World Prematurity Day 2013 #GiveAHug

I’m a hugger, I always have been. There is nothing nicer than a great big bear hug from a person. That feeling of comfort as they wrap their arms around you and envelope you with warmth. So imagine my despair when my son, born 7 weeks too early couldn’t receive a hug. Rushed out of me in an emergency situation, wrapped in a towel and bundled into an incubator and moved up to NICU. I lay there, helpless, exhausted, emotional and desperate to give my son his first hug.

It wasn’t meant to be for another 38 hours, that doesn’t seem much, but when you’ve gone through the trauma of an emergency in childbirth its a lifetime. As I lay in recovery, being tended too by the medical staff, my precious newborn was spending his first few hours in a plastic box, fighting for his life and I was 2 floors away fighting for mine. My poor husband completely helpless not knowing if to stay with me or sit with our newborn. The medical staff could see his exhaustion and convinced him the best thing he could do for both of us was to go home, sleep and come back recovered and that he did. He came back to me 12 hours later, and sat whilst I lay and slept, for 38 hours. Our son spent that time, in a box learning to breathe and waiting for his hug.

The time had come, Craig was told if he wanted to, he could get Evan out of his plastic home and hug him but he declined and said “that first hug must come from mummy”. So he waited for me to wake, and wheeled me up to NICU. I still get goosebumps now remembering that journey up two flights in the lift, in a wheelchair, wires and bags all hanging from me and my desperation to see my boy, our baby, our miracle. I remember crying as he wheeled me into the ward, crying out of excitement desperate to get to his bay and there he was, ready to be taken out and given to me. Finally he was placed in my arms, his heart beat was racing, and as I put him inside my dressing gown next to my chest it steadied. He was home, in my arms next to his mum skin to skin as it should have been 38 hours previous. We were hugging, mother and son having their first hug. It’s a feeling that will stay with me for life and a feeling that was captured beautifully by our greatest supporter - Daddy xx

World Prematurity Day this year is Sunday November 17th, BLISS along with other worldwide organisations will join together to raise awareness for premature babies. Why not take a look at this link to find out some more: http://www.bliss.org.uk/media-centre/wpd/ ...........

and we still like hugging :) xx