At 22:26 on 21 November 2023, our lives changed forever when our beautiful little girl, Autumn, decided to join us 13-weeks early. We knew an early arrival was a possibility after a nightmare wake up in the early hours of 28 October revealed that Aimee’s waters had broken at just 23+5 weeks pregnant, but doctors and nurses had remained confident our little one could stay in there until at least 34 weeks…it’s safe to say our sassy little girl has done things her own way from the outset.

It was after that terrifying night in October that we were first introduced to Bliss, a charity whose vision is to ensure that every baby born premature or sick has the best chance of survival and quality of life. Bliss aims to achieve this through supporting parents, carrying out research and ensuring high-quality care in neonatal units is appropriately funded, structured and staffed.

Throughout the 137 days Autumn was in NICU and SCBU, plus the days before she arrived and after, Bliss have been an invaluable resource for the both of us so it only feels right that we try to give back so that they can continue to provide incredible support for families who may find themselves in our position.

The rate of babies born premature or sick in the UK is rising with 1 in every 7 babies needing neonatal care. Bliss is continuing the fight to improve outcomes and quality of life for these babies - but we need your help to do that.