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Stories and features about babies born premature or sick, their families and the health professionals who care for them.

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Featured Story

The first time I saw my son after birth - Olivia's story

Posted on July 05, 2019

When Olivia Gordon’s son Joel was born critically ill, she caught a brief glimpse of him before he was taken to neonatal intensive care. In this exclusive extract from her new book, The First Breath (Pan Macmillan, £16.99), Olivia tells of the first time she met her son properly.
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A grandparent on the neonatal unit – Josie’s story

July 12, 2019

What's it like to be a grandmother on the neonatal unit? Josie shares what it is like to be a grandparent of a premature baby.

The first time I saw my son after birth - Olivia's story

July 05, 2019

When Olivia Gordon’s son Joel was born critically ill, she caught a brief glimpse of him before he was taken to neonatal intensive care. In this…

Q&A with author Olivia Gordon

June 28, 2019

Journalist Olivia Gordon was 29 weeks pregnant when a scan revealed that her baby boy was critically ill, his lymphatic system failing. Despite in…

Memories from my neonatal diary – Lyndsay’s story

June 21, 2019

Four years after the birth of her daughter Indy at 24 weeks, Lyndsay shares some of the memories from her neonatal diary. Keeping a diary while your…

My top 10 tips for life after NICU – Megan’s story

June 14, 2019

After five weeks on the neonatal unit with her son Fergus, Megan had to adjust to life at home without the support of unit staff. Here, she shares…

Q&A with author Francesca Segal

June 13, 2019

Novelist Francesca Segal, met her twin daughters 10 weeks earlier than expected. Her new book, Mother Ship, reflects on the power of women’s…

Learning to change a nappy through an incubator porthole - Francesca's story

June 06, 2019

In this exclusive extract from her new book Mother Ship, Francesca Segal recalls the very memorable moment she learnt to change a nappy through the…

Why I wrote a book about our neonatal journey – Francesca’s story

May 30, 2019

Award-winning author Francesca Segal gave birth to her twin daughters at 29+6 weeks. Ahead of the launch her book Mother Ship, Francesca reflects on…

My daughter’s TOF diagnosis – Samantha’s story

May 03, 2019

Poppy was born at full-term but it wasn't long before healthcare professionals realised she had Oesophageal atresia (OA) and tracheo-oesophageal…

Why I’m running the London Marathon for Bliss – Adam’s story

April 26, 2019

Adam's neonatal experience with his son who arrived at 28 weeks inspired him to take on the 26.2 mile run.

Our journey through neonatal care – Laura’s story

April 10, 2019

Laura's daughter Millie arrived 12 weeks early. In this blog, Laura writes about their journey through neonatal care.

‘It’s ok to struggle; no matter the length of your neonatal stay’ – Lucy’s story

April 05, 2019

Lucy's daughter Polly had a relatively short neonatal stay with few complications along the way. Two years on, Lucy continued to dwell on the…

Splitting time between my children - Naazia's story

March 25, 2019

When Hamza arrived 16 weeks early, his mum Naazia was faced with the struggle of having one child in hospital and two older children at home. Here…

‘It felt like none of this was happening to us; like we were watching from the side’ – Jasmine’s story

March 22, 2019

When Jasmine found out her son would need surgery immediately after birth, she and husband Ben had to prepare themselves for a difficult journey…

A letter to parents of babies born with Down Syndrome - Aarti's story

March 21, 2019

World Down Syndrome Day is celebrated on 21 March every year. In this letter, Aarti hopes to encourage new parents of babies with Down Syndrome to…

My son’s NEC diagnosis – Kerry’s story

March 15, 2019

After a relatively smooth journey through the neonatal care, Kerry’s son Kane was diagnosed with NEC. In this week’s heartfelt blog, Kerry looks back…

My top tips for expressing on the neonatal unit – Elizabeth’s story

March 08, 2019

Elizabeth always had her heart set on breastfeeding her baby. When Paisley arrived at just 26+5 weeks, these plans changed and Elizabeth had to learn…

The value of making friends on the neonatal unit – Lucy’s story

March 01, 2019

The neonatal unit can be a lonely time for many parents. In this blog, Lucy - whose daughter Grace was born at 29 weeks - describes the value of…

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