ended up in hospital at 29 weeks due to my irritable uterus.

I was thinking I’d get checked over and be out in time for the school run…

I Was Having Contractions Every Few Minutes

Within a few hours I realised something was wrong but the doctors couldn’t figure out why I was having contractions every few minutes. 30 hours later and contractions still not subsiding, my incredible doctor made the decision to get him out.

I ended up losing 1.4ltrs of blood due to another placental abruption that had only just ruptured. My surgeon came back to me whilst I was recovering to tell me just how lucky I was that we caught it in time and that there was a large clot in my womb too. After having two of my babies rushed off to the NICU, I was surprised when they brought my baby boy over to give me a cuddle as I lay open in theatre. I couldn’t get over just how perfect he was, or how incredibly tiny.

I couldn’t get over just how perfect he was, or how incredibly tiny.

Despite being born in very good condition, due to him being 29 weeks he had to have a longer stay in the NICU than his big sisters. Charlie was born in a hospital with a level 3 NICU because of concerns over his health upon birth but amazingly after just 5 days he was transferred to the NICU where our girls started their lives. We were greeted with so much love and warmth as all the nurses, even a doctor or two, remembered the girls.

I Sank Into The Routine Of NICU Life

I sank into the familiar routine of NICU life once again. From pumping every three hours to sitting by Charlie’s cot and absorbing all the information I could. He was weaned slowly off oxygen as he struggled to maintain his numbers fully for nearly a month. However, we knew to expect a step back at some point and that happened when he was 3 weeks old. After weaning off his oxygen completely he began having very bad episodes where he would simply stop breathing, turning blue and becoming floppy. I’ll never get the image out of my head from the first time it happened.

After a week of having at least 3 episodes a day, he finally began to get better. They had put him back on oxygen to help with the episodes, and after another week or so he was off it.

Leaving the NICU Was Very Difficult

Charlie spent nearly 7 weeks in the NICU and leaving was so very difficult, mainly because of the incredible nurses he had looking after him every minute of every day.

I was blessed – in a way – to have been able to be by Charlie’s side throughout his hospital stay. Matt stayed home with the girls and looked after them, to enable me to be there for Charlie.

I was blessed – in a way – to have been able to be by Charlie’s side throughout his hospital stay.

I Am Proud Of All Of My Miracle Babies

I am so proud of all three of my premature miracles. They overcame so much to be where they are today and I am so grateful for the journeys we’ve been on together. I’m prouder still that I managed to breastfeed my miracles.

Charlie’s 7 months old now and he is mainly breastfed, requiring some high energy formula to help him with his weight. Having three premature babies has been such a struggle at times, but wow does it make every moment even more amazing.

You can find out more about breastfeeding a baby in NICU here.

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