My plan was to have my son at home with a spiritual midwife. I remember people expressing their concern for me about the fact that I was going to give birth, and I just couldn’t relate. ‘We were all born one way or another’ I would think. Well ‘another’ is the way that my son, River, was born. I suffered PPROM (my waters went) 26 weeks into my pregnancy. I was told there was an 80 percent chance i would go into labour within 24 hours, but we got lucky. After 4 weeks of careful observation and hospital check ups, he decided to make his appearance on 6th August by emergency C-section. It seems he was thirsty to experience the outside world and all it’s magic. This was a life changing experience for us both, and I have the NHS neonatal unit to thank for letting us live.

River is now 3 months old, healthy, happy and very fat! I would like to ask you all to support future premature babies by sponsoring me to hula hoop whilst holding River in my arms.  The event will take place in January 2020, and I will upload a recording of myself and River in action. 

You can either make a one time donation for the cause, or choose to donate your chosen amount per 5 minutes that I hula hoop. I will keep going as long as I can!

The charity I have chosen to donate to is Bliss; they work with the NHS, supporting babies (and their parents) that need neonatal care all over the UK.

Thank you for your support!

Small gold by Hollie mcnish

She’s almost the size of an outstretched palm
With tubes through her airways and lungs
A bud so curious she opened her petals
Before they were quite ready for sun

And her mum sits beside her like a guardian angel
Every morning she wakes, every night
Protecting her body by giving up hers
Filling her belly just right

With foods she should have so her milk might be golden
As hours she can sleep are rightfully stolen
Waking in dreams and napping for seconds
As days sail away into baby’s protection

As family balance baby and beautiful child
Whose jokes and laughter inspire them to smile
A beam of a toddler-like sunlight and laughter
Reminding you what will come after

Family tight, two girls, mum and dad
As life ticks along in slow-motion drags
Holding each other up through more sleepless naps
As the world still turns as it had

So if you want to know true love
Stop watching films
Full of glamorous couples and Hollywood stills
Kissing in rain in beautiful clothes
Wrapped in their arms like the whole world should know

‘Cos if you don’t know true love
This is it
In eyes so tired they’re in constant half-lids
Closed and opened at each cry she makes
To a close woman’s body forever awake
Taking the time of your life for another
Between newly met sister and father and mother
It is sunrise to sunset in quickened-beat hearts
And minds frozen in time every time you’re apart

So if you want to know true love, this is it
Watching a baby, for days, just waiting to kiss
And if there’s a reason why we’re on this planet, this is it
To realise the love we have to give

So if you want to know true love
You might find it in this little seed
A little bud who bloomed ahead
So curious to see
And though she might be as tiny as her father’s longing hold
She already knows a love
So pure it tastes like gold.