Matthew's Story, 33 Weeks
Miracle Mum, Kristal shares Matthew's story.
"Matthew was born in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, in the back of an ambulance on the side of road at 33 weeks.
Labour was very spontaneous; my waters started to leak in the early hours of the morning. My partner got our 2-year-old up and ready and we went to the Innisfail hospital. I was checked and told that bub will most likely be born within 48 hours and I'd have to be transferred to Cairns Base Hospital. I was given steriods for Matthew's lungs and medication to try and stop the labour.
Due to COVID-19 restritions our 2-year-old wasn't able to be at the hospital nor was he allowed to visit or meet his brother in the SCN. My partner left to take our 2-year-old to his grandparents which was an hours drive away. I was loaded up into an ambulance to go to Cairns. My contractions started getting closer and more intense; not even 11kms out of Innisfail I felt the urge to push. The driver pulled over and within 15 minutes Matthew was born. Thankfully he was breathing on his own; we then raced to Cairns.
Matthew was taken straight away to be put into an isolate as his body temp was extremely low. He spent 26 days in the SCN, mainly just growing and learning to feed. We had a few little set backs but our little man was a little warrior.
I can honestly say the SCN nurses and doctors were amazing. We had so many incredible and talented people caring for our baby. Leaving the hospital without our son was probably the hardest experience - one which still brings tears to my eyes.
Though it was heartbreaking, through all the trials and tribulations of bringing our son into this world AND THEN home, I have nothing but gushing positivity for the team who cared for him when I couldn’t. My family is forever grateful for their hard work, dedication and compassion. It’s an experience I couldn’t have gone through without their support."
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