My son Ryan, was born at 26+5 weighing 1lb 15oz (890g) when I developed
severe pre-eclampsia very suddenly and very severely. I was very ill and
I was told the day I found out I had pre-eclampsia that the baby would
need to be born asap or it could prove to be fatal to both me and the
baby.

I had an emergency caesarean on 04 April 2005 (my due date wasn't until
6 July 2005), and Ryan was born at 17.55pm.

Ryan had respiratory distress when he was born and needed to be
ventilated straight away. He was rushed off to NICU while I recovered
from the operation and pre-eclampsia. Ryan was very poorly at first and
we knew the first 48 hours were critical, but luckily he pulled through,
but not without some scary times. Ryan spent a total of 3,5 months (15
weeks and 1 day) in hospital, during which time he was ventilated for 4
weeks, had an operation to close a duct between his heart and lungs at
3,5 weeks old, had 12 blood transfusions, caught several life
threatening infections and needed constant oxygen therapy. In fact Ryan
didn't come off his oxygen until he was 7 months old as he had chronic
lung disease. We tended for Ryan on his oxygen at home for nearly 4
months.

Since his discharge from hospital nearly 2 years ago, Ryan has been back
in hospital several times with chest infections, and other various
things. He celebrated his 2nd birthday 2 months ago, and although he
looks very healthy now (apart from being very small for his age), he
still has some ongoing issues, and we still have 3 months check ups with
his paediatrician and on going checks with a dietician, eye doctor and
speech therapist. Only time will tell how much of an impact being born
so early will have on him, we probably won't know the full extent until
he starts school.

I really hope the government realises just how much having a premature
baby can impact your life. It is the most heartbreaking and distressing
thing I have ever experienced. Leaving your baby in behind in hospital
instead of taking them home like other mums can is so unnatural and I
cannot describe the pain seeing your baby fighting for its life, with
tubes and wires all around him. Pre-eclampsia is a common factor in
premature births, and more funding would go a long way into finding a
possible prevention for this too often fatal condition. I am 'lucky' in
that Ryan and I both survived this ordeal, but it could have turned out
so differently. I am so thankful still to have Ryan, but there are so
many others out there whose stories don't have such a happy ending.

I really hope this helps.

Good luck
Francesca

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