Story
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">
<p class="p1"><strong><span class="s1">Wigan Special Care Baby Unit Appeal 2011</span></strong></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">When you’re about to become a parent for the first time, you have an image of what it will be like: a simple birth, a perfect baby. However, it doesn’t always work out that way, So, who steps in when things don’t go to plan?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The appeal for equipment means more to us than most. There’s probably not a day goes by when we don’t appreciate what was done for us and that’s why we’d encourage people to donate to this appeal. I hope you never need the facilities, but dozens of parents do each year.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">In 2004, at week 33 of pregnancy doctors start talking about a caesarean. This meant our first visit to Special Care: nurses explaining what might happen in preparation for an early birth. Then baby Alex is born, and he put straight into an incubator.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">It seemed strange at first seeing Alex: about half the size of a full term baby, chest bones still growing and ears that flopped forward each time he turned in bed as the cartilage had yet to form. But you soon get used to it. The staff were brilliant, not just at the medical work but the emotional support because, as a parent, you feel a bit useless! A few weeks later Alex was able to leave weighing in a (just under) a whopping 4 lb 6oz, but healthy and happy.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">So it couldn’t happen again? In 2007 baby Sam was born. He was just 4 weeks premature, but had different issues struggling to breathe on his own.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">So, we were back in Special Care again - mostly the same friendly faces, just a change in location from Billinge to Wigan. At least this time we didn’t have to be shown how to change a nappy through the holes in the incubators (Krypton Factor style!).</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">More emergency was equipment needed, but not for long this time and he was home within a week. All the same we were glad it was there. And now…</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">… after a few years of obsessing over food and sterilising everything for years after we should’ve stopped, we are lucky and proud parents of 2 gorgeous happy and healthy boys now aged 7 and nearly 4!</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">We know it works out better for some and tragically for others, but either way the start of your child’s life always stays with you. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Please make a donation to help raise the £25,000 for 2 new incubators in Special Care. Grateful not just for the donations but the inspiration each of your comments will provide as I errm run the 13.2 mile course.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Thanks for taking the time to read this.</span></p>
</span></span></p>