Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

On the 9th of January 2014, my worst fear came true, my waters broke and I went into labour 24 weeks and 6 days into my pregnancy. My husband Gareth and I were completely terrified because we knew that the chances of our little baby boy surviving at 24 weeks gestation was at best 50%.

The hours of that evening were amongst the darkest that we could ever imagine and we watched as our little tiny baby boy was delivered lifeless and unable to breathe. Little Tom's heart began to beat as the doctors were about to give up on resuscitation. Weighing a tiny 1lb 10oz Tom was ventilated and rushed to Intensive Care. His doctors were brutally honest with us and told us he had not had a good start and we could lose him before the morning. 

The next hours turned into days and the days into weeks. Our tiny baby boy was born fighting and he has gone to surprise his doctors, nurses and us with his remarkable progress. 

Tom is now almost 10 weeks old and whilst he still has a long way to go his strength, bravery and fighting spirit are amazing. We are so very proud of him and of all the babies we have been lucky enough to meet on our NICU journey.

We still are not clear on the long term effects of Tom's early arrival but we are positive about his future and we believe he was meant to be here. 

We are so thankful for the support and care that Tom and our small family unit has received since he was born, from family and friends, from the amazing staff at the Royal Oldham Hospital and also from Bliss. 

The fact that a baby born 4 months early can survive is a miracle, supported massively by the skilled NeoNatal Teams in our NHS. To give birth to a premature or sick baby is heartbreaking, the worst feeling imaginable. Support me today with my quest to raise money for Bliss to support families and parents of babies born too soon, too small, too sick.

Please support Team Tom Thumb.

Love from Adele, Beccy, Carla, Hannah & Kirsten x x x x x 

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