“I had an amazing pregnancy up until 20 weeks when I was involved in a hit and run on the highway going to work. I was hit by a driver in a stolen vehicle and they drove off, luckily we were only going about 60ks at the time.

I thought it would be best to go to the doctor just to get checked as I was pushed forward a bit in the car and was worried my seatbelt was across my belly. When at the dr's they tried to check her heartbeat with a Doppler but couldn't really find her. They thought the machine was just broken but that really started to worry my partner and I so we requested I be sent to get a urgent scan. I was lucky enough to be able to get in for a scan that afternoon.

Scan picked up that my cervix had start to funnel and my cervix was very short. I was sent straight to maternity ward at the hospital to get checked. I didn't quite qualify for a cerclarge at that point so they sent me home to have a scan in a week's time. I made it 5 days to wake up with a large amount of discharge, went straight to the hospital to be told my cervix was open and membranes were bulging. We were told baby would be born with 24 hours.

We were in the birthing suite waiting to lose our baby. I was on strict bedrest with no toilet breaks, I was also put declined in the bed to see if gravity would work it's magic. We had appointments with fetal loss staff and counsellors. Were told to tell my partners other daughters (16 and 10) that they are going to lose their sister and were asked if they would like to be there at the time to meet her and get a photo with her for memories. Hardest phone call to have.

The clock just ticked over and we made it 24 hours, then 48 hours.. A professor at the hospital decided to try perform a rescue stitch, obviously with big risks involved. The stitch was successfully put in. I was on bed rest until baby was to arrive with weekly and fortnightly appointments to monitor and nightly progesterone tablets.

Come 33 weeks and a random Saturday, I started to get Braxton Hicks (well what I thought were). Got a bit more regular, so decided to go to the hospital to get checked over. Got checked and baby was breech and I was starting to dilate with babies foot protuding through bulging membranes. We were told that baby was arriving that night via C section.

About 2 hours later baby was born. I wasn't able to cuddle her straight away as she needed the CPAP machine to help her breathe. As I was being stitched up, baby and my partner were quickly whisked away to NICU. It wasn't until the next day that I got to meet and touch my baby girl. She had done amazingly well and spent 1 night in the NICU then transferred to SCN.

She had trouble feeding so fed through a nasal tube. She ended also getting jaundice so spent some time under a blue light blanket. Due to covid restrictions, only parents were allowed to be with baby, however because my partner had other children he needs to look after he wasn't able to spend too much time with her over that time she was in hospital. I spent every day with her. The moment we were able to be let home was the best day of my life.

Finally introducing her to her siblings and family members was magical. She is such a treasured little girl who was destined to be apart of our lives..

She's now 6 months old and rolling around every chance she gets and very much loved by everyone around her.”