On 28th April 2021 our world was flipped when our daughter Evelyn was unexpectedly born 16 weeks premature, after just 24 weeks of pregnancy, due to acute placental abruption. 

Evie started out her life on the cusp of viability, weighing less than 2lbs with 50-60% chance of survival. She spent her first three weeks on a ventilator and 119 days (4 months) in Ashford & St. Peters NICU and then Frimley Park NNU before we were finally able to welcome her home in late August. Whilst in hospital she was treated for several life-threatening heart/lung/gastro conditions including bronchopulmonary dysplasia, patent ductus arteriosis and severe acid reflux by the most amazing team of doctors and nurses. Once home Evelyn remained on 24/7 oxygen therapy and a pharmacy of meds until she was 8 months old. The common cold sent her back into hospital twice with bronchiolitis.

Despite enduring more in her first year of life than many go through in a lifetime, we are so fortunate that she is now a happy and thriving 18 month old.

Though Evelyn's case is extremely rare, on the whole premature birth is not. 1 in 10 babies worldwide are born premature and the experience rocks even the strongest of families to their core. There are many unknowns and successful outcomes are highly dependent on the level of care that mothers and babies receive before and after birth.  Research, advocacy and support for families is critical. 

Prematurity Awareness Month is observed every November, with World Prematurity Day on 17th November, to raise awareness of preterm birth and the concerns of premature babies and their families worldwide.

About Bliss

Bliss is the leading UK charity for babies born premature or sick. Bliss exists to give every baby born premature or sick in the UK the best chance of survival and quality of life. Bliss champions their right to receive the best care by supporting families, campaigning for change and supporting professionals, and enabling life-changing research. They rely on donations to fund their work, and without our help they won't be able to reach the 90,000 babies needing neonatal care each year. 

Some examples of Bliss’s impact include....
- Supporting £8.1 million of research in neonatal care.
- 94% of families felt more informed because of Bliss
- Working with 93% of neonatal units across the UK to adopt the Bliss Baby Charter accreditation scheme which puts parents at the heart of babies’ care on the unit
- Campaigning for the recently-passed Neonatal Leave and Pay entitlement, an extension in statutory paid leave for parents whose babies are in neonatal care

Why is Bliss so important?

Around the world, 15 million babies are born premature each year and sadly 1 million of them will not survive. Premature birth is a leading cause of death of children under 5. For every 13 babies born in the UK, one is born premature. Many of these babies need urgent neonatal care after birth, and risk life long conditions such as cerebral palsy, behavioural and long term health problems.

The financial and psychological impacts on families having babies born too soon or sick cannot be understated. Studies show that on average, parents are forced to spend an extra £282 a week when their baby is in hospital and that a significant proportion of parents whose infant spent time in NICU develop depression, anxiety and/or PTSD  due to the trauma associated with the experience.

Bliss’s goals in the face of these challenges is to ensure all babies in neonatal care have the best chance of survival, have well-supported parents playing an active role in their decision- making and care, are cared for in neonatal environments that best support their development, benefit from neonatal research that can lead to practical improvements in their care, receive high-quality care within a neonatal health system which is appropriately funded, structured and staffed.

Please join us in supporting Bliss this Prematurity Awareness Month to enable them to continue their life-saving work!