Miracle mum Rebecca shares Hope's story:

I fell pregnant shortly after meeting my partner. My pregnancy was very normal I had a lot of nausea but worked shift work so just thought it was due to long hours. At my 20-week anatomy scan the technician seemed concerned looking at my scans my cervix had begun to open and I was diagnosed with an incompetent cervix (everybody hates that term). Within hours of the scan, I was rushed to hospital and my OB performed a cervical cerclage my cervix had opened even more since the hours between scan and cerclage. A surgery that should have taken 15 -30 minutes took over an hour.

Then it was just time at 23 + weeks I was in agony and was bleeding the stitch looked okay but the following day the pain was worse I went back to hospital and found the stitch had begun pulling away and went straight to KEMH. I stayed in the labour ward for a day or so before they had to cut away the stitch my membranes had pushed over the stitch, they expected baby to come then but she held on for a few more days. I was given all my options and consequences if my baby came now, I signed the consent for a classical C section and resuscitation for my baby. I remained in hospital and a day passed and we became to hope things would be okay my partner had just gone home in the evening when I began to feel strong pains I was in labour and laboured to 8 cm before I had a c section. I had been given all the drugs to assist with her lungs and we held our breath.

My little baby girl Hope was born at exactly 3 hours into the 24-week weighing 730 grams.
Baby Hope had a long fight of beathing difficulties she was tube ventilated for over 5 weeks before she gained enough weight to be offered steroids to assist her breathing and lungs. To our dismay the drugs didn't take effect like they were predicted too Hope had the tube taken out to test her and she was placed on CPAP the Friday evening of that week I received the first call I dreaded everyday she was hospitalised they advised me she wasn't coping and required to be re ventilated I sat with her all night crying stroking her head they’re gased
her after an hour she had improved and she then remained on CPAP for another 4 weeks. Then high flow oxygen and low flow oxygen and the self-ventilation. Hope had multiple blood transfusions, partially collapsed lung, stage 3 ROP and plus with needles needed to her eyes to assist with her eyes, daily heel pricks, twice weekly retcam, multiple scan and assessments, and bad reflux .

After 115 days we brought our baby girl home weighing 3.4 kg breathing for herself we have regular eye check-ups and moved her to formula weeks after coming home after being on EBM for 5 months it took us a few tries but eventually got her on dairy free formula which was a game changer. Every day, every sleepless night was completely worth it Hope is now a happy cute little baby with big personality.

Celebrating every milestone and keeping our little picture journal kept us sane any parents going through this now you can do this there is light at the tunnel.