My Little Warriors 💙

Both of my little boys were born premature 💜

Rory was born at 36 weeks, weighing 4lb 15oz. He spent 2 days on the Neonatal Unit and then we spent 7 days on Transitional Care. Rory had trouble with feeding so he had a ng tube to help him feed. He also had trouble maintaining his temperature so he was put in an incubator and then he went into an open crib with a special heated blanket. Rory also was treated for jaundice. 

Rory is now aged 5. He is my crazy wild child and I couldn’t be more proud. 

Ellis was born at 28 weeks & 3 days, weighing 1lb 5oz. He spent a total of 126 days on the Neonatal Unit. Ellis was born by a planned c section due to having Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). As soon as he was born he was intubated as he couldn’t breathe on his own and taken to ICU. He had to have surgery 3 times - due to having a perforated bowel. He had pneumonia and his lungs also collapsed. He also had kidney failure which also then caused him to have Edema. Ellis then got stage 3 of ROP - this is where you can become blind due to of being on oxygen for a long period of time, he then had to go for laser eye surgery. Ellis had to be tested for numerous infections as some days he would become so poorly, he also had to have 2 lumbar punctures. He also had around 20 plus blood transfusions. Ellis was in a incubator for 3 months. He came home with his ng tube to help build up his feeds and also home on oxygen. 

Ellis was born just as we went into the first lockdown this meant that he did not get to meet his big brother Rory until the day he came home and after a week from being born his dad was not allowed on the unit to see him for 6 weeks. Our immediate family and friends also couldn’t attend the unit which meant I then had to go to hospital on my own everyday and night. It was hard at times especially when Ellis wasn’t having a good day and I had to be told this by the doctors without anyone else there to support me.

Ellis is now 7 and a half months (4 and a half months corrected) He has now been tube free since September and he now weighs 9lb 7oz. He is doing really well with all his follow up appointments. Ellis has been diagnosed with chronic lung disease. He is also waiting for his next appointment to see if he needs to have a helmet as he has plagiocephaly. We have had a few unplanned visits back to the hospital but we will continue to take each hurdle we hit together and show our strength, courage and be brave through out. I am so so proud of all he has been through in a such short space of time and how much he has come on. 

Thank you for reading our story ❤️ 

Any donation will be a great help to all families and the units around the world especially during the pandemic a lot of fundraisers are been cancelled and families are having to deal with things a lot differently than usual. 

Jodie Clarke - The proud premmie mum  

BLISS - We champion the right for every baby born premature or sick to receive the best care by supporting families, campaigning for change and supporting professionals, and enabling life-changing research. 

Prematurity statistics in the UK