Turning fear into purpose

When I look back on the day my baby was born, I still feel a whirlwind of emotions. Nothing truly prepares you for an early arrival, and when my little one came into the world at just 33 weeks and 3 days, life turned upside down in an instant. Instead of the birth experience I had imagined, we were suddenly thrust into the world of neonatal care.

Our new home

Albert needed support from the incredible team in the NICU. Those first few days were the hardest standing by an incubator, watching monitors, wires, and hearing the beeps from the machines. The NICU became our new home for three weeks. Every milestone, no matter how small – taking a full feed, maintaining temperature, moving to an open cot – was a victory we celebrated.

During this time, I discovered The Smallest Things charity. Reading blogs from other parents who had been through the NICU journey brought me so much comfort. I realised I wasn’t alone in feeling the fear, exhaustion, and hope that came with premature birth. The words of others having been in similar situations gave me strength and reminded me that our story, though difficult, was part of a much wider community of parents who understood.

Fear, anxiety & anger

After we finally brought our baby home, our life as a family of three properly began. It wasn’t until Albert was nearly 6 months old that I realised how much I had been impacted by him being born prematurely. For me, I knew I needed to speak to someone to process what we had been through. I had counselling sessions through the NHS to try to come to terms and accept our story. This did help; however, I then found Albert’s first birthday and due date incredibly hard again. The fear, anxiety and anger I felt all came flooding back. This was when I decided I wanted to be involved in The Smallest Things. I thought this would support me in my journey, and it was one of the best decisions I have made.

From NICU mum to Ambassador

I became an Ambassador for the charity, supporting schools to achieve The Prem Aware Award. As a teacher, I feel passionately about helping educators understand the challenges children born prematurely might face. Every time I share our journey, I hope another parent finds comfort, just as I once did reading those blogs in the NICU. Sharing my story and raising awareness about the long-term impacts of premature birth became something close to my heart.

What began as one of the most frightening situations I’ve experienced has become a source of purpose. If our story can help just one parent feel less alone, or one teacher better understand a child born early, then it’s all been worthwhile.

To any parent sitting by an incubator today: you are not alone. There is hope, there is support, and there is a community waiting to welcome you.

Thanks to Bethany for sharing Albert’s story.