Hi Everyone,

Thanks for spending the time to read our story…

We have set up this justgiving page to fundraise for the neonatal units at Lister Hospital (registered charity East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust) and Bedford Hospital NHS Trust. This cause is very close to our hearts as we spent a long time at each unit. My waters broke unexpectedly on the 15th November 2017 and 2 weeks later our beautiful daughter was born 10 weeks prematurely on 25th November 2017, weighing 3lb 2oz. After a brief kiss on the forehead, she was whisked away in an incubator which is where our ‘premmie’ journey began.

Ottilie spent the first few days of her life in ITU and Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU), it was a whirl wind experience and we grew stronger as a family every day. We then got transferred by ANTS to Bedford Hospital neonatal unit on 17th December 2017 to be nearer to home and family. Here, Ottie was out of her incubator and in her crib wrapped up in multiple layers of donated knitted outfits. We used to call her bed the lasagne due to all the layers. The facilities and equipment used 24hrs a day for Ottilie’s care was amazing, from CPAP machines, blood pressure cuffs and cannulas to family day rooms to rest my legs. I am truly grateful to the breastfeeding specialist nurses who supported me through the very difficult, tedius times of expressing milk like a cow without my beautiful baby girl in my arms. Without their support in those early day I wouldn’t of been able to still be breast feeding her now.

From the moment she was born the consultants, sisters and nursing staff were unbelievably supportive, caring and guided us through her daily progress. The way they managed the long working hours and high dependency patients made us respect them more and more each day. We cannot speak highly of all the staff at ICU, SCBU at Lister and Bedford. I know that without all their support I would not of coped mentally with the challenges that we faced. Even now, I still keep in contact with a few nurses and let them know how were getting on or ask a few questions if I’m whittling about Ottie. They go above and beyond the scope of their job role.

So, we are trying to raise money for these inspiring people in these life changing units to enable further care and support to future families who will have to go through the very difficult experience we faced nearly 8 months ago. Every year, over 95,000 babies are cared for in neonatal units in the UK because they have either been born prematurely (before 37 weeks) or full term but sick. This means that around 1 in 8 babies born in the UK each year are admitted onto neonatal units (Bliss, 2014).

We really want to raise £2000 or more to help pay towards an oxygen and air blender for Bedford hospital and for a family extension room at Lister Hospital. As part of our fundraising we are hosting a Teddybears picnic with a raffle, bouncy castle and games as well as running Bedford Twilight 10k on Saturday 1st September 2018. So please dig deep and help us get to our target for such a great cause.

Thanks so much,

Faye, Tom and Ottilie